Patent ID: 8355850
Filing Date: 2013-01-15
Classification: B60T,B64C,B64D,G16Z

Abstract:
1. A method of calculating a true aircraft cornering friction coefficient of an aircraft runway or an aircraft taxiway, using an aircraft, comprising the steps of: (A) Obtaining one or more sets of data points recorded on an aircraft flight data management system mounted on the aircraft, wherein the aircraft is proceeding or has proceeded on the aircraft runway or on the aircraft taxiway, wherein the one or more sets of the data points that were obtained from the aircraft's flight data management system include one or more sets of data points recorded on the aircraft's flight data management system substantially between a predetermined start time until a predetermined finish time thereafter, and wherein the one or more sets of the data points obtained from the aircraft's flight data management system include one or more sets of data points relating to one or more of the aircraft's following properties: aircraft ground speed, aircraft brake pressure, aircraft longitudinal acceleration, aircraft engine thrust setting, aircraft reverse thrust setting, aircraft engine revolutions per minute, aircraft air speed, aircraft vertical acceleration, aircraft spoiler setting, aircraft airbrake setting, aircraft aileron setting, aircraft flap configuration, aircraft pitch, and aircraft autobrake setting; (B) Obtaining one or more sets of data points relating to one or more environmental parameters measured substantially in the vicinity where the aircraft is proceeding or has proceeded on the aircraft runway or on the aircraft taxiway, wherein the one or more sets of the data points relating to the one or more environmental parameters are measured substantially between the predetermined start time until the predetermined finish time thereafter, and wherein the one or more sets of the data points relating to the environmental parameters that were obtained relate to one or more environmental parameters chosen from the following group: air temperature, air pressure, relative humidity, wind speed, wind direction, pressure altitude, and aircraft landing surface elevation; (C) Obtaining one or more sets of data points relating to one or more aircraft parameters pertaining to the aircraft that is proceeding or has proceeded on the aircraft runway or on the aircraft taxiway, wherein the one or more sets of the data points relating to the one or more aircraft parameters that were obtained relate to one or more aircraft parameters chosen from the following group: aircraft mass, aircraft engine type, number of aircraft engines, aircraft tire type, and aircraft type; (D) Transmitting to a computer: (i) the one or more sets of the data points obtained from the aircraft's flight data management system, (ii) the one or more sets of the data points relating to the environmental parameters that were obtained, and (iii) the one or more sets of data points relating to aircraft parameters pertaining to the aircraft that were obtained; and (E) Using the computer to calculate the true aircraft cornering friction coefficient of the aircraft surface: (i) using at least one of the one or more sets of the data points transmitted from the aircraft's flight data management system to the computer, (ii) using at least one of the one or more sets of the data points relating to environmental parameters transmitted to the computer, and (iii) using at least one of the one or more sets of the data points relating to aircraft parameters pertaining to the aircraft transmitted to the computer.