Reduction of fuel use by aircraft

A system for reducing fuel use by an aircraft, the system comprising:

• one or more sensors configured to measure an actual wind condition, including wind direction and wind speed, at the aircraft at a current location along a current flight path to a destination, wherein the current flight path includes a scheduled arrival time and a planned distance;
• a processor coupled to the one or more sensors, and configured to facilitate:
• calculating a current expected fuel consumption based on the actual wind conditions, the scheduled arrival time, and the planned distance;
• obtaining measured wind conditions from other aircraft, including wind directions and wind speeds;
• calculating for each location in a group of possible locations, a modified flight path to the destination, wherein each modified flight path includes a respective location and modified distance, and the scheduled arrival time;
• calculating for each modified flight path, a modified expected fuel consumption based on the respective wind condition and modified distance, and the scheduled arrival time;
• and
• identifying a preferred flight path based on the current expected fuel consumption and the modified expected fuel consumptions;
• and
• communicating a signal to an operator of the aircraft when the preferred flight path is not the current flight path.

An aircraft comprising:

• one or more sensors configured to measure an actual wind condition, including wind direction and wind speed, at the aircraft at a current location along a current flight path to a destination, wherein the current flight path includes a scheduled arrival time and a planned distance;
• a processor coupled to the one or more sensors, and configured to at least facilitate:
• calculating a current expected fuel consumption based on the actual wind conditions, the scheduled arrival time, and the planned distance;
• obtaining measured wind conditions from other aircraft, including wind directions and wind speeds;
• calculating for each location in a group of possible locations, a modified flight path to the destination, wherein each modified flight path includes a respective location and modified distance, and the scheduled arrival time;
• calculating for each modified flight path, a modified expected fuel consumption based on the respective wind condition and modified distance, and the scheduled arrival time;
• and
• identifying a preferred flight path based on the current expected fuel consumption and the modified expected fuel consumptions;
• and
• communicating a signal to an operator of the aircraft when the preferred flight path is not the current flight path.