Alternate diversion airport planner

• US 8,565,944 B1
• Filed: 10/13/2009
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Gershzohn, Gary R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Amin, Bhavesh V
• Application Number:
  US12/577,758
• Time in Patent Office: 1,470 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701 3- 11, 701/14, 701 23- 27, 701400-541, 244/175, 244/183, 244/195, 244/196, 340/947, 340/979
• US Class Current: 701/14
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0039 Modification of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0056 in an emergency situation, e.g. hijacking
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/025 Navigation or guidance aids radar or analogous systems specially adapted for landing purposes G01S13/913

Abstract

Technologies are described herein for providing a list of alternate diversion airports that is based on up-to-date and accurate information received electronically at the aircraft. The list of alternate diversion airports may be prioritized according to a normal mode when the aircraft is operating under normal flight conditions, or a non-normal mode when the aircraft is operating in an emergency situation. In one aspect of the present disclosure, a system includes an alternate airport diversion planner program that generates the list of alternate diversion airports based on diversion planning information received at an aircraft. The alternate airport diversion planner program subsequently receives periodic updates of the diversion planning information, which is used to update the list of alternate diversion airports that is provided to a pilot of the aircraft.

Claims

1. An automated airport diversion planning system of an aircraft, comprising:

a processor;

a memory; and

an automated airport diversion planner program stored in the memory that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to;

generate a list of alternate diversion airports based on diversion planning information received at the aircraft and a current state of the aircraft,

periodically and without user input, receive updated diversion planning information at the aircraft from a data input source outside the aircraft,

upon receiving the updated diversion planning information, update the list of alternate diversion airports according to the updated diversion planning information received at the aircraft and the current state of the aircraft, and

provide the updated list of alternate diversion airports to a pilot of the aircraft.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the automated airport diversion planner program further causes the processor to:

periodically update the current state of the aircraft; and

upon updating the current state of the aircraft, update the list of alternate diversion airports according to the updated current state of the aircraft.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the diversion planning information comprises one or more of current and forecast weather at alternate diversion airports, current and forecast weather diversion planning information between a current position of the aircraft and the alternate diversion airports, current and forecast air traffic control (ATC) delays at the alternate diversion airports, current and forecast ATC delays between the current position of the aircraft and the alternate diversion airports, and airline preferences for the alternate diversion airports.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the automated airport diversion planner program further causes the processor to prioritize the list of alternate diversion airports based on the updated diversion planning information received.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the automated airport diversion planner program further causes the processor to suggest a preferred alternate diversion airport from the list based on the updated diversion planning information and the current state of the aircraft.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the automated airport diversion planner program further causes the processor to:

receive a non-normal mode input; and

upon receiving the non-normal mode input, generate a non-normal list of alternate diversion airports based on the updated diversion planning information received at the aircraft and the current state of the aircraft.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the automated airport diversion planner program further causes the processor to calculate one or more flight planning parameters for each alternate diversion airport in the list.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein each of the one or more flight planning parameters comprises one of route and altitude options to the alternate diversion airport, estimated time en route to the alternate diversion airport, estimated fuel en route to the alternate diversion airport, estimated fuel remaining upon arrival at the alternate diversion airport, estimated landing weight upon arrival at the alternate diversion airport, maximum allowable landing weight at the alternate diversion airport, and an amount of fuel to jettison to reach the maximum allowable landing weight.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the automated airport diversion planner program further causes the processor to provide the list of alternate diversion airports to the pilot of the aircraft with the one or more flight planning parameters for each alternate diversion airport.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the automated airport diversion planner program further causes the processor to receive the updated diversion planning information from an airline operations center.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the updated list of alternate diversion airports is displayed on an aircraft display on the aircraft.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the updated list of alternate diversion airports is displayed on a navigation display of the aircraft.

13. A method for providing an up-to-date list of alternate diversion airports to a pilot of an aircraft, the method comprising:

generating with a processor a list of alternate diversion airports based on diversion planning information received at the aircraft;

periodically and without user input, receiving updated diversion planning information at the aircraft from a data input source outside the aircraft;

upon receiving the updated diversion planning information, updating the list of alternate diversion airports according to the updated diversion planning information received at the aircraft; and

providing the updated list of alternate diversion airports to the pilot of the aircraft.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the diversion planning information at the aircraft comprises current and forecast weather at alternate diversion airports, current and forecast weather diversion planning information between a current position of the aircraft and the alternate diversion airports, current and forecast ATC delays at the alternate diversion airports, current and forecast ATC delays between the current position of the aircraft and the alternate diversion airports, airline preferences for the alternate diversion airports, and a current state of the aircraft.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

prioritizing the list of alternate diversion airports based on the updated diversion planning information received; and

suggesting a preferred alternate diversion airport from the list based on the updated diversion planning information.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving a non-normal mode input; and

upon receiving the non-normal mode input, generating a non-normal list of alternate diversion airports based on the updated diversion planning information received at the aircraft.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising calculating one or more flight planning parameters for each alternate diversion airport in the list of alternate diversion airports, wherein each of the one or more flight planning parameters comprises one of route and altitude options to the alternate diversion airport, estimated time en route to the alternate diversion airport, estimated fuel en route to the alternate diversion airport, estimated fuel remaining upon arrival at the alternate diversion airport, estimated landing weight upon arrival at the alternate diversion airport, maximum allowable landing weight at the alternate diversion airport, and an amount of fuel to jettison to reach the maximum allowable landing weight.

18. A method for providing an up-to-date list of alternate diversion airports to a pilot of an aircraft, comprising:

receiving an aircraft mode input indicating one of a non-normal mode and a normal mode;

upon receiving the aircraft mode input indicating the non-normal mode, generating a non-normal list of alternate diversion airports based on diversion planning information received at the aircraft, a current state of the aircraft and the aircraft mode input, wherein the non-normal list of alternate diversion airports is prioritized according to a plurality of flight parameters associated with each alternate diversion airport, comprising

estimated time of arrival, and

availability of an emergency crew on site, aircraft traffic, length of runway, or resources for handling an emergency;

upon receiving the aircraft mode input indicating the normal mode, generating a normal list of alternate diversion airports based on diversion planning information received at the aircraft, a current state of the aircraft and the aircraft mode input;

periodically and without user input, receiving updated diversion planning information at the aircraft from a data input source outside the aircraft, wherein the updated diversion planning information comprises receiving one or more of current and forecast weather at the alternate diversion airports, current and forecast weather diversion planning information between a current position of the aircraft and the alternate diversion airports, current and forecast ATC delays at the alternate diversion airports, current and forecast ATC delays between the current position of the aircraft and the alternate diversion airports, and airline preferences for the alternate diversion airports;

updating at least one of the non-normal list of alternate diversion airports and the normal list of alternate diversion airports according to the updated diversion planning information received at the aircraft, the current state of the aircraft and the aircraft mode input; and

providing the updated list of alternate diversion airports to a pilot of the aircraft according to the aircraft mode input.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising prioritizing the non-normal list of alternate diversion airports and the normal list of alternate diversion airports based on the updated diversion planning information received.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising suggesting a preferred alternate diversion airport from the non-normal list of alternate diversion airports or the normal list of alternate diversion airports depending on the aircraft mode input received.