Abstract: Systems and methods for coordinating with a flight management system (FMS) on-board an aircraft to determine whether a flight plan (FP) change generated by an external device is valid. The method includes generating the FP change, which includes a deviation to the intended FP and a savings parameter associated with a parameter of the intended FP, responsive to weather data and aircraft state data; generating a lateral display showing the intended FP and an alphanumeric window with the FP change; transmitting the FP change to the FMS; receiving, from the FMS, a travel path and a calculated parameter for the travel path, generated by the FMS responsive to the FP change; determining whether the travel path realizes the savings parameter by comparing the calculated parameter to the savings parameter; and, displaying either a selectable graphical user interface (GUI) object to implement the FP change, or a warning based thereon.

Abstract: A method and system for providing cost data via an operating cost app for a flight associated with a flight plan, by a computing device including: obtaining cost data of the flight plan by executing the operating cost app to implement an operating cost integrator application integrated with the operating cost app to interface with a plurality of service providers for retrieving operating cost data of the flight plan from each of the service providers; obtaining, by the at least one processor, real-time aircraft performance parameters affecting the actual cost of the flight including: a landing time and a takeoff time; determining an actual cost of the flight by using software solutions of the operating cost app, and by calculating ground charges at the airport derived from the sensed data by the operating cost app and presenting the actual cost of the ground charge, via a display device for displaying.

Abstract: An avionics system in an aircraft for providing flight data from an onboard flight management computer (FMC) to requesting applications is disclosed. The system includes a flight management system (FMS) service layer executing on the FMC on a thread separate from a thread that executes FMS core functions. The FMS service layer provides a FMC networked node server for responding to queries from a plurality of external applications for data generated from the FMS core functions without interrupting the FMS core functions. The FMC networked node server is configured to: receive a request from a client application using a server specified API for data elements from a specified input flight plan; retrieve the specified input flight plan from the FMS core functions; extract the requested data elements; and output the requested data elements to the client application without affecting the active thread that executes FMS core functions.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a visual user interface on a display associated with an aircraft. The systems and methods transcribe, using a voice to text application, an ATC broadcast message; analyze the transcribed ATC broadcast message for flight plan information; send a request to an avionics service system to determine at least one flight performance parameter based on the flight plan information; receive the determined at least one flight performance parameter from the avionics service system in response to the request; and render a visual User Interface (UI) including the transcribed ATC broadcast message and a flight performance parameter advisory based on the at least one flight performance parameter, wherein the flight performance parameter advisory is tagged to the transcribed ATC broadcast message in the visual UI.

Abstract: Methods and systems provide a visual user interface on a display device associated with an aircraft. A Flight Information System (FIS) broadcast report; and an Air Traffic Control (ATC) broadcast message are received. The FIS broadcast report and the ATC broadcast message are transcribed. Ownship data for the aircraft is received. The ownship data concerns at least one of: a state of the aircraft, a flight plan for the aircraft and a state of components of the aircraft. The transcribed FIS broadcast report is analyzed with respect to the ownship data to determine filtered FIS information that is relevant to the ownship. A visual user interface (UI) is rendered to be displayed on the display device. The visual UI includes the transcribed ATC broadcast message and the filtered FIS information.

Abstract: A system and method in an aircraft for providing enhanced services is provided. In one example, the method includes: setting up triggering logic to identify a beginning point and ending point for collecting a set of avionics system data during a flight; and systematically retrieving information for use by the triggering logic to identify the beginning point and the ending point. When the beginning point is reached, the method includes systematically repeating: retrieving the set of avionics systems data; and sending, to an off-board application, data from the set of avionics system data that has changed state from prior data sent to the off- board application. When the ending point is reached, the method includes cease sending data from the set of avionics system data to the off-board application.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing immersive avionics training include controlling a virtual or augmented reality device to present, to a user, a virtual or augmented reality simulation of a user interface of an avionics system including a simulation of a display of the avionics system. The method further includes detecting a user action based on a point of gaze and touch inputs of the user indicative of a user command to use a functionality of the avionics system. The user action is a physical interaction with a control panel apparatus representing an input device of the user interface of the avionics system. The method also includes simulating the use of the functionality in accordance with the user command to generate output data and controlling the virtual or augmented reality device to simulate display of the output data in the simulation of the display of the avionics system.

