US-12623771-B2 - System and method for operating an aircraft in a required time of arrival mode

Abstract

A system and a method for operating an aircraft in a required time of arrival (RTA) mode include a control unit configured to adapt one or more RTA parameters for the RTA mode of the aircraft based tail-specific data for the aircraft, and/or weather conditions at different locations along a flight path of the aircraft in the RTA mode.

Inventors

• Veeresh Kumar Masaru Narasimhulu
• Joost Edwin Koennen

Assignees

• THE BOEING COMPANY

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20240305

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A system comprising: an aircraft configured to operate in a required time of arrival (RTA) mode, wherein the aircraft comprises sensors configured to detect various aspects of the aircraft, and wherein the sensors are further configured to output tail-specific data indicative of the various aspects of the aircraft; and a control unit including one or more processors configured to: determine the tail-specific data for the aircraft from one or more previous flights of the aircraft, and adapt one or more RTA parameters for the RTA mode of the aircraft for a current flight that occurs after the one or more previous flights based on the tail-specific data as determined from the one or more previous flights of the aircraft, and weather conditions at different locations along a flight path of the aircraft in the RTA mode, wherein the aircraft is operated during the current flight in the RTA mode having the RTA parameters as adapted by the control unit.
2. 2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is onboard the aircraft.
3. 3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the weather conditions are received from a weather sub-system, and wherein the weather conditions include current weather conditions and predicted weather conditions at the different locations along the flight path.
4. 4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more RTA parameters comprise an airspeed and an altitude.
5. 5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the different locations comprise different legs of the flight path.
6. 6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the control unit is further configured to assign different weights to the different legs of the flight path based on distances of the different legs, wherein the control unit is configured to provide an increased weighting for a longer leg of the flight path than a shorter leg of the flight path.
7. 7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to adapt an airspeed of the aircraft in the RTA mode in relation to an optimal economy airspeed of the aircraft.
8. 8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the control unit is further configured to determine the optimal economy airspeed of the aircraft based on the tail-specific data for the aircraft.
9. 9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to automatically operate one or more controls of the aircraft based on the one or more RTA parameters.
10. 10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is an artificial intelligence or machine learning system.
11. 11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensors comprise: a flight recorder that records the various aspects of the aircraft including phases and legs of a flight path; a speed sensor that detects a speed of the aircraft; an altitude sensor that detects an altitude of the aircraft; a position sensor that detects a position of the aircraft, ambient sensors that detect an ambient temperature surrounding the aircraft and wind speed; a weight sensor that detects an overall weight of the aircraft, wherein the tail specific data for the aircraft during the one or more previous flights includes the various aspects of the aircraft during the one or more previous flight, the speeds of the aircraft during the one or more previous flights, the altitudes of the aircraft during the one or more previous flights, the positions of the aircraft during the one or more previous flights, the ambient temperatures and the wind speeds during the one or more previous flights, and weights of the aircraft during the one or more previous flights.
12. 12 . A method for a system comprising: an aircraft configured to operate in a required time of arrival (RTA) mode, wherein the aircraft comprises sensors configured to detect various aspects of the aircraft, and wherein the sensors are further configured to output tail-specific data indicative of the various aspects of the aircraft; and a control unit including one or more processors configured to: determine the tail-specific data for the aircraft from one or more previous flights of the aircraft, and adapt one or more RTA parameters for the RTA mode of the aircraft for a current flight that occurs after the one or more previous flights based on the tail-specific data as determined from the one or more previous flights of the aircraft, and weather conditions at different locations along a flight path of the aircraft in the RTA mode, wherein the aircraft is operated during the current flight in the RTA mode having the RTA parameters as adapted by the control unit, the method comprising: adapting, by the control unit, the one or more RTA parameters for the RTA mode of the aircraft based on the tail-specific data for the aircraft, and the weather conditions at the different locations along the flight path of the aircraft in the RTA mode; and operating the aircraft during the current flight in the RTA mode having the RTA parameters as adapted by the control unit.
13. 13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising receiving the weather conditions from a weather sub-system, wherein the weather conditions include current weather conditions and predicted weather conditions at the different locations along the flight path, and wherein the one or more RTA parameters comprise an airspeed and an altitude.
14. 14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the different locations comprise different legs of the flight path, and wherein the method further comprises assigning, by the control unit, different weights to the different legs of the flight path based on distances of the different legs, wherein said assigning comprises increasing weighting for a longer leg of the flight path than a shorter leg of the flight path.
15. 15 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising determining, by the control unit, an optimal economy airspeed of the aircraft based on the tail-specific data for the aircraft, and wherein said adapting comprises adapting an airspeed of the aircraft in the RTA mode in relation to the optimal economy airspeed of the aircraft.
16. 16 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising automatically operating, by the control unit, one or more controls of the aircraft based on the one or more RTA parameters.
17. 17 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the sensors comprise: a flight recorder that records the various aspects of the aircraft including phases and legs of a flight path; a speed sensor that detects a speed of the aircraft; an altitude sensor that detects an altitude of the aircraft; a position sensor that detects a position of the aircraft, ambient sensors that detect an ambient temperature surrounding the aircraft and wind speed; a weight sensor that detects an overall weight of the aircraft, wherein the tail specific data for the aircraft during the one or more previous flights includes the various aspects of the aircraft during the one or more previous flights, the speeds of the aircraft during the one or more previous flights, the altitudes of the aircraft during the one or more previous flights, the positions of the aircraft during the previous flights, the ambient temperatures and the wind speeds during the one or more previous flights, and weights of the aircraft during the one or more previous flights.
18. 18 . An aircraft comprising: sensors configured to detect various aspects of the aircraft, and wherein the sensors are further configured to output tail-specific data indicative of the various aspects of the aircraft; one or more controls configured to control operation of the aircraft; and a system for operating the aircraft in a required time of arrival (RTA) mode, the system comprising: a control unit including one or more processors configured to: determine the tail-specific data for the aircraft from one or more previous flights of the aircraft, adapt one or more RTA parameters for the RTA mode of the aircraft for a current flight that occurs after the one or more previous flights based on the tail-specific data as determined from the one or more previous flights of the aircraft, and weather conditions at different locations along a flight path of the aircraft in the RTA mode, wherein the RTA parameter comprises an airspeed and altitude, and wherein the weather conditions include current weather conditions and predicted weather conditions at the different locations along the flight path, and assign different weights to different legs of the flight path based on distances of the different legs, wherein the aircraft is operated during the current flight in the RTA mode having the RTA parameters as adapted by the control unit.
19. 19 . The aircraft of claim 18 , wherein the control unit is further configured to: determine an optimal economy airspeed of the aircraft based on the tail-specific data for the aircraft, and adapt an airspeed of the aircraft in the RTA mode in relation to the optimal economy airspeed of the aircraft.
20. 20 . The aircraft of claim 18 , wherein the sensors comprise: a flight recorder that records the various aspects of the aircraft including phases and legs of a flight path; a speed sensor that detects a speed of the aircraft; an altitude sensor that detects an altitude of the aircraft; a position sensor that detects a position of the aircraft, ambient sensors that detect an ambient temperature surrounding the aircraft and wind speed; a weight sensor that detects an overall weight of the aircraft, wherein the tail specific data for the aircraft during the one or more previous flights includes the various aspects of the aircraft during the one or more previous flights, the speeds of the aircraft during the one or more previous flights, the altitudes of the aircraft during the one or more previous flights, the positions of the aircraft during the one or more previous flights, the ambient temperatures and the wind speeds during the one or more previous flights, and weights of the aircraft during the one or more previous flights.

