Method for managing the configuration of an aircraft equipped with at least one auxiliary power unit or not, aircraft and device making it possible to implement said method
A method for managing at least one aircraft configured to alternately occupy a first configuration suitable for a first flight category not requiring any auxiliary power unit and a second configuration suitable for a second flight category requiring at least one auxiliary power unit. The managing method includes adapting the configuration of the aircraft to the category of the flight to be performed. Thus, when the category of the flight to be performed by the aircraft does not require it, the auxiliary power unit can be removed, this leading to a decrease in on-board weight.
1 . A method for managing at least one aircraft, said aircraft comprising: a fuselage that has a main portion and being configured to perform a first category of flights not requiring any auxiliary power unit and a second category of flights requiring at least one auxiliary power unit, wherein the aircraft is configured to alternately occupy: a first configuration suitable for the first flight category, in which a first configuration of the aircraft comprises a lightened first tail cone, not comprising any auxiliary power unit, positioned aft of the main portion and connected to the latter by a removable aft link, and a second configuration suitable for the second flight category, in which a second configuration of the aircraft comprises a second tail cone comprising an auxiliary power unit, positioned aft of the main portion and connected to the main portion by the removable aft link, and wherein the managing method comprises, for at least one given flight to be performed, a first step of determining, from among the first and second flight categories, to which category the given flight to be performed belongs, a second step of determining, from among the first and second configurations, which configuration is suitable for the flight category determined in the first step, a third step of changing the configuration of the aircraft when the configuration of the aircraft does not correspond to the configuration determined in the second step, determining an amount of material resources required to carry out the third step of changing the configuration, the material resources at least partly including equipment configured to perform the third step automatically, and transforming, utilizing the material resources determined, the aircraft by equipping the aircraft with the first tail cone or the second tail cone based on the determination of whether the first configuration or the second configuration is suitable.
2 . The method for managing at least one aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the managing method further comprises:
a fourth step of planning a plurality of flights to be performed by the aircraft,
a fifth step of determining the flight category to which each flight belongs and the configuration of the aircraft for each flight,
a sixth step of determining each scheduled stopover between two successive flights having different aircraft configurations, and
a seventh step of planning an eighth step of changing the configuration of the aircraft for each stopover determined in the sixth step.
3 . An aircraft configured to implement the managing method according to claim 1 , the aircraft comprising:
the fuselage that has the main portion,
wherein the aircraft alternately comprises first and second tail cones positioned aft of the main portion of the fuselage and the removable aft link connecting the first or second tail cone and the main portion of the fuselage,
the first tail cone being lightened and not comprising any auxiliary power unit, and
the second tail cone comprising an auxiliary power unit.
4 . The method for managing at least one aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one aircraft includes a fleet of aircraft and the managing method comprises:
a fourth step of determining a plurality of flights to be performed by each of the aircraft of the fleet of aircraft,
a fifth step of determining the flight category to which each flight belongs and the configuration of the aircraft for each flight determined in the previous step,
a sixth step of determining, for each aircraft in the fleet of aircraft, stopovers where the aircraft is to undergo a step of changing configuration aiming to remove or install the lightened first tail cone not comprising any auxiliary power unit, or the second tail cone comprising an auxiliary power unit, and
a seventh step of planning a series of eighth steps of changing the configuration of the aircraft of the fleet of aircraft for each stopover determined in the sixth step.
5 . The method for managing at least one aircraft according to claim 4 including the at least one fleet of aircraft, wherein at least one of:
at least a first tail cone is compatible with a plurality of aircraft, or
at least a second tail cone is compatible with the plurality of aircraft.
6 . The method for managing at least one aircraft according to claim 5 , wherein the seventh step comprises predicting, for each step of changing configuration:
a place and date of the step of changing configuration, and
the first or second tail cone to be installed compatible with the aircraft to be converted.
7 . A device for managing at least one fleet of aircraft configured to implement the method for managing at least one aircraft according to claim 4 , wherein the managing device comprises:
at least one first database containing the plurality of flights to be performed by the aircraft of the fleet of aircraft,
at least one second database containing departure and arrival airports of the plurality of flights of the aircraft of the fleet of aircraft, and
at least one manager configured to determine, based on the first and second databases, at least one schedule for the steps of changing configuration of the aircraft of the fleet of aircraft.
8 . The device for managing at least one fleet of aircraft according to claim 7 , wherein the first database contains, for each flight, at least the following characteristics:
a departure airport,
a departure date,
an arrival airport,
an arrival date, and
operating conditions of the flight.
9 . The device for managing at least one fleet of aircraft according to claim 7 , wherein the second database contains, for each airport, whether the aircraft must be equipped with an auxiliary power unit or not.
10 . The device for managing at least one fleet of aircraft according to claim 7 , wherein the managing device comprises at least one configuration changing means configured to carry out the steps of changing the configuration based on the schedule established by the manager.
11 . A method for managing at least one aircraft, said aircraft comprising: a fuselage that has a main portion and being configured to perform a first category of flights not requiring any auxiliary power unit and a second category of flights requiring at least one auxiliary power unit, wherein the aircraft is configured to alternately occupy: a first configuration associated with the first flight category, in which a first configuration of the aircraft comprises a lightened first tail cone, not comprising any auxiliary power unit, positioned aft of the main portion and connected to the latter by a removable aft link, and a second configuration associated with the second flight category, in which a second configuration of the aircraft comprises a second tail cone comprising an auxiliary power unit, positioned aft of the main portion and connected to the main portion by the removable aft link, and wherein the managing method comprises: a first step of planning the flights to be performed by the aircraft, a second step of determining, from among the first and second flight categories, to which category each flight to be performed belongs, a third step of determining, from among the first and second configurations, which configuration is suitable for the flight category determined in the second step, a fourth step of determining each scheduled stopover between two successive flights having different aircraft configurations, a fifth step of planning a step of changing the configuration for each stopover determined in the fourth step, and a sixth step of changing the configuration of the aircraft at each stopover determined in the fourth step, wherein the fifth planning step comprises predicting the place and date of the step of changing the configuration, the first or second tail cone to be installed compatible with the aircraft to be converted, and the material and human resources required to carry out the step of changing the configuration, wherein the step of changing the configuration consists of transforming, utilizing the material and human resources determined, the aircraft by equipping the aircraft with the first tail cone or the second tail cone based on the determination of whether the first configuration or the second configuration is suitable.