A flight management system for an aircraft and method of securing open world data using such a system. The flight management system includes at least two flight management computers including one computer termed active forming part of an active guidance subsystem configured to supply data for guiding the aircraft. Another computer is termed inactive at the current time. The flight management system includes a validation subsystem that includes the inactive flight management computer and a validation unit connected to the flight management computers. The validation subsystem is independent of the active guidance subsystem and configured to validate open world data and to transmit at least to the active flight management computer data that is validated during the validation.

A system and method for enhanced vehicle efficiency through smart automation for an onboard weather update is provided. The system comprises a processor, and a non-transitory processor readable medium including instructions, executable by the processor, to perform a method comprising: receiving vehicle data from an onboard vehicle data source; receiving real-time weather data from one or more weather data sources; detecting when onboard forecast weather data is out-of-date or irrelevant based on the vehicle data and the real-time weather data; estimating one or more potential benefits from an update of the onboard forecast weather data; and activating the update of the onboard forecast weather data.

Methods and system for alerting a Visual Decent Point (VDP) in an aircraft system. The methods and systems retrieve runway altitude data and Minimum Descent Altitude (MDA) data from an avionics database for a target runway. Data in the avionics database for the target runway does not include a published VDP. The method includes calculating the VDP based on a difference between the runway altitude data and the MDA so as to achieve a target downward acceptable glidepath angle during final descent from the MDA to the target runway. The method includes outputting an alert of the VDP by an output device of the aircraft system.

A method and apparatus for building a route for moving an aircraft within an on-ground environment by identifying route elements. Input that is entered by an operator of an aircraft based on route instructions provided by a controller is received through a character input section of a graphical user interface. Route information is generated based on the input using character recognition. The route for moving the aircraft within the on-ground environment is built based on the route information.

The transmission of flight instructions from a ground unit to an aircraft comprising an onboard system. The ground unit is configured to generate, on the basis of flight data intended for the aircraft, at least one optical symbol containing a flight instruction. The onboard system comprises an optical reader and a flight management system. The optical reader is configured to read the optical symbol and to transfer the flight instruction contained in the symbol to the flight management system to prepare the flight of the aircraft.

A method for completing a flight checklist for an aircraft is provided. The method obtains, by one or more location sensors, location information for a user; generates a tagged user location, based on the location information; determines that a checklist item is incomplete, based on the tagged user location, wherein the flight checklist comprises the checklist item, and wherein the checklist item is associated with a maintenance inspection for the aircraft; and when the checklist item is incomplete, presenting an alert via a display device.

An onboard system establishes a first-EFB connection between a first electronic flight bag (EFB) and an aircraft interface device (AID), and establishes a first-EFB session between the first EFB and a flight management computer (FMC) based on a session identifier for the first EFB. The first-EFB connection is associated with a first-EFB connection identifier for the first EFB, and the first-EFB session is established over the first-EFB connection in accordance with the first-EFB connection identifier. The onboard system establishes a second-EFB connection between a second EFB and the AID, and establishes a second-EFB session between the second EFB and the FMC based on a session identifier for the second EFB. The second-EFB connection is associated with a second-EFB connection identifier for the second EFB, and the second-EFB session is established over the second-EFB connection in accordance with the second-EFB connection identifier.

A system to distribute an Aircraft Operations Communication (AOC) application is provided. The system includes communication components in a vehicle, and an AOC database. The communication components include one of: a Communication Management Unit (CMU); or a Communication Management Function (CMF); and at least one of: at least one electronic flight bag (EFB); and at least one cabin terminal. The AOC database includes an operational configuration for aircraft operations communication for the communication components in the vehicle. The AOC database is loaded into at least one of: the CMU, the CMF, the at least one EFB; the at least one cabin terminal; and a database device. The AOC database configures the operation of the communication components in the vehicle.

A method for providing electronic checklist data onboard an aircraft is provided. The method detects, by an aircraft onboard system, a current phase of flight for the aircraft; obtains electronic checklist data by at least one processor onboard the aircraft; identifies, by the at least one processor, critical items associated with the current phase of flight, wherein the electronic checklist data comprises the critical items; and presents the critical items via aircraft display.

A method for integration of a portable electronic device (PED) with a flight deck display in some embodiments includes providing an onboard network coupled to a flight-deck-installed, multi-function display and coupling the PED to the onboard network. The method may also include receiving information from a PED hosted application in the PED, routing information through a gateway and/or a plurality of firewalls, and displaying information on the flight-deck-installed, multi-function display. In some embodiments, a pilot control interface is coupled to the PED through the onboard network, and a plurality of functions on the PED is controlled via the pilot control interface. An airplane in some embodiments includes a fuselage portion, a wing portion, and a system that carries out the method, possibly through use of computer readable storage medium with stored instructions.