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 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 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: 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: 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: 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: An adaptive system in an aircraft for presenting speed and altitude recommendations for supersonic flight on an aircraft display unit is provided. The system is configured to: predict, based on received aircraft sensor inputs from on board aircraft sensors, an optimum speed and altitude profile while flying in a supersonic phase of flight between a plurality of waypoints for the current aircraft model, wind conditions, and mission; and determine using a SONIC boom prediction model whether the optimum speed and altitude profile would cause an acceptable BOOM effect per a predefined BOOM effect threshold limit during flight between the plurality of waypoints, wherein a BOOM effect is a perceived sound level on land due to unrestricted supersonic flight over land, and wherein a BOOM effect threshold limit is an acceptable perceived sound level on land due to supersonic flight over land.

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 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: Systems and methods are disclosed for providing data for flight simulation, or performing flight simulation using data provided by a remote server system. In some embodiments, a method for providing data for flight simulation a method may include: receiving, from a client device, a request to perform a flight management system function to generate flight management data usable by the client device for flight simulation; based on the request, performing the flight management function to generate the flight management data; and providing, to the client device, the generated flight management data so that the client device uses the generated flight management data, a guidance function executed on the client device, and a navigation function executed on the client device for flight simulation.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for evidence-based training of aircraft operators. For example, a computer-implemented method may include: analyzing aircraft flight data indicative of actions performed by an aircraft operator in operating aircraft, to thereby determine an assessment of a performance of the aircraft operator in operating aircraft; based on the assessment, determining a training scenario to be presented to the aircraft operator via a training simulator as part of training for the aircraft operator; providing, to the training simulator, information indicative of the determined training scenario; receiving, from the training simulator, training flight data indicative of actions performed by the aircraft operator during a simulation of the scenario using the training simulator; and based on the training flight data and the assessment, determining an evaluation of the training for the aircraft operator.

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: 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: Disclosed are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable medium for automatically capturing and recording anomalies and vehicle operator interaction data. For example, a method may comprise receiving external operational data associated with operation of a vehicle, detecting loading of one or more applications associated with the operation of the vehicle, capturing one or more interactions between an operator of the vehicle and the one or more applications at the vehicle, logging anomalies data associated with the operation of the vehicle, based on any anomaly identified from the received external operational data, the detected loading of the one or more applications, or the captured one or more interactions, recording the received external operational data, the detected loading of the one or more applications, the captured one or more interactions, and/or the logged anomalies data, to generate recorder data, storing the generated recorder data in one or more vehicle data recorder databases.

Abstract: Provided are technologically improved adaptive ground safety lighting systems and related methods. The method includes receiving cockpit data providing a weight on wheels (WOW) indicator, an off-runway indicator, an engine off indicator, and an engine temperature, and receiving, from a connected-light assembly comprising a plurality of connected lighting edge nodes, a respective temperature measurement and wind measurement. Upon determining that there is a concurrent occurrence of (a) WOW indicator asserted, (b) off-runway indicator asserted, and (c) engine off indicator asserted, an environmental map around the aircraft is constructed, and a dissipation timer is started. A caution volume surrounding the engine is generated based on the heat dissipation factor of the engine and other received data, and the plurality of lighting edge nodes are illuminated in accordance with the caution volume.