A method of maintaining a structure includes providing a structure having a component subject to failure. A sensor, a memory and an energy harvesting device are mounted on the structure. The sensor is used and data derived from the sensor logged in the memory, wherein the memory is powered solely with energy derived from the energy harvesting device. The component is replaced if information in the memory shows that the component was subject to damaging usage.

Energy harvesting, wireless structural health monitoring system

The invention relates to a new method and system for health monitoring of aircraft landing gear. The system includes sensors that are attached to the landing gear structure and equipment (e.g., one or more of brakes, tires, hydraulics, electrical systems and switches) and analyzed to report and alert personnel such as pilots, maintenance personnel, airline operators, ground crew and regulatory authorities of the health of the landing gear and the potential need for service, maintenance or replacement. The system monitors and reports critical health issues as real-time information which can be analyzed in conjunction with an extensive database of information and used to alert pilots or other relevant personnel to the condition of the landing gear and actions that may be required as a result.

Method and system for health monitoring of aircraft landing gear

This invention allows for the precise determination of an aircraft's landing conditions and whether an aircraft has experienced a hard landing that exceeds the allowable design loads of the aircraft's landing gear. The system comprises a computer that measures signals from an inertial measurement unit (IMU) at high data rates (e.g. 100 Hz) and also records signals from the aircraft avionics data bus. The computer compares the output from the inertial measurement unit's accelerometers against at least one predetermined threshold parameter to determine whether the aircraft's three dimensional landing deceleration is safely within the design allowances or other regulatory limitations, or whether the landing event needs further investigation.

System and method for determining aircraft hard landing events from inertial and aircraft reference frame data

An onboard system and method for determining the instantaneous weight and balance of an aircraft simply, reliably, accurately, and requiring a minimum amount of calibration includes a memory for storing previously determined breakout friction data of the aircraft's landing gear shock struts, sensors for sensing the pressures in the struts, the vertical loads exerted by the landing gear on the aircraft, and the attitude of the aircraft relative to the horizontal during loading or unloading thereof, and a computer for computing the vertical load in each of the landing gears from the stored calibration breakout friction data and the shock strut pressures, landing gear vertical loads and aircraft attitude sensed during the loading or unloading. The computer then computes the gross weight of the aircraft and the location of its center of gravity (CG) using the computed vertical loads in the landing gears.

Onboard aircraft weight and balance system

This invention relates to a hard landing indication system that will provide a quantitative assessment that a hard landing did or did not occur at the last landing of an airplane A hard landing can cause structural damage to an airplane An airplane that has been declared to have a hard landing must be grounded until an inspection of the structure has been made to determine if repairs are required

Airplane hard landing indication system

A landing gear load sensor (24) for an aircraft (10) having a skid type landing gear (14) is provided. The sensor (24) includes a shear beam (30) having a loadbearing area (40). Structure (32, 34) is provided for mounting the shear beam (30) to the aircraft (10), such that the loadbearing area (40) is disposed adjacent the landing gear (14). Structure (50) is disposed on the shear beam (30) between the mounting structure (32, 34) and the loadbearing area (40) for sensing shear load on the shear beam (30).

Dickson Billy H

Papers

Landing gear load transducer