Patents by Inventor Michael Spottiswoode

Michael Spottiswoode has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Method of operating an aircraft fuel management system
    Patent number: 9517836
    Abstract: A method of operating an aircraft fuel management system for an aircraft having at least one fuel tank, each fuel tank having an associated fuel quantity indicator arranged to provide an indication of the amount of fuel in the associated fuel tank, the method comprising calculating a value for the amount of fuel on board (FOB_FailedFQI) the aircraft to be utilized by the fuel management system in the event of a failure of at least one of the fuel quantity indicators, the amount of fuel on board being calculated as a value for the initial amount of fuel on board (FOBinit) minus the amount of fuel used. Additionally or alternatively a value for the gross weight center of gravity of the aircraft is calculated using an assigned value of fuel for each of the fuel tanks having an associated failed fuel quantity indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITED
    Inventors: Petter Sjungargard, Ian Case, Antoine Burckhart, Michael Spottiswoode
  • Method of controlling the centre of gravity of an aircraft
    Patent number: 8814096
    Abstract: A method of controlling the center of gravity of an aircraft having a plurality of fuel tanks, the method comprising transferring fuel from one or more of the fuel tanks according to a predetermined sequence, the timing of the sequence being dependent on the decrease in gross weight of the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Airbus Operations Limited
    Inventors: Michael Spottiswoode, Antoine Burckhart, Petter Sjungargard
  • METHOD OF OPERATING AN AIRCRAFT FUEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20110231056
    Abstract: A method of operating an aircraft fuel management system for an aircraft having at least one fuel tank, each fuel tank having an associated fuel quantity indicator arranged to provide an indication of the amount of fuel in the associated fuel tank, the method comprising calculating a value for the amount of fuel on board (FOB_FailedFQI) the aircraft to be utilised by the fuel management system in the event of a failure of at least one of the fuel quantity indicators, the amount of fuel on board being calculated as a value for the initial amount of fuel on board (FOBinit) minus the amount of fuel used. Additionally or alternatively a value for the gross weight centre of gravity of the aircraft is calculated using an assigned value of fuel for each of the fuel tanks having an associated failed fuel quantity indicator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: AIRBUS UK LIMITED
    Inventors: Petter Sjungargard, Ian Case, Antoine Burckhart, Michael Spottiswoode
  • METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE CENTRE OF GRAVITY OF AN AIRCRAFT
    Publication number: 20110226906
    Abstract: A method of controlling the centre of gravity of an aircraft having a plurality of fuel tanks, the method comprising transferring fuel from one or more of the fuel tanks according to a predetermined sequence, the timing of the sequence being dependent on the decrease in gross weight of the aircraft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: AIRBUS UK LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael Spottiswoode, Antoine Burckhart, Petter Sjungargard