Abstract: Systems and methods for alerting trailing aircraft about conditions experienced by a leading aircraft are disclosed herein. The systems and methods include an aircraft lighting system, which includes at least one external aircraft light and a memory module configured to store at least one criterion associated with an aircraft parameter. The systems and methods further include a receiver module operably connected to the memory module which is configured to receive an aircraft parameter. The systems and methods also include a processor module operably connected to the memory module, the receiver module and the at least one external aircraft light, the processor being configured to compare the received aircraft parameter to the stored at least one criterion and is further configured to determine, on the basis of the comparison, whether to cause illumination of the at least one external aircraft light for observance by trailing aircraft.

Abstract: Systems and methods for alerting trailing aircraft about conditions experienced by a leading aircraft are disclosed herein. The systems and methods include an aircraft lighting system, which includes at least one external aircraft light and a memory module configured to store at least one criterion associated with an aircraft parameter. The systems and methods further include a receiver module operably connected to the memory module which is configured to receive an aircraft parameter. The systems and methods also include a processor module operably connected to the memory module, the receiver module and the at least one external aircraft light, the processor being configured to compare the received aircraft parameter to the stored at least one criterion and is further configured to determine, on the basis of the comparison, whether to cause illumination of the at least one external aircraft light for observance by trailing aircraft.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for brokering data exchanges between on-board and off-board systems of a vehicle. One method comprises receiving, at a data broker engine, one or more data requests from an origination system, wherein each of the one or more data requests specifies at least one or more of a request type and a target system. Then the data broker engine determines whether the request type is a one-time transmission, a periodic transmission, an event-triggered transmission, or a change-triggered transmission. Following the determination, the data broker engine retrieves data from the target system based on the determined request type and transmits the data to the origination system.

Abstract: A vehicular situation display including a user interface, a display, and a processor is provided to modify a vertical profile of a flight plan. The processor may generate vertical profile display data on the display based, receive a request to edit the vertical profile, expand the vertical profile display data on the display, generate a first movable reference line corresponding to one of an altitude, a distance and a time, receive, from the user interface, a flight plan change request to change an altitude, distance or time of the flight plan, the altitude, distance or time corresponding to the first movable reference line, generate a preview of an updated flight plan, and transmit the approval of the displayed updated flight plan to a flight management system, the flight management system configured to update the flight plan of the aircraft based upon the command to change the flight plan.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for providing real-time assessment and analysis for reduced engine taxi operations (RETO) for an aircraft. The method includes retrieving time sensitive data, non-time sensitive data and ground operational data that all affect RETO of the aircraft. This data is collected with an RETO analyzer which applies a predetermined ruleset to determine a RETO recommendation for the aircraft. The recommendation is transmitted to a RETO support module which retrieves historical flight data and cost model and financial model data for the aircraft. The support module then generates and displays RETO alerts, implementation plans and map overlays for the aircraft.

Abstract: Systems and methods that optimize landing performance are provided. The system determines a number, N, of equipment configurations (a combination of a brake setting and a thrust reverser configuration) supported by the aircraft. The system determines a deceleration airspeed to achieve a target taxi speed and, for each of the N equipment configurations, determines a respective deceleration distance. In various embodiments, the system further updates the deceleration distances by one or more of a brake's condition, aircraft historical data, brake warranty and life cycle data, and environmental conditions. The deceleration distances are used to identify a number P of exit-ways that can be used at the runway. Total costs (including brake usage and fuel cost) for each of the P exit-ways is determined, and the equipment configuration that delivers the lowest total cost delivers the optimize landing performance.

Abstract: A touch screen controller for an aircraft and a method for operating the same are provided. The method, for example, may include, but is not limited to, receiving, by a core interface in a first core of a touch screen controller, a data or service request for a flight management system from a second core of a touch screen controller, validating, by the core interface, the received data or service request for the flight management system, wherein the data or service request is validated when the applications executing on the first core are idle, a flight phase of the aircraft matches a flight phase associated with the application executing on the second core, and the data or service request is within aircraft performance limits and operational limits.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for providing real-time assessment and analysis for reduced engine taxi operations (RETO) for an aircraft. The method includes retrieving time sensitive data, non-time sensitive data and ground operational data that all affect RETO of the aircraft. This data is collected with an RETO analyzer which applies a predetermined ruleset to determine a RETO recommendation for the aircraft. The recommendation is transmitted to a RETO support module which retrieves historical flight data and cost model and financial model data for the aircraft.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for integrating aircraft flight parameters generated by an offboard portable electronic device (PED) into an onboard flight management system (FMS). The method comprises selecting the aircraft flight parameters to be generated by the PED for use by the FMS. The current flight data is accessed for the aircraft with the FMS and providing the current flight data to the offboard PED. The rules for the aircraft flight parameters are computed with the offboard PED based on the current flight data for the aircraft and transmitted to a flight management (FM) adapter. The FM adapter confirms that the rules for the aircraft flight parameters comply with operational limits of the aircraft and then translates the rules of the aircraft flight parameters to aircraft operational targets for use by the onboard FMS. The aircraft operational targets are then loaded from the FM adapter into the FMS.

