Aircraft Engine Shutdown and Restart Decisions Using Lifetime-Part Data

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Solution Overview

Problem

There is no convenient way for aircraft owners or operators to determine whether to keep the engines running or shut them down during waiting periods, considering factors like fuel consumption, limited lifetime parts, and emissions, which affects operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Innovation Solution

A system that processes real-time information from sensors and additional data about limited lifetime parts to make determinations on engine shutdown or restart, taking into account fuel consumption, part replacement costs, and emissions, providing outputs to pilots or automatically controlling engine operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If engines are kept running during waiting periods, then operational readiness is improved, but fuel consumption and emissions increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational readinessVSAvoidfuel consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary calculations by obtaining real-time information from sensors and additional information about limited lifetime parts before making shutdown/restart determinations. This allows the aircraft management system to proactively determine optimal engine operation timing, considering both operational readiness requirements and fuel consumption implications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously obtains real-time information from aircraft sensors and processes it along with additional information about part lifetimes to generate dynamic determinations. This feedback loop allows the system to adjust engine operation decisions based on current operational status, part condition, and remaining useful life data.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If engines are kept running during waiting periods, then operational readiness is improved, but emissions increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational readinessVSAvoidemissions

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Loss of energy

If engines are shut down during waiting periods, then fuel consumption is reduced, but part replacement costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefuel consumptionVSAvoidpart lifetime

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system obtains additional information about limited lifetime parts and performs preliminary calculations to determine the optimal shutdown/restart timing. This allows the system to proactively assess whether shutting down the engine will cause limited lifetime parts to reach their replacement threshold, thereby avoiding premature part replacements while still achieving fuel savings.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system processes real-time sensor information alongside additional information about part lifetimes to generate dynamic determinations. This feedback mechanism enables the system to continuously monitor part condition and adjust engine operation decisions to prevent premature part replacements while maximizing fuel efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

4Ease of operation

If shutdown/restart determinations are made manually, then operational control is maintained, but time consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational controlVSAvoiddecision time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The aircraft management system performs self-service by automatically obtaining real-time information from sensors, processing additional information about limited lifetime parts, and generating shutdown/restart determinations without requiring manual intervention. This automation eliminates the time consumption associated with manual decision-making while maintaining operational control through system-generated outputs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously obtains real-time information from aircraft sensors and processes it along with additional information about part lifetimes to generate dynamic determinations. This feedback loop enables automated, real-time decision-making that eliminates manual intervention time while maintaining operational control through system-generated outputs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS20250250027A1Shutdown/restart or keep running determinations for aircraft management

Publication Date: 2025.08.07 PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP

AI summary

A method includes obtaining, using at least one processing device, real-time information associated with operation of an aircraft from one or more sensors of the aircraft. The method also includes obtaining, using the at least one processing device, additional information associated with the aircraft, where at least some of the additional information is associated with limited lifetime parts of the aircraft. The method further includes processing, using the at least one processing device, the real-time information and the additional information to generate a determination whether one or more engines of the aircraft should continue running or should be shut down and subsequently restarted. In addition, the method includes generating, using the at least one processing device, at least one output identifying how to operate the one or more engines of the aircraft based on the determination.