System and method for managing aircraft maintenance

• US 8,571,747 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2007
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Zimpfer, Andrew N., McMillin, Duke, Bearce, Jeffrey M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): TISSOT, ADAM D
• Application Number:
  US11/951,700
• Publication Number:
  US 20090150022A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,154 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3, 701/29.1, 701/29.4, 701/33.2, 705/7.11, 705/7.13, 705/305, 715/700, 715/740, 715/751, 700/90, 700/100
• US Class Current: 701/29.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/30 Transportation; Communications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method of managing maintenance of an aircraft is provided. In one implementation the method includes generating an electronic report that indicates a fault of the aircraft; electronically integrating the electronic report with resource data and flight schedule data to establish a repair solution for the fault; and generating an electronic work order based on the repair solution.

Claims

1. A method, using at least one computer, of managing maintenance of an aircraft, the aircraft being associated with a gate at an airport, method comprising:

generating an electronic report that indicates a fault of the aircraft;

electronically integrating the electronic report with resource data and flight schedule data of the aircraft to establish a repair solution for the fault; and

generating an electronic work order based on the repair solution;

electronically maintaining the flight schedule of the aircraft based on the electronic work order; and

further comprising monitoring conditions of the aircraft and updated gate information of the gate associated with the aircraft;

using a network to access a flight schedule evaluator subsystem that;

generates information, based on the monitoring of the conditions, indicating whether the electronic work order can be completed within a current flight schedule for the aircraft; and

adjusts the flight schedule of the aircraft if the electronic work order cannot be completed without interfering with the flight schedule of the aircraft;

further comprising integrating at least one of electronic manuals and electronic training information for use in at least one of establishing the repair solution and performing work associated with the electronic work order; and

further comprising electronically generating a parts order based on aircraft configuration information and available resources.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising electronically managing an assignment of the electronic work order to a technician.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising electronically managing work associated with the electronic work order as the work is being performed.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising electronically scheduling the work based on available resources and the repair solution.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising electronically managing an inspection of the work.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising electronically integrating part information with the report.

7. A maintenance management system for an aircraft, where the aircraft is intended to board and depart from a gate at an airport, the system comprising:

one or more computers on which computer readable mediums are able to run, the computer readable mediums being in communication via a network, and at least one of the computers including a portable service tool used by a technician, the computer readable mediums operating to form;

a fault evaluator operable to evaluate fault data of an aircraft and establish a repair solution;

a work order generator operable to generate an electronic work order based on the repair solution;

a maintenance manager operable to assign the work order to the technician;

a work manager running on the portable service tool and operable to manage work associated with the work order as it is being performed by the technician;

a flight schedule evaluator for receiving information from the portable service tool and evaluating whether the work order can be performed within a current flight schedule of the aircraft, and when it is determined that the work order will not be able to be completed within the current flight schedule, the flight schedule evaluator performs one of adjusting the flight schedule as needed, and providing a substitute aircraft for the aircraft;

a gate situational awareness reporter configured to run on a processor that provides updated gate information concerning the gate associated with operation of the aircraft, the updated gate information indicating available time to complete the work order to the technician; and

wherein the system is further configured to;

integrate at least one of electronic manuals and electronic training information for use in at least one of establishing the repair solution and performing work associated with the electronic work order; and

electronically generate a parts order based on aircraft configuration information and available resources.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the fault evaluator is further operable to establish the repair solution based on repair history.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the fault evaluator is further operable to access electronic manuals for use in establishing the repair solution.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein the work order generator is further operable to schedule the work based on available resources and the repair solution.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein the maintenance manager is further operable to generate a parts retrieval request based on the repair solution.

12. The system of claim 7 further comprising a fault report generator operable to generate the fault data of the aircraft based on at least one of fault data generated by the aircraft and fault information entered by a user.

13. The system of claim 7 wherein the work manager is further operable to manage the work based on the updated information.

14. The system of claim 7 wherein the conditions of the aircraft include at least one of boarding information and ground services information.

15. The system of claim 7 further comprising a part manager operable to manage at least one of a retrieval and a release of parts for the aircraft.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the part manager is further operable to manage the at least one of the retrieval and the release of the parts based on part tag data.

17. The system of claim 7 wherein the work manager is further operable to manage an inspection of the work after it has been performed by the technician.

18. The system of claim 7 wherein the work manager is further operable to provide at least one of training information and a manual to the technician.

19. An maintenance management system for an aircraft comprising:

one or more computers on which computer readable mediums are operable to run, the computer readable mediums being in communication over a network, and at least one of the computers including a portable service tool used by a technician, the computer readable mediums operating to form;

a fault report generator operable to generate fault data of an aircraft based on at least one of fault data generated by the aircraft and fault information entered by a user;

a fault evaluator operable to evaluate the fault data of the aircraft and establish a repair solution;

a work order generator operable to generate a work order and a parts order based on the repair solution;

a flight schedule evaluator operable to evaluate whether the work order can be performed within a current flight schedule of the aircraft, and when it is determined that the work order will not be able to be completed within the current flight schedule, the flight schedule evaluator performs one of adjusting the flight schedule as needed, and providing a substitute aircraft for the aircraft;

a maintenance manager operable to assign the work order to a technician;

a part manager operable to manage at least one of a retrieval and a release of parts for the aircraft based on the parts order;

a gate situational awareness reporter operable to monitor conditions of the aircraft and generate updated gate information based on the conditions, and to supply the updated gate information to the technician to indicate to the technician available time to perform the work order; and

a work manager running on the portable service tool operable to manage maintenance work as it is being performed by the technician;

wherein the system is further configured to;

integrate at least one of electronic manuals and electronic training information for use in at least one of establishing the repair solution and performing work associated with the electronic work order; and

electronically generate the parts order based on aircraft configuration information and available resources.