Abstract: A method of communicating messages is provided. The method comprises receiving a message from a first station; determining whether the message requires clearance from a second station; displaying clearance intended message determined to require clearance from the second station to a consumer of the message; automatically translating the clearance intended message to a format understood by the second station; and routing the translated message to the second station upon selection of the clearance intended message by the consumer of the message.

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: Methods and systems are provided for flight management system (FMS) familiarization training. The system comprises a user application programming interface (API) that receives a request for a training scenario from a user. A flight management engine (FME) generates the training scenario that simulates the flight mission of an FMS onboard a designated aircraft. The training scenario is generated using the same algorithms as the FMS. A database configuration module retrieves performance and condition data that is provided to the FME for use in generating the training scenario. An external API retrieves external third-party data that is provided to the FME for use in generating the training scenario.

Abstract: A method for obtaining, analyzing, and using pilot report (PIREP) data onboard an aircraft is provided. The method detects information relevant to one or more PIREPs associated with a current flight path of the aircraft, based on aircraft state data and avionics data obtained from a plurality of avionics systems, by at least one processor onboard the aircraft, wherein the one or more PIREPs includes at least one of instrumental PIREPs and pilot experience PIREPs; automatically completes a set of incomplete PIREPs associated with the current flight path using the information relevant to the one or more PIREPs, by the at least one processor, to generate complete PIREPs; and presents the complete PIREPs via a display device onboard the aircraft.

Abstract: Systems and methods for time-based viewing of clearance requests are provided. The system generates a time scale of substantially a same width as a displayed lateral image and renders the time scale on a periphery of the lateral image. The system receives a recommended change to an active trajectory from one or more on-board avionics or external sources, and then time-tag processes the recommended change to predict a clearance request and its associated relevant time. The system is configured to receive a user selected future time for viewing clearance requests. Responsive to the user selected future time, the system determines that the predicted clearance request is relevant at the future time, formats the predicted clearance request as a downlink message (DM), and renders, on the time scale, the formatted predicted clearance request alongside a symbolic indicator at the future time.

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: Systems and methods are disclosed for improving navigation database efficiency by using the cloud to distribute route specific navigation data based on real-time navigation plan data. Methods comprise receiving a request for adaptive navigation dataset at cloud services from a plan loader; querying a real-time data and vehicle history servers for real-time and historical information; obtaining the queried information from the real-time data and vehicle history servers; generating a navigation plan and adaptive navigation dataset; and transmitting the navigation plan and adaptive navigation dataset to the plan loader and/or a navigation database.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for rendering a display page for a legacy display unit of an aircraft utilizing data from an advanced Flight Management System (FMS). The method comprises accessing aircraft flight data from a display page generated by the advanced FMS. A mapping table is created by comparing the advanced display page with a display page generated by the legacy display unit. The aircraft data is arranged for a legacy display page layout according to the mapping table. The legacy display page layout is then transmitted to the legacy display unit.

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: The present disclosure generally relates to display systems in the flight deck of an aircraft, and also to methods for providing such displays. More particularly, the displays and methods of the present disclosure are configured to integrate airport surface lighting information with information received from multiple air traffic control (ATC) communication channels, for purposes of increasing aircrew situational awareness and preventing runway incursions.

Abstract: Technologically improved Flight Deck Interval Management Paired Approach (FIMPA) system and methods are provided that provide safe speed guidance to a trail aircraft. The FIMPA system comprises a processor operatively coupled to a memory and a database of aircraft-specific parameters. The processor is configured to: receive instantaneous target traffic state data; receive instantaneous state data of a trail aircraft; process the state data, target traffic state data, and aircraft-specific parameters to determine a safe speed zone to perform paired approach, and a recommended speed; render, on a cockpit display, a paired approach bar (PAB) with indicators for (i) a current location of the target traffic, (ii) a current trail aircraft speed, and (iii) the recommended speed; and wherein the indicators are separate and visually distinguishable from each other; determine a wake risk area; and render the wake risk area in a visually distinguishable manner on the PAB.