Abstract: A method on an aircraft for producing active voice tags on a flight path displayed on a graphical display unit is provided. The method comprises: identifying a specific instruction from a received message from ATC; determining, for the specific instruction a location relative to a planned flight path of the aircraft at which the specific instruction should be provided to flight crew; generating, for the specific instruction, a voice message configured to recite the specific instruction; associating with the voice message an actuatable graphical element that is actuatable to cause the voice message to be provided to flight crew; rendering the actuatable graphical element at or near the determined location on a depiction of the planned flight path that is displayed on the graphical display unit; and providing the voice message associated with the actuatable graphical element as an aural message responsive to actuation of the actuatable graphical element.

Abstract: An automatically adjustable landing light circuit and method for an aircraft approaching a target are provided. The circuit includes a memory having therein an auto adjustable landing light program, and a processor operationally coupled to a source of real-time navigation data, a source of intended approach information, a source of target geometry, and a source of environmental information including cross-wind data. The processor executes the auto adjustable landing light program, to: determine a course correction, as a function of the cross-wind data, upon determining each occurrence of deviations exceeding respective thresholds for the current heading and an intended heading, the current pitch and an intended pitch, and the current yaw and an intended yaw. The processor generates control motor commands for a landing lights assembly that generates a landing light projection. The control motor commands adjust the landing light projection in accordance with each determined course correction.

Abstract: A joint-decision making system for a vehicle operator and a dispatcher is disclosed, comprising: a vehicle operator engine implemented on a vehicle system configured to: detect a trigger event condition; retrieve vehicle information relevant to the event trigger condition; receive additional information relevant to the event trigger condition; generate a suggested response based on the trigger event condition, retrieved vehicle information, and received additional information; display the suggested response on a graphical user interface of the vehicle operator engine; and transmit the trigger event condition, vehicle information, and suggested response to a dispatcher engine; and the dispatcher engine implemented on a ground system configured to: receive the event trigger condition, vehicle information, and suggested response from the vehicle operator engine; retrieve the additional information relevant to the event trigger condition; and display the suggested response on a graphical user interface of the dis

Abstract: A system and method of storing and recovering a flight plan includes loading flight plan data into working memory of an aircraft flight management system (FMS). When the FMS determines that a storage triggering event has occurred, a copy of at least a portion of the flight plan data is transmitted from the working memory to a non-volatile storage medium. A display command is supplied to a display device, at least following recovery of the FMS from a severe reset, that causes the display device to render a retrieval prompt. A retrieval command is received at the FMS, via a user input device, that causes the FMS to retrieve the at least a portion of the flight plan data from the non-volatile memory and store it in the working memory.

Abstract: A system and method for generating, supplying, and implementing an optimized descent approach profile for an aircraft includes transmitting a current flight plan from an onboard flight management system (FMS) to an off-board computing device. The optimized descent approach profile for the aircraft is computed, in the off-board computing device,. One or more new waypoints or points of interest that are not on the current descent approach profile, but which comprise the optimized descent approach profile, are identified in the off-board computing device. The new waypoints or points of interest are transmitted from the off-board system to the onboard FMS. The current descent approach profile is updated, in the FMS, to include the new waypoints or points of interest, thereby generating an updated flight plan. The updated flight plan is implementing in the onboard FMS.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for optimization of an aircraft flight trajectory with shortcuts. The method comprises retrieving an active flight plan stored in a flight management system (FMS) and identifying a potential shortcut with a shortcut advisor tool. The FMS monitors the location of the aircraft with respect to an identified start point of the potential shortcut. Prior to the aircraft's arrival at the identified start point, current key performance indicators (KPI) of the shortcut are evaluated with the shortcut advisor tool. The aircrew is alerted to the potential shortcut along with a preview of the performance of the aircraft upon accepting the potential shortcut. The aircrew may accept the addition of the potential shortcut to the flight plan and request approval of the shortcut by air traffic control (ATC). The active flight plan is updated with the shortcut upon approval from the ATC.

