Measuring weight and balance and optimizing center of gravity
AssigneeGE Aviation Systems LLC
InventorsEdward Parker, Stefan Alexander Schwindt
Life of this patent
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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 computer-implemented method, comprising:
- determining a center of gravity of an aircraft during flight based on a flight performance model of the aircraft;
- automatically adjusting a position of the center of gravity of the aircraft based on a transfer of fuel between fuel tanks of the aircraft based on the position of the center of gravity as compared to a center of gravity margin of the aircraft;
- utilizing flight plan information to predict changes to the center of gravity margin;
- and
- generating a fuel pumping plan based on the changes to the center of gravity margin.
A system comprising:
- a memory that stores computer executable components;
- and
- a processor, operably coupled to the memory, that executes the computer executable components stored in the memory, wherein the computer executable components comprise:
- a modelling component configured to:
- determine a center of gravity of an aircraft during flight by modelling flight performance of the aircraft, and
- determine a position of the center of gravity relative to a center of gravity margin of the aircraft;
- and
- an optimization component configured to automatically adjust the position of the center of gravity by pumping fuel between fuel tanks of the aircraft to optimize fuel efficiency during flight, wherein the automatically adjusting further utilizes flight plan information to predict aircraft performance and to plan fuel transfer according to the predicted aircraft performance.
A non-transitory machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:
- determining, based on a flight performance model of an aircraft, a center of gravity of the aircraft during flight;
- utilizing flight plan information to predict a change to a center of gravity margin of the aircraft during a flight;
- and
- adjusting a position of the center of gravity of the aircraft based on the position of the center of gravity as compared to the predicted center of gravity margin of the aircraft prior to the change to the center of gravity margin, wherein the adjusting comprises transferring fuel between fuel tanks of the aircraft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.