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: Technologically improved Flight Deck Interval Management Paired Approach (FIMPA) system and methods are provided that provide safe speed guidance to a trail aircraft. The FIMPA system comprises a processor operatively coupled to a memory and a database of aircraft-specific parameters. The processor is configured to: receive instantaneous target traffic state data; receive instantaneous state data of a trail aircraft; process the state data, target traffic state data, and aircraft-specific parameters to determine a safe speed zone to perform paired approach, and a recommended speed; render, on a cockpit display, a paired approach bar (PAB) with indicators for (i) a current location of the target traffic, (ii) a current trail aircraft speed, and (iii) the recommended speed; and wherein the indicators are separate and visually distinguishable from each other; determine a wake risk area; and render the wake risk area in a visually distinguishable manner on the PAB.

Abstract: Systems and methods for displaying position sensitive datalink messages on avionics displays are provided. In one embodiment, a flight deck instrument display system for an aircraft comprises: a flight plan display screen that displays a graphical representation of at least a part of an aircraft's planned flight path together with symbology representing a position of the aircraft with respect to the aircraft's planned flight path; wherein the flight plan display screen further displays at least one symbol positioned along the graphical representation of at least a part of the aircraft's planned flight path that indicates a point of applicability for a received uplink datalink message.

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: In one embodiment, a method is provided. The method comprises: obtaining data; generating complete travel plan; determining at least one of: one or more current travel conditions and one or more future travel conditions; automatically generating at least one proposed message based upon the at least one of one or more current travel conditions and one or more future travel conditions; rendering one icon, for each of the at least one proposed message, on a grid having a first axis specifying altitude and a second axis specifying one of distance and time; and wherein each of the at least one proposed message is configured to be at least one of selectable, reviewable, printable, editable, and sendable.

Abstract: A system and method for determining and displaying a minimum maneuverable altitude for an aircraft to turn back includes automatically processing aircraft characteristic data, aircraft flight trajectory data, and environmental/airport services data, in a processing system, to determine a rate of change of aircraft maneuverable altitude with respect to change in aircraft heading. At least the determined rate of change of aircraft altitude with respect to change in aircraft heading is processed, in the processing system, to determine the minimum maneuverable altitude at least engine out conditions. Terrain data is processed, in the processing system, to determine a terrain clearance height above which the minimum maneuverable altitude may be implemented. The minimum maneuverable altitude is rendered, on a display device, on the altitude tape, and a pseudo gate is rendered on the display device that represents a height above the terrain that corresponds to the minimum maneuverable altitude.

Abstract: A method for providing air traffic control (ATC) message data onboard an aircraft is provided. The method establishes communication connections to one or more aircraft onboard communication devices, wherein each of the one or more aircraft onboard communication devices is configured to provide the ATC message data using a particular format; obtains the ATC message data via the communication connections; aggregates the ATC message data, to create an aggregate set of ATC message data; presents a menu of user-selectable options based on an aircraft state, by a display device, wherein each of the user-selectable options is associated with a category of the aggregate set of ATC message data; receives a user input selection of one of the user-selectable options; and presents graphical elements and text associated with the category of the aggregate set of ATC message data, in response to the user input selection.

Abstract: A method for providing a flight display to an aircrew of an ownship aircraft includes receiving, at a radio communications module of the ownship aircraft, a voice transmission on an air traffic control first radio frequency from an air traffic controller, the voice transmission comprising a conditional clearance, wherein the condition clearance comprises a condition instruction and a clearance instruction, transcribing, using voice recognition software installed on the ownship aircraft, the voice transmission into an electronic, textual format, thereby generating a digital transmission record, and automatically, displaying, on a display device of the ownship aircraft, the condition instruction using a multi-format symbology and in a multi-step sequence over time, and waiting for and detecting an aircrew input corresponding to the clearance.