Measuring weight and balance and optimizing center of gravity
AssigneeGE Aviation Systems LLC
InventorsEdward Parker, Stefan Alexander Schwindt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems, computer-implemented methods and/or computer program products that facilitate measuring weight and balance and optimizing center of gravity are provided. In one embodiment, a system 100 utilizes a processor 106 that executes computer implemented components stored in a memory 104. A compression component 108 calculates compression of landing gear struts based on height above ground of an aircraft. A gravity component 110 determines center of gravity based on differential compression of the landing gear struts. An optimization component 112 automatically optimizes the center of gravity to a rear limit of a center of gravity margin.
Claims20
A system, comprising:
- a memory that stores computer executable components;
- a processor, operably coupled to the memory, and that executes the computer executable components stored in the memory, wherein the computer executable components comprise:
- a compression component that receives, from a sensor, a non-contact measurement of a height above ground of an aircraft, and calculates respective compressions of front landing gear struts and back landing gear struts of the aircraft based on the information indicative of the height above ground of the aircraft and based on respective material properties of the front landing gear struts and the back landing gear struts, wherein the respective material properties facilitate determination of a total weight of the aircraft;
- a gravity component that determines a center of gravity based on a difference in the respective compressions between the front landing gear struts and the back landing gear struts;
- and
- an optimization component that automatically adjusts the center of gravity to a rear limit of a center of gravity margin.
A computer-implemented method, comprising:
- receiving, by a system operatively coupled to a processor and from a sensor, a non-contact measurement related to a height above ground of an aircraft;
- calculating, by the system, respective compressions of front landing gear struts and back landing gear struts based on the height above ground of the aircraft;
- determining, by the system, a center of gravity based on a difference between the respective compressions of the front landing gear struts and the back landing gear struts and based on respective material properties of the front landing gear struts and the back landing gear struts, wherein the respective material properties are indicative of a total mass of the aircraft;
- and
- automatically repositioning, by the system, the center of gravity to a rear limit of a center of gravity margin, wherein the automatically repositioning is facilitated by means of fuel transfer on the aircraft.
A non-transitory computer-readable medium for facilitating measuring weight and balance and adjusting a center of gravity, the non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions being executable by a processor to cause the processor to:
- facilitate receipt of one or more non-contact measurements that indicate a height above ground of an aircraft;
- calculate respective compressions of landing gear struts based on the height above ground of the aircraft, wherein the landing gear struts comprise front landing gear struts and rear landing gear struts;
- determine the center of gravity based on a differential compression determined between the front landing gear struts and the rear landing gear struts and based on respective material properties of the front landing gear struts and the rear landing gear struts, wherein the respective material properties facilitate a determination of total mass of the aircraft;
- and
- automatically adjust the center of gravity to a rear limit of a center of gravity margin.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.