Abstract: An embodiment of a communication management unit (CMU) includes emulator and data-mining circuits. The emulator circuit is configured to generate a data request having a same format as a data request from a vehicle communications center, to send the data request to a subsystem disposed on a vehicle, and to receive data sent by the subsystem in response to the data request. The data-mining circuit is configured to provide at least some of the received data to a determining circuit configured to determine information in response to the provided data. For example, such a CMU can request flight-plan data from a flight management subsystem (FMS) by sending, to the FMS, an emulated data-request message having the same format as a data-request message from a ground-based aircraft operations center. That is, the CMU can “fool” the FMS into “thinking” that the data-request message originated from the ground-based aircraft operations center.

Abstract: An obstruction detection and warning system includes a plurality of edge light emitters, and a processing system. The edge light emitters are mounted on a structure that has a width and a height. Each edge light emitter is operable to emit a light beam at an angular rate, and that is encoded with data that indicates its position and its height. The processing system receives the light beam emitted from each edge light emitter and decodes the encoded data from the received light beam to determine the width and height of the structure, and to determine a distance from an aircraft to the structure. The processor also compares an active trajectory and current altitude of the aircraft to the width and height of the structure and the distance to the structure and, based on the comparison, generates and supplies situational cues to an operator of the aircraft.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable medium for providing data for flight simulation, or performing flight simulation using data provided by a remote server system. In some embodiments, a method for streaming avionic simulation may include: receiving, from a user device, a request for flight management service functions by a user; determining the flight management service functions registered to the user based on the request; determining a device setup configuration associated with the user; selecting one or more user devices based on the device setup configuration; receiving streaming data corresponding to a simulation of the flight management service functions; and transmitting the streaming data corresponding to the flight management service functions to one or more user devices, wherein the streaming data provides the simulation of the flight management service functions.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method may be used for training aircraft operators. The method may include determining a set of recommended flight training topics for a target aircraft operator, and receiving flight data recorded from simulator training performed by the aircraft operator or operation of aircraft by the aircraft operator. Additionally, the method may include analyzing the flight data to determine a proficiency evaluation, the proficiency evaluation being a measure of proficiency of the aircraft operator in one or more training topics, and adjusting the set of recommended flight training topics based on proficiency evaluation.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for guiding or otherwise assisting operation of an aircraft en route to an airport. One method involves identifying a reference point in advance of a runway, dynamically determining a gliding vertical trajectory for the aircraft en route to the reference point based at least in part on a current altitude of the aircraft at a current aircraft location and gliding characteristics of the aircraft, and providing a graphical indication of a difference between a predicted altitude of the aircraft at a location corresponding to the reference point resulting from the gliding vertical trajectory and an altitude criterion associated with the reference point. The graphical indication of the difference dynamically updates as the aircraft travels.

Abstract: A communication system is provided. The communication system comprises a communication management unit (CMU) comprising a processor, a memory and an input/output port; wherein the processor is configured to run a distribution application operable to: when data is received from a ground system at the input/output port, transmit the data to a designated first device and transmit selected data of the data received at the input/output port to at least one designated second device; and when data is received from the first device or the second device, transmit the data to the other of the first and second device as well as an intended recipient of the data.

Abstract: An avionics system in an aircraft for providing flight data from an onboard flight management computer (FMC) to requesting applications is disclosed. The system includes a flight management system (FMS) service layer executing on the FMC on a thread separate from a thread that executes FMS core functions. The FMS service layer provides a FMC networked node server for responding to queries from a plurality of external applications for data generated from the FMS core functions without interrupting the FMS core functions. The FMC networked node server is configured to: receive a request from a client application using a server specified API for data elements from a specified input flight plan; retrieve the specified input flight plan from the FMS core functions; extract the requested data elements; and output the requested data elements to the client application without affecting the active thread that executes FMS core functions.