The Boeing Company

Richard John Loftis

Gary Alan Ray

Andrew Lewis Armatorio

Colin W Hart

Lisa C Thomas

Robert Paul Higgins

Paul Stanley Nordman

Gregg W Podnar

Marcus Anthony Belcher

Mark Albrecht

James Jason Salmon

Keith Harrell

Gregory Earl Mattocks

Kristofer Logan Peterson

Kevin R Price

Tuan Anh Chau Nguyen

Andy Armatorio

Collin William Childs

Edwin John Smith

Daniel A Burch

Robert N Jaeger

Benjamin David Walker

Justin Nuyda

Jonathan William Udell

Sara Jane Lynn

Roland J Olivier

Doria Pei

Mirza Mustafayev

Yared Shenkoru

Varun Suri

Ignas Sabet-Kazilas

Tuan A Nguyen

Andrew Armatorio

An aircraft includes external structures, and one or more thermal emitters integrated with one or more of the external structures. The one or more thermal emitters are configured to generate heat to deice the one or more external structures. The one or more thermal emitters are configured to receive electrical power from one or more of an auxiliary power unit of the aircraft, a power distribution system of the aircraft, one or more engines of the aircraft, or an external power cart that is separate and distinct from the aircraft.

Systems and methods for deicing aircraft

Systems and methods are provided for handling luggage. One exemplary system includes an interface that receives input from a check-in system that indicates sizes and weights for pieces of luggage that are each associated with a unique identifier; and a controller that selects a delivery, identifies pieces of luggage for the delivery, correlates the delivery with dimensions of a cargo hold of a vehicle servicing the delivery, receives input indicating a loading restriction for loading luggage into the cargo hold, and generates a baggage map. The baggage map is based on the sizes and the weights of the pieces of luggage for the delivery, indicates a location for each piece of luggage for the delivery within the cargo hold, and complies with the loading restriction. The system further includes a memory that stores the baggage map.

Intelligent baggage handling

Systems and apparatus to generate electrical power from aircraft engine heat are described herein. An example aircraft engine described herein includes a gas turbine engine having an engine housing. The engine housing defines a flow path through a combustion chamber and a core exhaust cavity. The example aircraft engine also includes an energy-generating cell coupled to a portion of the engine housing defining the core exhaust cavity. The energy-generating cell is to generate electrical energy from high temperature fluid in the core exhaust cavity.

Systems and apparatus to generate electrical power from aircraft engine heat

A system for delivering oxygen enriched air to a selected location on an aircraft may include: a gas separation system configured to output a flow of the oxygen enriched air; an environmental control system configured to output a flow of conditioned air; and/or first, second, and third ducts. The first duct may be configured to direct the flow of the oxygen enriched air to the third duct. The second duct may be configured to direct the flow of the conditioned air to the third duct. The conditioned air and the oxygen enriched air may be mixed in the third duct. The third duct may be configured to direct the mixed conditioned and oxygen enriched air to at least one dispensing station at the selected location that is configured to dispense the mixed conditioned and oxygen enriched air to users of the at least one dispensing station.

Aircraft air supply systems for reducing effective altitude experienced at selected locations

Systems and methods provide for a nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution system. According to one aspect, the system includes an NGS and an oxygen distribution processor coupled to the NGS. The NGS creates nitrogen enriched air as the primary product for fuel tank use, and oxygen enriched air as a secondary product. The oxygen distribution processor is operative to determine a number of flight parameters, and from those parameters, provide an oxygen distribution command to an oxygen distribution valve in order to prevent the oxygen enriched air from being distributed, to route the oxygen enriched air to the ambient environment, or to route the oxygen enriched air to an aircraft engine to increase combustion efficiency.

Aircraft nitrogen generation and oxygen distribution

A method for use in verifying a location of an item aboard a vehicle is provided. The method includes receiving, by a transceiver device located in the vehicle, at least one radio frequency identification (RFID) signal. Each RFID signal is associated with an RFID tag of an item aboard the vehicle. The method additionally includes processing the at least one RFID signal and transmitting, by the transceiver device, the at least one RFID signal to a passenger compartment of the vehicle.

Systems and methods for verifying a location of an item

A system for detection and avoidance may include an image capture system configured to be connected to a vehicle, the image capture system being configured to obtain and transmit images, and a detection system configured to communicate with the vehicle and/or an operator of the vehicle, the detection system being configured to receive the images, process the images to identify an object, determine whether the object will potentially strike the vehicle, generate a strike avoidance report including information indicating that a potential strike will occur and an avoidance command to avoid the potential strike in response to a determination that the potential strike will occur, and send the strike avoidance report to a vehicle management system.

System and method for detection and avoidance

A system and method for a customized ambient lighting environment for individuals in vehicles travelling rapidly across multiple time zones, that can be automated and/or based on user input and which allows each user to be exposed to light in accordance to selected preferences and circumstances, in order to begin acclimating the user to a new time zone, or avoid acclimating to a new time zone, and/or otherwise mitigate circadian desynchrony.

Ambient lighting system to mitigate the impact of travel across time zones

A structural substrate for an aircraft structure and methods are presented. A multi-layer hybrid composite material comprises an outermost layer, an intermediate layer, and an innermost layer. The outermost layer comprises an electrically conductive metal matrix composite that conducts electricity to provide electric heating. The intermediate layer comprises an electrical insulator coupled to the outermost layer. The innermost layer comprises a composite coupled to the intermediate layer. The intermediate layer electrically insulates the outermost layer from the innermost layer.

Metal matrix composite used as a heating element

Systems to apply heat to an aircraft surface are disclosed. In some embodiments, heaters are embedded in a composite structure of an aircraft. In one embodiment, a composite aircraft structure comprises a base comprising a plurality of resin impregnated plies, a heating layer adjacent the base, wherein the heating layer comprises at least one heater, an adhesive layer adjacent the heating layer, a lightning protection layer adjacent the heating layer, and an exterior surface layer adjacent the lightning protection layer. Other embodiments may be described.

Integrated surface thermal management system

Growing community of inventors

Arlington, WA, United States of America

Richard John Loftis