The Boeing Company

Peter D. Gunn

Richard Allen Herald

Ian C. Martindale

Clement Val Paulson

Peter D Gunn

Daniel J Murray

John C Griffin, Iii

Ian Carey Martindale

Richard A Herald

Henry V VonJouanne

Thomas E Twiggs

George W Schraw

Patricia Suzan Ness

Bruce L Turner

Ian C Martindale

An avionic system (102) in which engine thrust rating data is transmitted from electronic engine controllers (108a and 108b) to flight management computer/thrust management computers (120a and 120b) via digital data buses (110a, 110c, and 114) is disclosed. The flight management computer/thrust management computers (120a and 120b) select the proper data set for the specified engine thrust rating upon power-up. If the thrust rating changes, the flight management computer/thrust management computers (120a and 120b) select a new data set corresponding to the new thrust rating as received over the digital data bus (110a, 110c, and 114). This is accomplished without the need to change aircraft wiring. The flight management computer/thrust management computers (120a and 120b) store the thrust rating in nonvolatile memory (126), allowing the flight management computer/thrust management computers (120a and 120b) to use the stored value to initialize relevant settings according to current engine thrust rating.

Method and apparatus for automatically providing jet engine thrust

An alternate destination planner for searching a navigation database in an aircraft and identifying a plurality of alternate destinations at which the aircraft can land in the event of an emergency. For each identified alternate destination, the alternate destination planner calculates an estimated time of arrival (ETA) and an amount of fuel remaining upon arrival at the destination. The calculation of the ETA and the remaining fuel is based on user-modifiable parameters of aircraft speed, aircraft altitude, wind direction and speed, outside air temperature, and the type of routing the aircraft will follow from a diversion point to the alternate destination. The plurality of alternate destinations are displayed to a pilot of the aircraft according to the ETA to each alternate destination, with the closest alternate destination by time listed first. The plurality of alternate destinations are also displayed to the pilot on a map of the surrounding region that is provided to the pilot on a navigation display. A pilot may select and divert to one of the plurality of alternate destinations using a minimal number of keystrokes on a control display unit.

Least time alternate destination planner

Growing community of inventors

Renton, WA, United States of America

Clement Val Paulson