Interactive Aircraft Performance Substantiation System

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current aircraft performance substantiation methods are inefficient and prone to error, requiring users to manually sift through extensive reports to access relevant data, making it time-consuming and complex to determine performance properties for specific maneuvers and conditions, especially for aircraft with complex configurations.

Innovation Solution

An enhanced aircraft performance substantiation solution that allows users to interactively select aircraft, maneuvers, and configure loads and conditions, providing graphical representations and real-time data analysis to visualize load placement and mass properties, enabling efficient and accurate determination of performance properties.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If legacy aircraft performance substantiation reports are used, then comprehensive performance data is available, but the reports are cumbersome and time-consuming to navigate requiring manual sifting through extensive data

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomprehensive performance data availabilityVSAvoidtime to access relevant information

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and presents only the specific performance variables and conditions relevant to the user's query, rather than requiring manual sifting through all 700 pages of data. The system identifies and displays the subset of information needed for a particular maneuver or performance assessment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of sifting through physical or printed reports with an automated computer-based system that electronically retrieves, processes, and displays performance data based on user inputs for aircraft type, maneuver, and conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Measurement precision

If manual interpolation or extrapolation of performance properties is performed, then performance data can be obtained for specific conditions, but the process is prone to error and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveperformance property accuracyVSAvoidtime to access performance data

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual interpolation and extrapolation calculations with automated computer-based computations that precisely calculate performance properties based on input conditions, eliminating human calculation errors and reducing time required.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides feedback by automatically calculating and displaying performance properties based on user-input conditions, allowing users to verify results and adjust parameters as needed without manual recalculation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Adaptability or versatility

If comprehensive performance data is provided, then all possible performance variables are available, but the complexity of identifying and accessing relevant data increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveperformance variable coverageVSAvoiddata access complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by tailoring the displayed information to the specific needs of each user query. Rather than presenting all possible performance variables uniformly, the system displays only those variables and conditions relevant to the selected aircraft type, maneuver, and operational parameters.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary computer-based system that mediates between the comprehensive performance database and the user, translating complex data structures into user-friendly presentations based on selected criteria.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Measurement precision

If preliminary calculations for mass properties are required, then accurate mass properties can be determined, but the calculations become increasingly complex for aircraft with complex configurations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemass property accuracyVSAvoidcalculation complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual preliminary calculations for mass properties with automated computer-based calculations that handle complex configurations, multiple loading stations, and various mission requirements without increasing user burden or calculation complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS8359542B2Machines, program products, and computer-implemented methods for interactive aircraft performance substantiation

Publication Date: 2013.01.22 LOCKHEED MARTIN CORP

AI summary

An interactive aircraft performance substantiation is provided by determining maneuvers for a user-selected aircraft, determining operation and performance variables for a user-selected maneuver, displaying a scale graphic representation of the user-selected aircraft according to aircraft dimensions, displaying load selection fields according to aircraft dimensions and load-sites dimensions, interactively updating the scale graphic representation of the user-selected aircraft to include an oriented graphic representation of a user-selected load according to the aircraft dimensions, load dimensions, and load-site dimensions, interactively determining mass properties of the user-selected aircraft according to the aircraft dimensions, the load dimensions, and the load-site dimensions; receiving operation properties for the user-selected maneuver corresponding to the operation variables; and displaying an aircraft performance substantiation responsive to determining performance properties of the user-selected aircraft according to the mass properties thereof and the operation properties thereof, the performance properties corresponding to the performance variables.