Remote aircraft manufacturing, monitoring, maintenance and management system

An aircraft wireless data communication system comprising:

• an aircraft having a plurality of aircraft systems;
• each of said aircraft systems having a system actual configuration identity;
• each said system actual configuration identity being transferable as a system actual configuration identity file;
• a computer/server being adaptable to electronically communicate with each of said plurality of aircraft systems;
• each said system actual configuration identity file being combinable in said computer/server to form an aircraft actual configuration identity;
• said aircraft actual configuration identity being transferable as an aircraft actual configuration identity file;
• and
• said computer/server being in wireless communication with at least one ground-based network of computers;
• wherein any one of said ground-based network of computers is operable to one of:
• receive a real-time status of each of said aircraft systems;
• and
• send a data set to said computer/server.

A wireless communication system for communicating data between an aircraft and a ground-based computer network comprising:

• said aircraft having a plurality of aircraft systems and a computer/server adapted to communicate with each of said plurality of aircraft systems;
• each of said aircraft systems having a system actual configuration identity;
• each said system actual configuration identity being collectively grouped to form an aircraft actual configuration identity;
• said computer/server being in wireless communication with at least one ground-based network of computers, including at least an aircraft manufacturer network, an airline network, and a parts supplier network;
• and
• each said network having a central linking computer electronically connectable with each of a plurality of individual computers;
• wherein each of said independent computers operates to receive a real-time status of said aircraft actual configuration identity.

A method to communicate in real-time with an aircraft comprising the steps of:

• disposing a computer/server on said aircraft;
• connecting said computer/server with a plurality of systems of said aircraft;
• collecting a plurality of real-time system data from each of said plurality of systems in said computer/server;
• wirelessly communicating said plurality of real-time system data from said computer/server to a ground-based computer system;
• linking said ground-based computer system with a plurality of user computers;
• and
• enabling each of said plurality of user computers to perform at least one of:
• reading said system data via said ground-based computer system;
• and
• transmitting each of data and commands in real-time from each of said user computers via said ground-based computer system to said aircraft.

A method for managing an aircraft configuration comprising the steps of:

• electronically identifying a set of aircraft parts, said parts including at least one of an electronic systems hardware configuration identity, an electronic systems software configuration identity, and an aircraft hardware configuration identity;
• combining said set of aircraft parts into an aircraft actual configuration identity report;
• wirelessly linking said aircraft actual configuration identity report to at least one ground-based computer;
• comparing said aircraft actual configuration identity report to an authorized aircraft configuration identity in said ground-based computer;
• identifying a difference between said aircraft actual configuration identity report and said authorized aircraft configuration identity;
• wirelessly transmitting software including said difference from said ground-based computer to an aircraft mounted computer/server;
• and
• initiating said software loading from authorized ones of said ground-based computers;
• and
• monitoring said software loading from said authorized ground-based computers.

A method to remotely assess the health of an aircraft comprising:

• combining system status data onboard the aircraft into a plurality of health status reports;
• wirelessly transmitting said health status reports to at least one ground-based computer;
• wirelessly initiating selected aircraft system diagnostics tests from said ground-based computer;
• and
• wirelessly requesting aircraft transmission of a real-time signal data set of said selected aircraft system diagnostics tests from said ground-based computer.

A method for remotely determining equipment conformity to a basis for certification of an aircraft comprising the steps of:

• labeling each of a plurality of aircraft equipment items with a unique component identifier;
• compiling an airworthiness health report from each said aircraft equipment item identified by each said unique component identifier;
• loading said airworthiness health report into an aircraft technical log;
• remotely selecting one of an acceptable condition, a repair completed condition and a repair deferred condition for each airworthiness health report loaded in said aircraft technical log;
• remotely entering said airworthiness health reports and an authorized user identification into said aircraft technical log;
• and
• enabling said aircraft.