Failure analysis system

• Main Authors: Fucke, Lars, Nicholson, Roger, Mumaw, Randall J
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 02.08.2017
• Subjects: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; CONTROLLING; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS ORELEMENTS; PHYSICS; REGULATING

The present invention relates to an airplane function oriental failure analysis system for identifying the consequences of physical failures of physical aircraft systems or of parts or components of the aircraft. Such parts or components are referred to herein as sub-systems. Failures can, for example, cause the aircraft to lose functionality needed during flight. A failure analysis system for monitoring sub-system failures in an aircraft (100) that comprises a plurality of sub-systems (101, 102, 103), the aircraft (100) having a plurality of functions, wherein each function is available when one or more associated sub-systems is operating correctly, the failure analysis system comprising: a plurality of monitors (111, 112, 113) for monitoring the status of one or more sub-systems of the aircraft (100) and determining if a failure has occurred; a memory (300) arranged to store a list of a plurality of flight phases or operating modes to be completed by the monitored system (100) and data associating one or more of the functions with each flight phase or operating mode; and a processor (200) in communication with the plurality of monitors and the memory (300) and arranged to model the response of the sub-systems to a failure determined by the monitors to identify which functions required by the flight phases or operating modes are degraded or are not available.