System and method for determining aircraft operational parameters and enhancing aircraft operation

1. A method for identifying variations in aircraft operational parameters, comprising:

processing a four-dimensional (4D) aircraft trajectory for a flight along a defined route;

determining an aircraft intent corresponding to the flight along the defined route based at least in part on an aircraft performance model from a trajectory predictor, wherein the aircraft intent comprises a plurality of segments and a corresponding plurality of intent parameters;

adjusting the plurality of intent parameters such that a computed 4D trajectory substantially corresponds to the 4D aircraft trajectory, wherein the computed 4D trajectory is determined based at least in part on the aircraft intent, the adjusted plurality of intent parameters, and the aircraft performance model from the trajectory predictor;

determining a computed operational parameter based at least in part on the computed 4D trajectory and the aircraft performance model from the trajectory predictor; and

identifying variations between the computed operational parameter and a corresponding measured operational parameter.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the trajectory predictor computes substantially similar trajectories and/or operational parameters as an onboard flight management system of an aircraft associated with the flight along the defined route.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the computed operational parameter comprises at least one of a computed fuel usage, a computed flight cost, or a computed flight time, and the measured operational parameter comprises at least one of a measured fuel usage, a measured flight cost, or a measured flight time.

4. The method of claim 1 , comprising comparing the variations to corresponding threshold values to identify aircraft inefficiencies.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the aircraft intent is determined by trajectory parameterization using a dual optimal smoothing technique.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the dual optimal smoothing technique comprises interacting multiple mode smoothing.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the 4D aircraft trajectory originates from an onboard data recorder.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the computed 4D trajectory, the computed operational parameter, the aircraft intent, or a combination thereof, is determined based at least in part on atmospheric data associated with the flight along the defined route.

9. A system for identifying variations in aircraft operational parameters, comprising:

a storage device configured to store a previously recorded four-dimensional (4D) aircraft trajectory for a flight along a defined route;

control circuitry communicatively coupled to the storage device, wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine an aircraft intent corresponding to the previously recorded 4D aircraft trajectory along the defined route based at least in part on an aircraft performance model from a trajectory predictor, the aircraft intent comprises a plurality of segments and a corresponding plurality of intent parameters, the control circuitry is configured to adjust the plurality of intent parameters from a set of initial estimates such that a newly computed 4D trajectory substantially corresponds to the 4D aircraft trajectory, the newly computed 4D trajectory is determined based at least in part on the derived aircraft intent, the adjusted plurality of intent parameters, and the aircraft performance model from the trajectory predictor, the control circuitry is configured to determine a computed operational parameter based at least in part on the newly computed 4D trajectory and the aircraft performance model from the trajectory predictor, and the control circuitry is configured to identify variations between the computed operational parameter and a corresponding measured operational parameter from the previously recorded 4D trajectory; and

an interface communicatively coupled to the control circuitry, wherein the interface is configured to present the variations to an operator of the system.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the computed operational parameter comprises a computed fuel usage, and the measured operational parameter comprises a measured fuel usage.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the trajectory predictor computes substantially similar trajectories and/or operational parameters as an onboard flight management system of an aircraft associated with the flight along the defined route.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the aircraft intent is determined by trajectory parameterization using a dual optimal smoothing technique.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the aircraft intent is determined based at least in part on a plurality of measured 4D aircraft trajectories from a corresponding plurality of previous flights along the defined route.

14. A method for enhancing aircraft operational parameters, comprising:

determining an aircraft intent corresponding to a flight along a defined route based at least in part on a plurality of four-dimensional (4D) aircraft trajectories from a corresponding plurality of previous flights along the defined route and an aircraft performance model from a trajectory predictor, wherein the aircraft intent comprises a plurality of segments and a corresponding plurality of intent parameters;

determining a first computed 4D trajectory based at least in part on the aircraft intent and the aircraft performance model from the trajectory predictor,

determining a first computed operational parameter based at least in part on the first computed 4D trajectory and the aircraft performance model from the trajectory predictor; and

iteratively adjusting at least one intent parameter such that a second computed operational parameter of a second computed 4D trajectory has a more desirable value than the first computed operational parameter of the first computed 4D trajectory, wherein the second computed 4D trajectory is determined based at least in part on the aircraft intent, the at least one intent parameter, and the aircraft performance model from the trajectory predictor, and the second computed operational parameter is determined based at least in part on the second computed 4D trajectory and the aircraft performance model from the trajectory predictor.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein each computed operational parameter comprises a computed fuel usage, a computed flight cost, a computed flight time, or a combination thereof.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the aircraft intent is determined by trajectory parameterization using a dual optimal smoothing technique.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein each computed 4D trajectory, each computed operational parameter, or a combination thereof, is determined based at least in part on a plurality of constraint data associated with the corresponding plurality of previous flights along the defined route.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein each computed 4D trajectory, each computed operational parameter, or a combination thereof, is determined based at least in part on a plurality of atmospheric data associated with the corresponding plurality of previous flights along the defined route.

19. The method of claim 4 , wherein the aircraft inefficiencies include improper trim, engine inefficiencies, and excessive drag.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the 4D aircraft trajectory originates from radar data.