Patent ID: 7761200

Claim:
A method of managing maintenance of commercial fleet aircraft for multiple aircraft customers, said managing by a maintenance integrator business entity, said integrator being a separate business entity from said aircraft customers, comprising the steps of: (A) said integrator providing maintenance for the aircraft using a plurality of aircraft maintenance providers and material suppliers managed and integrated by said integrator; (B) collecting real-time data from aircraft in each of the fleets related to the operation of the aircraft; (C) transmitting the data from each aircraft to an operations center controlled by the integrator, said transmitting including while said aircraft is in flight; (D) converting the data into maintenance information useful in managing maintenance for the aircraft, wherein the maintenance information is stored in a computer based server controlled by said integrator; (E) said integrator planning and scheduling maintenance for the aircraft in the fleets using the maintenance information; and, (F) said integrator furnishing the maintenance providers with electronic access to the maintenance information through a web portal controlled, by said integrator.