System and method for aircraft braking system usage monitoring

Abstract

The system and method for monitoring wear of one or more aircraft parts, such as an aircraft brake, an aircraft tire, a standby system, and landing gear, utilize one or more sensors to sense a parameter of usage, and an estimate of usage of the part can be determined based upon the signal indicating the sensed value of the parameter of usage of the aircraft part. A plurality of sensors can be provided for sensing usage of a plurality of parts of the aircraft, and the estimate of usage of the part can be stored for access of the estimate by ground personnel.

1 . A method for monitoring wear of one or more aircraft parts, comprising:
 sensing at least one parameter of usage of an aircraft part and generating a signal indicating a sensed value of said parameter of usage of said aircraft part;   monitoring the usage and wear of said aircraft part on the basis of said sensed value of said parameter;   monitoring the usage and wear of an aircraft system incorporating said aircraft part as a function of the usage and wear of said aircraft part;   monitoring the usage and wear of an aircraft standby system by sensing input power to said standby system and generating an input power signal, measuring a period of time elapsed during each usage of said standby system, and generating an elapsed time signal, and determining an estimate of usage of said aircraft standby system based upon said input power signal and said elapsed time signal; and   determining the remaining life of said aircraft system on the basis of said monitoring.   
     
     
         2 . The method for monitoring wear of an aircraft part of  claim 1 , further comprising monitoring the usage and wear of an aircraft tire. 
     
     
         3 . A method for monitoring wear of one or more aircraft parts, comprising:
 sensing at least one parameter of usage of an aircraft part and for generating a signal indicating a sensed value of said parameter of usage of said aircraft part;   monitoring the usage and wear of said aircraft part on the basis of said sensed value of said parameter;   monitoring the usage and wear of an aircraft system incorporating said aircraft part as a function of the usage and wear of said aircraft part;   determining the remaining life of said aircraft system on the basis of said monitoring; and   determining the remaining life of an aircraft landing gear by sensing load on said landing gear and generating a load signal, measuring a period of time elapsed during each usage of said landing gear and generating an elapsed time signal, and determining an estimate of usage of said aircraft landing gear based upon said load signal and said elapsed time signal.