Aircraft maintenance and inspection with data analytics enhancement

Abstract

A system and method for analyzing aircraft operation and maintenance history in light of maintenance reports, aircraft type system failure history, health management reports, and aircraft exterior structural conditions to produce a real time recommendation regarding aircraft maintenance and dispatch. A visual inspection report is generated by capturing a real time image of an exterior of the aircraft, inverting the real time image, superimposing the real time image on a previous image of the aircraft exterior, and detecting any variation on the combination of superimposed inverted image on the previous image of the aircraft exterior. Aircraft type historical systems failure reports are analyzed to identify any predictive latent system failure of the aircraft based on the aircraft type historical systems failure report and aircraft operation history and maintenance history.

Description

TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD[0001]The present disclosure relates generally to aircraft inspection and maintenance and, in particular, to an improved system and method for using data analytics to optimize aircraft inspections and maintenance.BACKGROUND[0002]In the aviation industry, aircraft inspections and maintenance are typically scheduled after a period of operation time or flight hours, or when predetermined flight cycles have been reached. The inspection and maintenance processes are comprehensive and ongoing. For example, certain aircraft components are replaced upon reaching a maximum allowable usage, while other parts are periodically checked for field failures or faulty performance. Airlines and airworthiness authorities often refer to scheduled inspections as A-check, B-check, C-check, or D-check, wherein A-checks and B-checks are considered to be lighter checks, and C-checks and D-checks are considered to be heavier checks. As illustrated in FIG. 1, at an airport gate, for example...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Additionally, some inspections are conducted at night or at other times during poor visibility, which increases the likelihood that a safety issue could be misinterpreted or misjudged during inspection.

Examples include obstructed probes by insect nests, worn-out brake pins, partially shut vents, twisted engine blades, fluid leaks, lightening strikes having caused holes, cracks, or dents on top of fuselage, corrosion of antennas, lost of fasteners, and color of the over pressure relief caps, etc.

Inevitably, there have been reported incidents traced back to errors and improper judgment by humans.

Data going through such channels can be costly to some airlines if the amount becomes huge and the speed of data transmissions can be an issue.

One downside of the above-described AHM system is that it does not combine and integrate all relevant in-service maintenance data among an aircraft manufacturer's aircraft portfolios.

Due to geographical diversity and differences in culture, languages and data format, current maintenance records of inspections and repairs performed by worldwide fleet on the ground are not integrated with the aircraft manufacturer's AHM system including data collected in-flight.

For non-English speaking countries, airlines maintenance logs are often recorded in foreign languages, which is also incompatible with an AHM system written in English.

Thus, using the traditional methods, airlines take time, in some case up to a week, to make necessary actions.

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