System for producing a flight plan

Abstract

A flight planning system includes one or more flight management system and a flight plan manager that constructs a flight plan according to static information from the flight management system. A flight management system that also constructs flight plans includes a flight plan manager that constructs a flight plan according to information stored in the flight management system. In constructing the flight plan, either flight management system may compute values of flight plan parameters, such as PNR, PET, ETOPS and LROPS, based on dynamic information related to the flight. On the ground, one of either type of flight management system is selected from a plurality thereof for producing a flight plan for a respective aircraft or aircraft model.

1 . A flight planning system for producing a flight plan for an aircraft, comprising:
 (a) a flight management system; and   (b) a flight plan manager for constructing the flight plan in accordance with static information obtained by said flight plan manager from said flight management system.   
   
   
       2 . The flight planning system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 (c) an output interface for outputting the flight plan.   
   
   
       3 . The flight planning system of  claim 2 , wherein said output interface includes a printer. 
   
   
       4 . The flight planning system of  claim 2 , wherein said output interface includes a transmitter for transmitting system output to a recipient. 
   
   
       5 . The flight planning of  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of said flight management systems, each said flight management system being for a respective aircraft set 
   
   
       6 . The flight planning system of  claim 1 , wherein said constructing of said flight plan includes computing a respective value of at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of a point of no return, a point of equal time, an extended twin-engine operations requirement and a long range operations requirement. 
   
   
       7 . The flight planning system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 (c) an input interface for providing said flight plan manager with dynamic information.   
   
   
       8 . The flight planning system of  claim 7 , wherein said input interface includes a manual user interface. 
   
   
       9 . The flight planning system of  claim 7 , wherein said input interface includes a receiver for wireless reception of at least a portion of said dynamic information. 
   
   
       10 . An aircraft comprising the flight planning system of  claim 1 . 
   
   
       11 . A flight management system comprising:
 (a) a flight plan manager for constructing a flight plan in accordance with information stored within the flight management system.   
   
   
       12 . The flight management system of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 (b) an output interface for outputting the flight plan.   
   
   
       13 . The flight management system of  claim 12 , wherein said output interface includes a printer. 
   
   
       14 . The flight management system of  claim 12 , wherein said output interface includes a transmitter for transmitting system output to a recipient. 
   
   
       15 . A method of producing a flight plan for a flight, comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing, to a flight management system, dynamic information related to the flight; and   (b) computing a respective value of at least one parameter of the flight plan, by said flight management system, based at least in part on said dynamic information.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said at least one parameter is selected from the group consisting of a point of no return, a point of equal time, an extended twin-engine operations requirement and a long range operations requirement. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising the step of:
 (c) outputting the flight plan, by said flight management system.   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said outputting includes printing the flight plan. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said outputting includes transmitting system output to a recipient. 
   
   
       20 . A method of producing a flight plan for an aircraft, comprising the steps of:
 (a) operationally coupling a flight plan manager to a plurality of flight management systems, each said flight management system being for a different respective aircraft set;   (b) selecting, by said flight plan manager, from among said flight management systems, one said flight management system whose respective aircraft set includes the aircraft; and   (c) producing the flight plan, by said flight plan manager, in accordance with information obtained by said flight plan manager from said one flight management system.   
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising the step of:
 (d) providing an identifier of the aircraft to said flight plan manager, said flight plan manager then selecting said one flight management system in accordance with said identifier.   
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said identifier includes an aircraft registration of the aircraft. 
   
   
       23 . A method of producing a flight plan for an aircraft, comprising the steps of:
 (a) operationally coupling a shared front end to a plurality of flight planning systems, each said flight planning system being for a different respective aircraft set;   (b) selecting, by said shared front end, from among said flight planning systems, one said flight planning system whose respective aircraft set includes the aircraft; and   (c) producing the flight plan, by a flight plan manager of said one flight planning system.   
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising the step of:
 (d) providing an identifier of the aircraft to said shared front end, said shared front end then selecting said one flight planning system in accordance with said identifier.   
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein said identifier includes an aircraft registration of the aircraft.