Patent ID: 8868262

Claim:
A method for optimizing overall efficiency of energy supplied aboard an aircraft, the energy being propulsive or non-propulsive, the aircraft including a passenger cabin with regulated air flow, and power sources including at least two main engines, the method comprising: providing, in an environment located near the cabin, at least one main engine-type power-generating unit sized to serve as a single other pneumatic energy-generating source for the cabin and at most partly as an other propulsive, hydraulic, and/or electric energy-generating source for a rest of the aircraft; and minimizing a power difference between a nominal point of the power sources when the power sources are functioning and a sizing point of non-propulsive energy contributions of the power sources in a situation of failure of a main engine; wherein the minimizing includes dividing the power under nominal operating conditions equally between the at least two main engines and the main engine-type power generating unit, and dividing the power in the event of the failure of the main engine equally between at least one main engine and the main engine-type power generating unit.