Abstract: A method estimates the vertical airspeed and fuel flow of an aircraft at a point along a flight plan using other aircraft parameters for that point. The process uses a database having entries containing sets of actual values of operating parameters obtained during prior aircraft flights. The database is sorted by data set aggregate values that are is calculated from each set of actual values. When the vertical airspeed and fuel flow estimates are needed, a section thereof is identified based on the aggregate values. That section of the database is analyzed to identify the set of actual operating parameters values that best matches the other aircraft parameters for the flight plan point. The vertical airspeed and fuel flow values from that identified set are used as the estimates. This process reduces the amount of the database that has to be analyzed to locate the data to use.

Abstract: A method estimates the vertical airspeed and fuel flow of an aircraft at a point along a flight plan using other aircraft parameters for that point. The process uses a database having entries containing sets of actual values of operating parameters obtained during prior aircraft flights. The database is sorted by data set aggregate values that are is calculated from each set of actual values. When the vertical airspeed and fuel flow estimates are needed, a section thereof is identified based on the aggregate values. That section of the database is analyzed to identify the set of actual operating parameters values that best matches the other aircraft parameters for the flight plan point. The vertical airspeed and fuel flow values from that identified set are used as the estimates. This process reduces the amount of the database that has to be analyzed to locate the data to use.