Description

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE Examples of the present disclosure generally relate to systems and methods for operating an aircraft in a required time of arrival (RTA) mode. BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE Aircraft are used to transport passengers and cargo between various locations. Numerous aircraft depart from and arrive at a typical airport every day. As air traffic increases, an aircraft arriving on time at an arrival airport and/or at a certain waypoint is a major factor for air traffic management. An airline can be penalized for a flight not arriving on time, such as by an airport, and/or due to an impact on an operational schedule (for example, cargo operators). When pilots are faced with time constraints on a flight, they may opt to use a required time of arrival (RTA) mode. The RTA mode allows a pilot to enter a time at a certain point or destination. A flight management computer can then calculates a flight time for the RTA mode. In the RTA mode, the flight management computer then switches to a selected speed and flies the aircraft at fixed airspeed to aim for an exact required time of arrival at an arrival airport. However, flying an aircraft at a fixed airspeed can be inefficient. Additionally, an inaccuracy of the RTA mode may force an aircraft to compensate, such as by speeding up (or slowing down) to arrive at a location at a particular time. In so doing, the aircraft may burn an increased amount of fuel to make up for lost time. In general, the RTA mode can be an inefficient and inaccurate tool to meet time constraints. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE A need exists for a system and a method for efficiently and effectively operating an aircraft in a required time of arrival (RTA) mode. With that need in mind, certain examples of the present disclosure provide a system for operating an aircraft in a required time of arrival (RTA) mode. The system includes a control unit configured to adapt one or more RTA parameters for the RTA mode of the aircraft based on tail-specific data for the aircraft, and/or weather conditions at different locations along a flight path of the aircraft in the RTA mode. In at least one example, the control unit is onboard the aircraft. The weather conditions are received from a weather sub-system. The weather conditions include current weather conditions and predicted weather conditions at the different locations along the flight path. In at least one example, the one or more RTA parameters include an airspeed and an altitude. In at least one example, the different locations include different legs of the flight path. As a further example, the control unit is further configured to assign different weights to the different legs of the flight path based on distances of the different legs. In at least one example, the control unit is configured to determine the tail-specific data for the aircraft from one or more previous flights of the aircraft. In at least one example, the control unit is further configured to adapt an airspeed of the aircraft in the RTA mode in relation to an optimal economy airspeed of the aircraft. As a further example, the control unit is further configured to determine the optimal economy airspeed of the aircraft based on the tail-specific data for the aircraft. The control unit can be further configured to automatically operate one or more controls of the aircraft based on the one or more RTA parameters. In at least one example, the control unit is an artificial intelligence or machine learning system. Certain examples of the present disclosure provide a method including adapting, by the control unit, the one or more RTA parameters for the RTA mode of the aircraft based on the tail-specific data for the aircraft, and the weather conditions at the different locations along the flight path of the aircraft in the RTA mode Certain examples of the present disclosure provide an aircraft including a system for operating the aircraft in a required time of arrival (RTA) mode, as described herein. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a system, according to an example of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 illustrates a front view of a display showing a flight path, according to an example of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 illustrates a flow chart of a method, according to an example of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a control unit, according to an example of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective front view of an aircraft, according to an example of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of certain examples will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. As used herein, an element or step recited in the singular and preceded by the word “a” or “an” should be understood as not necessarily excluding the plural of the elements or steps. Further, references