Aircraft Fleet Maintenance Planning Using Representative Flight Loads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for determining aircraft maintenance plans are imprecise and inefficient, particularly for fleets, as they rely on theoretical load histories that do not reflect actual usage, requiring complex data processing and failing to optimize maintenance scheduling.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize monitoring systems on aircraft to collect real usage data, process it to identify aircraft representative flights, and determine maintenance plans based on actual usage patterns, optimizing inspection intervals through statistical analysis of primary quantities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If theoretical load history is used for maintenance planning, then maintenance intervals can be established, but the precision of maintenance planning deteriorates because theoretical values do not reflect actual usage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by continuously collecting actual load data from sensors during aircraft operations and using this real-world information to update and refine maintenance planning. The system compares actual usage patterns against theoretical models, creating a closed-loop system where maintenance intervals are dynamically adjusted based on real feedback from the aircraft's actual operational conditions, thereby improving precision without proportionally increasing complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical data processing systems with electronic sensor-based measurement and digital data collection. Instead of using elaborate theoretical calculation models, the system directly measures actual loads using sensors and processes this electronic data through software algorithms, substituting mechanical complexity with electronic measurement and computational simplicity
2Productivity
If theoretical load history is used for fleet monitoring, then maintenance plans can be generated, but the efficiency of maintenance scheduling deteriorates due to complex data processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by enabling the aircraft themselves to automatically collect and transmit their own operational data through embedded sensors and communication systems. Each aircraft independently generates its own usage profile, eliminating the need for complex centralized data processing. The system allows aircraft to self-report their operational conditions, and maintenance schedules are automatically generated based on this self-collected data, significantly improving efficiency while reducing processing complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal data collection system that uses standardized sensors and communication protocols applicable to entire fleets of aircraft. The same sensor suite and data processing approach can be applied across multiple aircraft types and operators, providing a multi-functional solution that improves productivity by enabling standardized, scalable fleet-wide monitoring without requiring complex custom processing for each aircraft
3Reliability
If theoretical load values are used, then design requirements can be met, but the accuracy of fatigue state estimation deteriorates because theoretical values differ from actual loads
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by installing sensors and measurement systems during the aircraft manufacturing phase, before actual operations begin. This allows the system to continuously collect accurate load data from the moment the aircraft enters service, ensuring that real measurement data is available immediately for fatigue analysis. The preliminary installation of measurement infrastructure enables ongoing accurate monitoring that directly improves load measurement accuracy while maintaining flight safety through continuous validation against design requirements
Data Source
AI summary
Method implemented through a computer for determining a maintenance plan of a group of aircraft, comprising receiving a data structure with a plurality of groups of values associated with a plurality of flights of the aircraft, wherein each flight has a duration, each group of values relates to a physical quantity associated with the use of an aircraft, and wherein each group of values is acquired during a flight by a detection system coupled to an aircraft. The method further comprises identifying one or more representative flights from the plurality of flights, starting from the data structure and using at least one statistical test, wherein the groups of values associated with the representative flights are, from a statistical viewpoint, values of typical use of the group of aircraft; determining a load sequence comprising the groups of values associated with the representative flights repeated a number of times, as a function of the duration of the respective representative flight; and determining a state of use of the group of aircraft, starting from the load sequence.