Flight Trajectory Shortcut Advisory for Real-Time Route Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current aircraft flight trajectory optimization methods lack real-time dynamic decision-making capabilities to effectively incorporate lateral shortcuts for fuel and time savings, as they rely heavily on historical data and individual experience, which can lead to suboptimal fuel efficiency and increased operational costs.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilizes a shortcut advisor tool integrated with a flight management system and electronic flight bag to identify and evaluate potential shortcuts in real-time, providing aircrew with performance previews and facilitating approval through air traffic control, thereby optimizing flight trajectories dynamically based on current conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If lateral shortcuts are used to reduce trip fuel and time, then fuel efficiency and speed improve, but route safety and reliability may deteriorate due to lack of real-time dynamic decision-making
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors current position, weather conditions, traffic状况, and aircraft performance parameters in real-time. This feedback loop enables dynamic evaluation of shortcut feasibility, ensuring that shortcuts are only recommended when safety and operational conditions are favorable, thus resolving the contradiction between fuel efficiency and route safety
Solution Approach 2:
The shortcut advisor tool automatically identifies potential shortcuts, evaluates their feasibility based on real-time data, and presents recommendations to the flight crew. This self-service capability eliminates dependency on individual pilot experience while maintaining safety through systematic real-time assessment, thereby improving fuel efficiency without compromising reliability
2Loss of time
If lateral shortcuts are implemented to reduce trip time, then speed and productivity improve, but operational complexity increases due to dynamic decision requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs automatic shortcut identification and evaluation, presenting ready-to-execute recommendations to the flight crew. This automation of the complex decision-making process reduces trip time through efficient routing while minimizing operational complexity by handling the analytical burden automatically
Solution Approach 2:
The shortcut advisor tool acts as an intermediary between raw flight data and pilot decision-making. It processes complex multi-parameter data (position, weather, traffic, performance) and translates it into simple, actionable recommendations, thereby reducing trip time without increasing the operational burden on the flight crew
3Loss of information
If historical flight data analysis is used to identify shortcuts, then route optimization potential is improved, but real-time adaptability and responsiveness deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges historical flight data analysis with real-time monitoring of weather, traffic, and aircraft performance. This combination preserves the route optimization potential derived from historical patterns while adding real-time adaptability through continuous data updates, allowing dynamic adjustment of shortcut recommendations based on current conditions
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems are provided for optimization of an aircraft flight trajectory with shortcuts. The method comprises retrieving an active flight plan stored in a flight management system (FMS) and identifying a potential shortcut with a shortcut advisor tool. The FMS monitors the location of the aircraft with respect to an identified start point of the potential shortcut. Prior to the aircraft's arrival at the identified start point, current key performance indicators (KPI) of the shortcut are evaluated with the shortcut advisor tool. The aircrew is alerted to the potential shortcut along with a preview of the performance of the aircraft upon accepting the potential shortcut. The aircrew may accept the addition of the potential shortcut to the flight plan and request approval of the shortcut by air traffic control (ATC). The active flight plan is updated with the shortcut upon approval from the ATC.