System and method for determining aircraft payloads to enhance profitability

Abstract

A method for managing aircraft operations includes determining, via a trajectory predictor, an expected fuel usage for a flight along a desired route, and determining, via at least one processor, an available cargo capacity for the flight along the desired route based at least in part on the expected fuel usage. In addition, the method includes determining, via the at least one processor and the trajectory predictor, a passenger ticket price, a cargo price, and a fuel quantity based at least in part on an available seating capacity, an expected passenger demand, the available cargo capacity, and an expected cargo demand to enhance profitability of a flight network. The method also includes outputting the passenger ticket price, the cargo price, and the fuel quantity to a user interface, to a storage device, and/or to a network.

Description

BACKGROUND[0001]The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a system and method for determining aircraft payloads to enhance profitability.[0002]Commercial aircraft typically include a storage compartment (e.g., storage hold) configured to facilitate transportation of passenger baggage. The volume of certain storage compartments is larger than the expected volume of passenger baggage for a flight along a desired route. Accordingly, the excess volume of such storage compartments may be utilized to transport cargo along the desired route. Selling the excess volume to companies and / or individuals for cargo transportation enhances the profitability of the flight by increasing the utilization of available resources (e.g., the excess storage volume and / or the excess lifting capacity of the aircraft). However, transporting cargo increases the weight of the aircraft, thereby increasing fuel usage during the flight. In addition, the weight of the cargo and / or the volume of the cargo withi...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0003]In one embodiment, a computer implemented method for managing aircraft operations includes receiving an available seating capacity for a flight along a desired route. The flight along the desired route is one of multiple flights within a flight network. The method also includes receiving an expected passenger demand for the flight along the desired route, and receiving an expected cargo demand for the flight along the desired route. In addition, the method includes determining, via a trajectory predictor, an expected fuel usage for the flight along the desired route. The method also includes determining, via at least one processor, an available cargo capacity for the flight along the desired route based at least in part on the expected fuel usage. Furthermore, the method includes determining, via the at least one processor and the trajectory predictor, a passenger ticket price, a cargo price, and a fuel quantity based at least in part on the available seating capacity, the expected passenger demand, the available cargo capacity, and the expected cargo demand to enhance profitability of the flight network. The method also includes outputting the passenger ticket price, the cargo price, and the fuel quantity to a user interface, to a storage device, to a network, or a combination thereof.

[0004]In another embodiment, a computer implemented method for managing aircraft operations includes re

Problems solved by technology

However, transporting cargo increases the weight of the aircraft, thereby increasing fuel usage during the flight.

In addition, the weight of the cargo and/or the volume of the cargo within the storage compartment may reduce the available passenger capacity of the aircraft (e.g., by decreasing the storage volume for passenger baggage and/or by reducing the available lifting capacity of the aircraft).

Accordingly, pricing cargo too cheaply may redu

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