Abstract: A system for integrating flight crew decision aid applications in an aircraft cockpit includes a touch screen controller (TSC) that comprises a data mining engine configured to mine aircraft data from the already existing avionics interface and a flight plan and trajectory generating engine (FPTGE) configured to retrieve a trajectory request from a requesting flight crew decision aid application, compute one or more theoretical trajectories using the mined aircraft data, and transmit the one or more theoretical trajectories to the requesting flight crew decision aid application. The TSC also comprises a flight crew decision aid application configured to receive a flight crew request for simulated data from a touch screen user interface, generate and transmit one or more requested trajectory requests to the FPTGE, receive data from the one or more theoretical trajectories from the FPTGE, and display the requested simulated data on the touch screen user interface.

Abstract: A method for providing operational-efficiency data onboard an aircraft associated with a current flight plan. Prior to flight of the aircraft using the current flight plan, the method obtains and presents pre-flight briefing data, flight advisories, and stored alerts associated with the current flight plan, wherein the pre-flight briefing data comprises at least an operational-efficiency KPI associated with the current flight plan. The method also determines applicability of the operational-efficiency KPI to the current flight plan, based on the pre-flight briefing data, flight plan data, weather data, NOTAM data, and ATC communication data. When the operational-efficiency KPI is applicable to the current flight plan, the method computes and presents fuel savings associated with adherence to the operational-efficiency KPI during the flight; and configures and presents alerts associated with adherence to the operational-efficiency KPI during the flight.

Abstract: A method is provided for calculating an actual cost index (CI) for aircraft operations. A preliminary CI is generated for an aircraft based on in-flight data parameters. An actual CI is calculated by identifying unavoidable deviations from the flight plan and discounting the deviations from the preliminary CI. Also, an expected CI for the flight plan of the aircraft is generated based on the book performance data of the aircraft provided by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM). The actual CI is then compared with the expected CI with any differences between the two indices reported in a post flight compliance report.

Abstract: A vehicular situation display including a user interface, a display, and a processor is provided to modify a vertical profile of a flight plan. The processor may generate vertical profile display data on the display based, receive a request to edit the vertical profile, expand the vertical profile display data on the display, generate a first movable reference line corresponding to one of an altitude, a distance and a time, receive, from the user interface, a flight plan change request to change an altitude, distance or time of the flight plan, the altitude, distance or time corresponding to the first movable reference line, generate a preview of an updated flight plan, and transmit the approval of the displayed updated flight plan to a flight management system, the flight management system configured to update the flight plan of the aircraft based upon the command to change the flight plan.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method is provided. The method comprises: receiving data, automatically generated in an unqualified system, configured to at least one of: control a vehicle management system in a vehicle, and obtain data from the vehicle management system; verifying integrity of the data; if the integrity of the data is verified, then qualifying the data; and if the data is qualified, then providing data to at least one qualified system in the vehicle management system.

Abstract: A method for analyzing data onboard an aircraft is provided. The method obtains aircraft parameter data; identifies a current phase of flight; determines standard operating procedure (SOP) compliance onboard the aircraft, based on the aircraft parameter data and the current phase of flight; identifies relevant safety events, based on the aircraft parameter data and the current phase of flight; and presents data associated with the SOP compliance and the relevant safety events.

Abstract: Avionic systems and methods are provided for forecasting and reducing the likelihood of tire overspeed events during aircraft (A/C) runway procedures, such as takeoff and landing procedures. In one embodiment, the avionic system includes a controller coupled to at least one runway procedure data source, such as pilot input interface, a flight management system, atmospheric data sensors, or a navigational database. During operation, the controller receives runway procedure data from the runway procedure data sources pertaining to a planned runway procedure for the ownship A/C. The controller utilizes the runway procedure data to project at least one maximum tire speed during the planned runway procedure (TSMAX_PROJECTED), which is then compared to a maximum speed limit of the A/C tires (TSLIMIT). If TSMAX_PROJECTED exceeds TSLIMIT, the controller generates an alert or notification indicating the probable occurrence of a tire overspeed event during the planned runway procedure.

Abstract: A method for analyzing data onboard an aircraft is provided. The method obtains aircraft parameter data; identifies a current phase of flight; determines standard operating procedure (SOP) compliance onboard the aircraft, based on the aircraft parameter data and the current phase of flight; identifies relevant safety events, based on the aircraft parameter data and the current phase of flight; and presents data associated with the SOP compliance and the relevant safety events.

Abstract: A display system, including a main window and a multi-control window, for displaying graphical data in a navigation display. The display system further includes one or more sensors for obtaining data regarding at least one of traffic targets, waypoints and craft trajectories. One or more processors are configured to receive the data from the one or more sensors and provide input to the display screen. The display screen is configured to display a portion of the data in the main window as a primary display view and another portion of the data in the multi-control window as a secondary display view. The primary display view and the secondary display view are interchangeable to display the data in different view modes.