Flight Record Procedure Assignment via Trajectory Matching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft operators lack knowledge of the procedures actually flown during flights, leading to complications in retrospective analysis and limited insight into the costs and impacts associated with different procedures.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for analyzing flight records to map flight data to predefined aircraft procedures, determining adherence metrics, and assigning procedures based on flight trajectories, enabling performance analysis and identification of anomalous deviations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If air traffic control assigns procedures during flight, then procedures can be dynamically adjusted based on real-time conditions, but aircraft operators lack knowledge of what procedures will be flown prior to flight
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by collecting and storing procedure information from published charts before flights occur. This allows the procedure database to be pre-populated with all possible procedures, enabling both real-time assignment capability and retrospective analysis without losing procedure information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary procedure database that sits between the published procedure charts and the flight analysis system. This intermediary stores and manages procedure information, allowing it to be retrieved for both pre-flight planning and post-flight analysis, thus bridging the information gap.
2Ease of operation
If procedures are assigned by air traffic control during flight, then real-time operational flexibility is improved, but retrospective analysis of flown procedures becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by capturing actual flown procedure data during flights and comparing it against the database of published procedures. This feedback loop enables retrospective analysis by matching observed flight paths with expected procedure parameters, allowing precise measurement of procedure adherence despite dynamic assignments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates copies of published procedure definitions and stores them in a searchable database. These procedural templates serve as reference copies that can be matched against actual flight data, enabling accurate retrospective analysis without requiring the original charts during analysis.
3Manufacturing precision
If procedure specifications in published charts are followed exactly, then procedure definition precision is maintained, but actual flown procedures will likely deviate from exact specifications
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies dynamics by transitioning from static procedure specifications to dynamic procedure analysis. Instead of requiring exact matches to published charts, the system adapts to actual flown paths by comparing key parameters and determining the most likely intended procedure, thus accommodating real-world variations while maintaining analytical rigor.
4Loss of information
If aircraft operators want to analyze costs and impacts of different procedures, then operational insight is improved, but the lack of knowledge regarding flown procedures limits analysis capability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments procedure information into distinct, analyzable components such as procedure identifiers, waypoints, altitudes, and timing parameters. This segmentation allows the system to match flight data against procedure definitions systematically, enabling efficient retrospective analysis of costs and operational impacts by individual procedure elements.
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods and systems are provided for analyzing flight records to assign procedures to the flight records. One method involves identifying a set of procedures for potential association with a flight record based at least in part on a runway associated with the flight record, identifying a probable procedure from among the set of procedures based on a relationship between a trajectory associated with the probable procedure and flight data associated with the flight record, and updating the flight record to maintain an association with the probable procedure. The flown trajectory represented by the flight data is mapped to the procedure trajectories to identify the probable procedure executed during the flight associated with the flight record based on the relative adherence of the flown trajectory to the procedural legs that constitute the procedure trajectory.