Onboard aircraft flight path optimization system

Claim 1

An onboard aircraft flight optimization system, comprising: a) an onboard performance management computer; b) an onboard control display unit for inputting a position remote from an aircraft into said onboard performance management computer; c) an onboard infrared probe for determining temperature at the position remote from the aircraft and generating a remote temperature signal received by said onboard performance management computer; d) an onboard temperature probe for determining temperature at the aircraft and generating a local temperature signal received by said onboard performance management computer; e) an onboard weather radar for determining wind at the position remote from the aircraft and generating a remote wind signal received by said onboard performance management computer; f) an onboard inertial navigation system for determining wind at the aircraft and generating a local wind signal received by said onboard performance management computer; and g) onboard comparing means disposed in said onboard performance management computer for comparing said remote wind signal with said local wind signal and comparing said remote temperature signal with said local temperature signal so as to determine the position remote from the aircraft where said remote wind signal is less than said local wind signal so that an altitude can be achieved that has less head wind and is therefore more economically efficient.

Claim 42

A method of using an onboard aircraft flight optimization system, comprising the steps of: a) pressing manually a first onboard display line switch of an onboard control display unit of said onboard aircraft flight optimization system; b) entering manually, via an onboard pilot keyboard of said onboard control display unit, a selected N, S, E, or W coordinates of a remote position for which routing analysis is desired into an onboard performance management system computer of said onboard aircraft flight optimization system; c) appearing automatically said selected N, S, E, or W coordinates of said remote position as a first line of alphanumeric text on an onboard pilot readout of said onboard control display unit; d) pressing manually a second onboard display line switch of said onboard control display unit; e) entering manually, via said onboard pilot keyboard, a selected flight level altitude of said remote position for which routing analysis is desired into said onboard performance management system computer; f) appearing automatically said selected flight level altitude of said remote position as a second line of alphanumeric text on said onboard pilot readout; g) instructing automatically, via said onboard performance management system computer, an onboard inertial navigation system of said onboard aircraft flight optimization system to produce an aiming signal; h) receiving automatically said aiming signal by a weather radar of said onboard aircraft flight optimization system and an onboard infrared probe of said onboard aircraft flight optimization system; i) aiming automatically said onboard weather radar and said onboard infrared probe towards said remote position for which routing analysis is desired; j) determining automatically a remote wind measurement at said remote position by said onboard weather radar and said onboard inertial navigation system; k) sending automatically said remote wind measurement to said onboard performance management system computer; l) determining automatically a remote temperature measurement at said remote position by an onboard infrared probe of said onboard aircraft flight optimization system; m) sending automatically said remote temperature measurement to said onboard performance management system computer; n) displaying automatically said remote wind measurement and said remote temperature measurement as a third line of alphanumeric text of said onboard pilot readout; o) determining a local temperature measurement by an onboard temperature probe of said onboard aircraft flight optimization system; p) sending automatically said local temperature measurement to said onboard performance management system computer; q) determining a local wind measurement by said onboard inertial navigation system; r) sending automatically said local wind measurement to said onboard performance management system computer; s) comparing automatically, by said onboard management system computer, said remote wind measurement with said local wind measurement which are automatically updated every 50 nautical miles to seek and determine a most efficient cruise level having least head wind and turbulence; t) comparing automatically, by said onboard performance management system computer, said remote temperature measurement with said local temperature measurement which are automatically updated every 50 nautical miles; and u) determining automatically a most efficient cruise level within bounds of fuel freeze point.

Claim 43

A method of using an onboard aircraft flight optimization system, comprising the steps of: a) pressing manually a first onboard display line switch of an onboard control display unit of said onboard aircraft flight optimization system; b) entering manually, via an onboard pilot keyboard of said onboard control display unit, a selected N, S, E, or W coordinates of a remote position for which routing analysis is desired into an onboard performance management system computer of said onboard aircraft flight optimization system; c) appearing automatically said selected N, S, E, or W coordinates of said remote position as a first line of alphanumeric text on an onboard pilot readout of said onboard control display unit; d) pressing manually a second onboard display line switch of said onboard control display unit; e) entering manually, via said onboard pilot keyboard, a selected flight level altitude of said remote position for which routing analysis is desired into said onboard performance management system computer; f) appearing automatically said selected flight level altitude of said remote position as a second line of alphanumeric text on said onboard pilot readout; g) instructing automatically, via said onboard performance management system computer, an onboard inertial navigation system of said onboard aircraft flight optimization system to produce an aiming signal; h) receiving automatically said aiming signal by a weather radar of said onboard aircraft flight optimization system and an onboard infrared probe of said onboard aircraft flight optimization system; i) aiming automatically said onboard weather radar and said onboard infrared probe towards said remote position for which routing analysis is desired; j) determining automatically a remote wind measurement at said remote position by said onboard weather radar and said onboard inertial navigation system; k) sending automatically said remote wind measurement to said onboard performance management system computer; l) determining automatically a remote temperature measurement at said remote position by an onboard infrared probe of said onboard aircraft flight optimization system; m) sending automatically said remote temperature measurement to said onboard performance management system computer; n) displaying automatically said remote wind measurement and said remote temperature measurement as a third line of alphanumeric text of said onboard pilot readout; o) determining a local temperature measurement by an onboard temperature probe of said onboard aircraft flight optimization system; p) sending automatically said local temperature measurement to said onboard performance management system computer; q) determining a local wind measurement by said onboard inertial navigation system; r) sending automatically said local wind measurement to said onboard performance management system computer; s) comparing automatically, by said onboard management system computer, said remote wind measurement with said local wind measurement which are automatically updated every 50 nautical miles to seek and determine a most efficient cruise level having least head wind and turbulence; t) comparing automatically, by said onboard performance management system computer, said remote temperature measurement with said local temperature measurement which are automatically updated every 50 nautical miles; and u) determining automatically a most efficient cruise level within bounds of fuel freeze point.