Ge Aviation Systems Limited

General Electric Company

David Michael Lax

Mark Lawrence Darnell

Reza Ghaemi

Nicholas Race Visser

Sridhar Adibhatla

Eric Richard Westervelt

Pierino Gianni Bonanni

Liling Ren

Jeffrey Russell Bult

Brandon James Rhone

Sean Hwang

Harry Kirk Mathews, Jr

Joachim Karl Ulf Hochwarth

Frank Saggio, Iii

Szabolcs Andras Borgyos

Christian Reynolds Decker

Thomas Charles Swager

MacKenzie Dylan Cumings

Otto Darias

Filippo Liverini

Steven Louis Kiebles

Christopher Daniel Holbert

Owen Michael O'Keefe

Meet Patel

Faisal Goussous

Albert Jeffrey Ellis

Sean Sanghyun Hwang

Jr Harry Kirk Matthews

Otto Y Darias

Frank Saggio Iii

Owen O'KEEFE

Brandon Rhone

Iii Saggio

Mackenzie Cumings

Harry Kirk Mathews

Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to provide improved engine load models are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a model generator to generate an engine load model for an engine using flight information, weather information, and manifest information to predict a load on the engine from an engine subsystem utilization modeled for a flight. The example model generator is to incorporate the engine load model into an engine model, the engine model representing engine behavior for the flight. The example model generator is to determine a first measure of thrust from the engine and a second measure of fuel flow to the engine using the engine model with the engine load model, the engine load model to modify engine behavior by the predicted load on the engine from the engine subsystem utilization. The example model generator is to generate flight parameters for a flight path using the first measure of thrust and the second measure of fuel flow for the predicted load on the engine based on the engine load model.

Engine load model systems and methods

A flight management system and method of updating flight calculations includes flying an aircraft along a current flight path, collecting real-time weather data from a network of aircraft operating in a nearby region, and predicting a trajectory for completion of the flight. The prediction can be based on the collected real-time weather data.

Flight management system and method of updating

An aircraft control system and method to optimize aircraft control based on noise abatement volumes. A noise abatement component computes optimal flight and engine control based on a line-of-sight distance to minimize direct operating cost (DOC) while complying with community noise regulations.

Optimizing aircraft control based on noise abatement volumes

A method and system of determining or estimating a descent profile includes receiving a final approach fix for a target destination, repeatedly back-calculating a set of subsequent models, determining a descent profile based on the repeated back-calculating the set of subsequent models, and operating the aircraft in accordance with the descent profile.

Method and system for determining a descent profile

A method and system of determining or predicting a climb profile for an aircraft, includes receiving, by a controller module, an initial climb profile defining a portion of a flight plan for the aircraft between takeoff and a cruise profile, and an altitude climb constraint defining at least one altitude limitation of the aircraft, determining, by the controller module, that the initial climb profile does not satisfy the altitude constraint, and determining an updated climb profile based on a set of subsequent climb models.

Method and system for determining a climb profile

A system, computer-readable medium, and a method including obtaining flight data for a specific aircraft for a prescribed flight; obtaining current sample measurements of at least one state or output of the specific aircraft; performing based on the obtained flight data, the current measurements or outputs, and a mathematical model accurately representing an actual operational performance of the specific aircraft and providing a predictive indication of a future performance of the specific aircraft, a control optimization to determine a cost-optimal control input for the prescribed flight; adjusting, in response to a consideration of actual operational characteristics of the specific aircraft, the optimized control input; and transmitting the adjusted optimized control input to the specific aircraft to operate the specific aircraft to minimize the direct operating cost for the prescribed flight.

Flight management via model-based iterative optimization

A system, computer-readable medium, and a method to operate a vehicle in a manner that minimizes a cost to travel from an origin to a destination that includes finding the input to a flight control system that minimizes direct operating cost. The approach described herein employs an energy state approximation (ESA).

