DEVICE FOR AIDING TO TAKE A DECISION CONCERNING THE ABILITY OF AN AIRCRAFT TO START A FLIGHT

1 . A device for assisting decision taking relating to the ability of an aircraft to start a flight, said device comprising:

onboard sensors (A 1 to An) capable of automatically generating first fault information relating to equipment of the aircraft;

input means ( 3 ) allowing an operator to input second fault information relating to equipment of the aircraft;

first means ( 4 ) capable of automatically determining, with the aid of said first and second fault information received, a failure state which illustrates the whole set of failures of the aircraft;

a database ( 7 ) which comprises a minimum equipment list;

correlation means ( 8 ) which carry out an automatic correlation between the failure state received from said first means ( 4 ) and at least said minimum equipment list received from said database ( 7 ) so as to be able to deduce therefrom the ability of the aircraft to start the flight; and

presentation means ( 11 ) for presenting the results of said correlation,

wherein:

it comprises moreover:

onboard auxiliary sensors (B 1 to Bi) capable of automatically generating, in flight, fault information relating to equipment of the aircraft; and

second means ( 19 ) capable of automatically determining, with the aid of the fault information received from said auxiliary sensors (B 1 to Bi), an auxiliary failure state which indicates anticipated failures;

said correlation means ( 8 ) carry out an automatic correlation between the auxiliary failure state received from said second means ( 19 ) and said minimum equipment list received from said database ( 7 ) so as to be able to deduce therefrom if appropriate:

the ability or otherwise of the aircraft to start a next flight;

operational limitations; and

dimensioning failures; and

said presentation means ( 11 ) present the results of this correlation.

2 . The device as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein it is onboard the aircraft.

3 . The device as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein, except for said sensors (A 1 to An), said device ( 1 ) forms a set which is not onboard the aircraft and which is connected to said onboard sensors (A 1 to An) by a data transmission link.

4 . The device as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein said correlation means ( 8 ) are formed so as to be able to deduce, moreover, if appropriate:

operational limitations; and

dimensioning failures.

5 . The device as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein it comprises, moreover, interrogation means capable of requesting an operator to input particular information into said device ( 1 ).

6 . The device as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein it comprises, moreover, means which are triggerable by an operator and which present, when a failure is detected and they are triggered, information relating to this failure, which emanates from said minimum equipment list.

7 . The device as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein it comprises, moreover, means ( 16 ) for establishing a synthetic state, when several failures arise, and in that said synthetic state contains one of the following items of information:

if all the data input are known and if the set of restrictive conditions are satisfied, an authorization to start a flight;

if operational restrictions are applicable, a flight status with operational restrictions;

if the current date exceeds a limit date, or if, for at least one input of the minimum equipment list, a minimum number of occurrences is greater than an actual number, or if a restrictive condition is not fulfilled, a recommendation not to carry out the flight, while exhibiting the reason for this recommendation;

independently of the previous item of information, if at least one restrictive condition is not satisfied, a recommendation not to carry out the flight with the exhibiting of the unsatisfied restrictive condition; and

if not all the conditions input are known, a conditional flight intermediate status.

8 . The device as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein it is triggerable, and in that it comprises means ( 14 ) for triggering said device ( 1 ) in a periodic manner.