Fuelling arrangement and method

Abstract

A method of fuelling an aircraft for a flight to a predetermined destination in which the aircraft is loaded, the actual zero fuel weight of the loaded aircraft is determined, the fuel requirement of the loaded aircraft for that destination is calculated by fuel calculation software on the basis of operational flight plan data, said actual zero fuel weight, and further data relevant to fuel consumption for that instance of the flight to the predetermined destination, said further data being processed interactively by the user by means of a user interface to said fuel calculation software, and subsequently fuel to meet said fuel requirement is uplifted to the aircraft under the control of said user.

1 . A method of fuelling an aircraft for a flight to a predetermined destination wherein the aircraft is loaded, the actual zero fuel weight of the loaded aircraft is determined, the fuel requirement of the loaded aircraft for that destination is calculated by fuel calculation software on the basis of operational flight plan data, said actual zero fuel weight, and further data relevant to fuel consumption for that instance of the flight to the predetermined destination, said further data being processed interactively by the user by means of a user interface to said fuel calculation software, and subsequently fuel to meet said fuel requirement is uplifted to the aircraft under the control of said user. 
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the user interface is on the aircraft. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein said further data is entered at said user interface by the user. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the operational flight plan data includes statistical data based on previous instances of flights to said destination and the method includes means for reporting actual fuel consumption data after said flight. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 4  wherein actual fuel consumption data is processed by a user during said reporting. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein said further data takes into account one or more of the following:
 i) taxiing to a runway different from that in the operational flight plan; 
 ii) operating at a flight level different from that in the operational flight plan 
 iii) holding at the destination; 
 iv) weather avoidance, and 
 v) low visibility procedures. 
 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the quantity of fuel remaining on arrival at the destination is calculated in dependence upon said further data. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein contingency fuel calculated in accordance with the operational flight plan is re-calculated in dependence upon said further data. 
     
     
         9 . A computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium incorporating program code executable by a processor to implement a method as claimed in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         10 . An arrangement for calculating the fuel requirement of an aircraft flight to a predetermined destination, the arrangement comprising means for determining the actual zero fuel weight of the aircraft after it has been loaded, a programmed computer arranged to determine a fuel requirement for said flight on the basis of operational flight plan data, said actual zero fuel weight, and further data relevant to fuel consumption for that instance of the flight to the predetermined destination, said computer being programmed to process said further data interactively with a user at a user interface thereof. 
     
     
         11 . An arrangement according to  claim 10  wherein said computer is arranged to receive said further data as an input at said user interface from the user. 
     
     
         12 . An arrangement according to  claim 10  wherein the user interface is on the aircraft. 
     
     
         13 . An arrangement according to  claim 10  which comprises a computer network including a first terminal which in use prompts the user to enter said information, said terminal being located on the aircraft, and a second terminal which in use transmits said operational flight plan data to said first terminal over said network. 
     
     
         14 . An arrangement according to  claim 13  wherein said first terminal is arranged to transmit actual fuel consumption data for the completed aircraft flight to the network. 
     
     
         15 . An arrangement according to  claim 13  wherein the network is arranged to run a plurality of software modules which exchange information, the modules including an interactive fuel calculation module which calculates said fuel requirement and at least an operational flight plan module which generates said operational flight plan data. 
     
     
         16 . An arrangement according to  claim 10  which in use acquires actual fuel consumption data at the end of the flight and stores the actual fuel consumption data for use in a future operational flight plan. 
     
     
         17 . An arrangement according to  claim 10  wherein said further data takes into account one or more of the following:
 i) taxiing to a runway different from that in the operational flight plan; 
 ii) operating at a flight level different from that in the operational flight plan 
 iii) holding at the destination; 
 iv) weather avoidance, and 
 v) low visibility procedures. 
 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . (canceled)