Methods and systems for optimal guidance based on energy state approximation

Methods, systems, and apparatuses for generating efficient flight profiles in a variety of aircraft are disclosed. A method includes receiving required time of arrival (RTA) constraints for the aerial vehicle. The RTA constraints include a required time of arrival for a waypoint. The method also includes inputting the RTA constraints into a problem configured to generate flight plans based on the required time of arrival for the waypoint of the RTA constraints. The problem includes an altitude variable and a speed variable. The method also includes generating, as a solution to the problem, a flight plan by varying the altitude variable and the speed variable in order to reduce operating cost of the aerial vehicle based at least in part on the RTA constraints, and providing the flight plan to at least one computing system of the aerial vehicle. The flight plan includes a route traversing the waypoint.

Efficient flight profiles with multiple RTA constraints

A system, computer-readable medium, and a method including receiving flight data engine measurements for at least one engine of the specific aircraft asset; receiving flight data aerodynamics measurements for the specific aircraft asset; combining a physics based parametric aerodynamic performance model tuned for the specific aircraft asset using the flight data aerodynamics measurements and a physics based engine model tuned for the specific aircraft asset using the flight data engine measurements; calculating, based on the combined tuned aerodynamic performance model and the tuned engine model, a performance model for the specific aircraft asset as a whole; and storing a record of the calculated performance model for the specific aircraft asset for a future deployment.

Methods and systems for flight data based parameter tuning and deployment

Systems and methods for determine a cost-improved set of control commands for an aircraft based at least in part on deterioration costs are provided. One example computing device is configured to iteratively: input a candidate set of control commands for the aircraft into the deterioration cost model; receive, as an output of the deterioration cost model, an estimated deterioration cost associated with the candidate set of control commands; input the estimated deterioration cost into a cost function to obtain a total estimated cost associated with the candidate set of control commands; and determine an improved set of control commands based at least in part on the total estimated cost and the cost function.

Aircraft control based on fuel, time, and deterioration costs

One example aspect of the present disclosure relates to a method for scheduling a vehicle wash. The method can include receiving, at one or more computing devices, data indicative of an actual performance efficiency factor, wherein the data is collected from one or more sensors. The method can include determining, at the one or more computing devices, an expected performance efficiency factor based on a model. The method can include performing, at the one or more computing devices, a comparison of the actual performance efficiency factor with the expected performance efficiency factor. The method can include scheduling, at the one or more computing devices, the vehicle wash based on the comparison.

Vehicle wash assessment

A system, computer-readable medium, and a method including obtaining flight data for a prescribed flight from at least one of an airborne system of a particular aircraft to execute the prescribed flight and a system other than the airborne system of the particular aircraft having a source of data related to the prescribed flight, the flight data including specific details relating to at least one of the particular aircraft and parameters of the prescribed flight; performing, by a processor of an external computational asset and based on the obtained flight data, a control optimization to generate optimized path specific controls for the prescribed flight; transmitting the optimized path specific controls via a communication uplink from the external computational asset to the particular aircraft; and guiding, in response to receiving the optimized path specific controls by the particular aircraft, the particular aircraft in accordance with the optimized path specific controls to execute the prescribed flight.

Aircraft profile optimization with communication links to an external computational asset

Systems and methods for enhancing engine performance based on atmospheric ice particles are provided. For example, a method can include selecting one or more points along a flight path of an aircraft and receiving a reflectivity measurement for each of the one or more points obtained using a device located on the aircraft. The method can further include determining an estimate of ice water content for each of the one or more points based at least in part on the reflectivity measurements; and controlling at least one component of the aircraft engine (e.g., a variable bleed valve) based at least in part on the estimate of ice water content for at least one of the plurality of points.

Enhancing engine performance to improve fuel consumption based on atmospheric ice particles

Systems and methods for stabilizing an aircraft in response to a yaw movement are provided. In one embodiment, a method includes detecting a yaw movement of the aircraft. The yaw movement can cause a front portion of the aircraft to move towards a first side of the aircraft. The method can further include, in response to the yaw movement, initiating a trim process resulting in a thrust differential. The trim process can include increasing thrust in one or more engines on the first side of the aircraft and decreasing thrust in one or more engines on a second side of the aircraft. The method can include controlling the trim process based at least in part on a detected yaw movement of the aircraft.

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Grand Rapids, MI, United States of America

David Michael Lax