Engine Thrust Estimation for Taxiing Aircraft Using Acceleration Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need to determine the engine thrust of an aircraft taxiing on an airport surface, as pilots do not report thrust levels, which affects fuel usage estimation, emissions management, and scheduling efficiency at airports.
Innovation Solution
A computing device that identifies an aircraft on an airport surface, calculates its acceleration, compares it with predetermined data from similar aircraft, and determines engine thrust based on this comparison, using algorithms to classify acceleration data into clusters corresponding to engine thrust levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If pilots report thrust levels manually, then information accuracy would improve, but operational complexity and time consumption would increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically determines engine thrust levels by monitoring aircraft acceleration and comparing it with predetermined data, eliminating the need for pilot reporting. The aircraft itself provides the data through its natural acceleration characteristics during taxiing, which the system processes to infer thrust levels without additional human intervention or complex reporting procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual reporting mechanism (pilot observation and communication) with an automated electronic system that uses sensors to measure acceleration and algorithms to determine thrust levels. This substitution of mechanical/manual processes with electronic automation resolves the contradiction by maintaining high information accuracy while reducing operational complexity.
2Loss of information
If automated thrust determination is implemented, then information availability improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a multi-functional approach where the same acceleration measurement infrastructure serves both existing aircraft performance monitoring and new thrust level determination functions. The predetermined data stored in the system can be used for multiple aircraft types and scenarios, reducing the need for separate specialized systems and minimizing overall system complexity while maximizing information availability.
3Measurement precision
If thrust level data is collected for all aircraft, then fuel management accuracy improves, but data processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a practical approach by collecting and processing thrust level data for aircraft where it provides the most value, such as during taxiing operations where fuel consumption is significant but flight plans may be inaccurate. The system processes data selectively based on operational context rather than uniformly for all aircraft in all conditions, optimizing the balance between fuel management accuracy and data processing requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A computing device to determine engine thrust of an aircraft during taxiing. The computing device includes memory circuitry configured to store computer-readable program code. Processing circuitry is configured to execute the computer-readable program code to cause the computing device to: identify an aircraft on an airport surface; calculate an acceleration of the aircraft during the taxiing of the aircraft; compare the acceleration with predetermined data from similar aircraft; and based on the comparison, determine an engine thrust for the aircraft while the aircraft is taxiing.