The Boeing Company

Onofre Andrade

Italo Romani De Oliveira

Jose A Fregnani

James D Kinder

Francisco A Navarro

In an example, a method for optimizing energy loading in airline operations is described. The method includes receiving a flight plan of an aircraft indicative of a plurality of landing sites and a corresponding plurality of flight legs. The method includes determining an energy load of the aircraft associated with each flight leg. The energy load corresponds to an amount of fuel used during the flight leg. The method includes calculating a fuel value score for refueling the aircraft at a landing site of each flight leg. The fuel value score relates to a refueling estimate at the landing site and a time for refueling at the landing site. The method includes determining a fueling plan based at least on the energy load of the aircraft at each flight leg and the fuel value score for refueling the aircraft at the landing site of each flight leg.

Systems and methods for optimizing energy loading in airline operations

An aircraft is provided that includes a fuel storage tank for aviation fuel, and avionics systems interconnected by an avionics bus. The fuel storage tank receives aviation fuel during a fuel uplift for a flight according to a flight plan that includes and depends on a predicted fuel burn determined based on a reference lower heating value (LHV) of the aviation fuel. The avionics systems include temperature and density sensors, and a flight management system (FMS). The temperature and density sensors measure respectively the temperature and density of the aviation fuel. The FMS receives the measurements, estimates an actual LHV that is different from the reference LHV based on the measurements, and determines an adjusted predicted fuel burn for the flight based on the predicted fuel burn and the actual LHV. The FMS displays the adjusted predicted fuel burn and enable adjustment of the flight plan based thereon.

Growing community of inventors

Distrito de Eugenio de Melo, Brazil

Onofre Andrade