Patent ID: 8131406

Claim:
A method for testing an aircraft prior to flight, the method comprising: receiving a user signal from a pre-flight test input source, the user signal indicating that a pilot of the aircraft has directed engine control circuitry, which is arranged to electronically control operation of a set of piston engines of the aircraft during flight, to begin testing the aircraft in an automated manner; in response to the user signal, conducting a pre-flight test of the aircraft from the engine control circuitry; upon completion of the pre-flight test, outputting a result of the pre-flight test from the engine control circuitry; wherein the engine control circuitry includes (i) a primary electronic control unit (ECU) which is arranged to control engine combustion during a normal flight mode of the engine control circuitry, and (ii) a secondary ECU which is arranged to control engine combustion during a backup flight mode of the engine control circuitry, the engine control circuitry transitioning from the normal flight mode to the backup flight mode in the event of a failure of the primary ECU; wherein the primary ECU includes a first memory device which stores a first set of instructions and a first processor; and wherein the secondary ECU includes a second memory device which stores a second set of instructions and a second processor.