Non-Engine Drive Means for Aircraft Ground Movement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Low cost airlines face challenges in maintaining a reliable supply of efficiently operating older aircraft, as these require more frequent maintenance and are less fuel-efficient, leading to potential service disruptions and high costs, with existing solutions failing to provide a method for maintaining a global fleet of aircraft equipped with non-engine drive means for autonomous ground movement.
Innovation Solution
A method is established where a maintenance, repair, and overhaul provider maintains and pre-positions a reserve fleet of aircraft equipped with non-engine drive means, such as electric drive assemblies, at selected geographic locations, ensuring their availability for low cost or other airlines, reducing maintenance and fuel costs, and extending the operational life of aircraft.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If low cost carriers use older aircraft to reduce fleet costs, then purchasing and training costs are reduced, but maintenance frequency increases and fuel efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-positioning spare aircraft equipped with non-engine drive means at selected geographic locations before they are needed. This ensures that when maintenance issues arise or service demand increases, replacement aircraft are already in place and ready for immediate use, thereby maintaining reliability without requiring frequent replacements of older aircraft.
2Productivity
If low cost carriers operate older aircraft longer to extend fleet utilization, then operational flexibility is improved, but fuel consumption increases and maintenance costs rise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional engine-based ground movement system with a non-engine drive means system. This substitution eliminates the need for engines to be running during ground operations, significantly reducing fuel consumption while allowing older aircraft to be operated longer. The non-engine drive system provides the mechanical push/pull force needed for ground movement without requiring engine operation.
3Reliability
If a reserve fleet of spare aircraft is maintained to ensure service continuity, then service reliability is improved, but the cost of maintaining and positioning these aircraft increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces non-engine drive means as an intermediary system that enables older aircraft to be maintained and positioned at reserve locations without requiring full engine operation or complex ground support equipment. This intermediary ground movement system facilitates the maintenance and repositioning of spare aircraft, making it more economical to maintain a reserve fleet while ensuring service continuity.
4Loss of energy
If non-engine drive means are installed on older aircraft to reduce fuel usage, then fuel efficiency is improved, but the cost of modernization increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the principle of using cost-effective solutions for ground movement by replacing expensive engine operation with a more economical non-engine drive system. While the initial modernization cost is significant, the system is designed to be more fuel-efficient and less maintenance-intensive than traditional engine-based ground movement, providing long-term cost savings that offset the initial investment.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables low cost airlines to operate reliably and economically with minimal service interruptions by providing a pool of spare aircraft equipped with non-engine drive means, reducing fuel consumption, and extending the economic life of aircraft by 5 to 10 years, resulting in significant cost savings.
Implementation Method 1
aircraft equipped with non-engine drive means for autonomous ground movement
Data Source
AI summary
A method for maintaining a supply of available aircraft equipped with non-engine drive means for autonomous ground movement is provided that enables an air carrier, particularly a low cost carrier, to operate reliably, efficiently, and economically to provide substantially uninterrupted air transport service. The present method is designed to enable airlines with fleets of older aircraft retrofitted with non-engine drive means for autonomous ground movement to operate economically and efficiently through a cooperative arrangement with a maintenance, repair, and overhaul provider that maintains and ensures an available supply network of spare and backup aircraft. The supply network may be global in geographic scope and may provide spare or backup aircraft equipped with non-engine drive means to one or more airlines.