Removable Landing Gear Strut Sensing for Aircraft Weight and Balance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aircraft weight and balance systems are costly, time-consuming, and prone to inaccuracies, and existing methods for estimating aircraft weight and balance during loading operations are unreliable, leading to potential safety risks and regulatory non-compliance.
Innovation Solution
A sensing device mounted to the aircraft's landing gear strut during loading operations to measure strut length and temperature, providing data for a data processing device to determine load conditions, including weight distribution and center of gravity, without requiring complex installations or modifications, and generating alerts for adverse conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional weighing scales are used to measure aircraft weight, then measurement accuracy is improved, but time consumption and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical weighing scales with a sensor-based electronic measurement system. Sensors mounted on the landing gear strut measure strut length changes, which are then converted to weight measurements through data processing. This substitution eliminates the need for physical weighing scales and enables rapid, accurate weight determination during loading operations.
2Measurement precision
If permanent on-aircraft weight and balance systems are installed, then measurement capability is improved, but system complexity and installation cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the measurement system into separate, modular components: sensors mounted on the landing gear, portable data processing devices, and removable mounting fixtures. This segmentation allows the system to be deployed without permanent installation or aircraft modification, reducing complexity while maintaining measurement capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a portable data processing device as an intermediary between the sensors and the final weight determination. This intermediary processes sensor data and provides weight measurements without requiring permanent integration into the aircraft's existing systems, thereby reducing overall system complexity.
3Reliability
If sensors are permanently installed on landing gear, then measurement reliability is improved, but vulnerability to damage during take-off and landing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the sensor mounting dynamic rather than static. Sensors are mounted on the landing gear strut using removable fixtures that allow the sensors to be installed before loading operations and removed afterward. This dynamic mounting approach maintains measurement reliability during ground operations while protecting sensors from damage during take-off and landing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs preliminary action by installing sensors on the landing gear strut before loading operations begin, and removing them before the aircraft moves to the take-off position. This timing strategy ensures sensors are in place when needed for weight measurement while avoiding exposure to high-risk flight operations.
4Measurement precision
If complex sensing systems are installed, then measurement accuracy is improved, but ease of operation and maintenance decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a portable data processing device as an intermediary that simplifies operation. This device interfaces with the sensors and provides user-friendly weight measurements and alerts, eliminating the need for operators to directly interact with complex sensor systems. The portable nature of the device also improves accessibility for operation and maintenance.
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
Provides accurate, cost-effective, and rapid determination of aircraft load conditions, reducing the risk of safety and regulatory violations by ensuring safe flight control and adherence to weight limits.
Implementation Method 1
a sensor operable to sense a characteristic related to a length of a strut of a landing gear of an aircraft
Implementation Method 2
The sensing device includes a temperature sensor for sensing temperature at or adjacent the strut
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are methods and devices for determining a load condition of an aircraft. A sensing device is mountable relative to an aircraft strut during loading operations and demountable after loading operations. A data processing device is operable to process output from the sensing device together with aircraft specific data, to determine a load condition of the aircraft.