Automated Accurate Aircraft Weighing System

Herein, an innovative aircraft weighing system based on a set of piezopolymar film pad sensors is described. The wieghing system, which would operate automatically as the aircraft taxi over it, would be unobtrusive, accurate, and reliable. These sensor pads could be integrated into the flight deck surface below the grated rubber surface finish. These thin (20-30 mils) piezopolymer sensing pads could be integrated in such a fashion as to not require additional time or mainpulation of the aircraft as they prepare for launch. Local electronic signal conditioning would enhance the fidelity and accuracy of the measurement. For ease of integration, the conditioned signals can be transmitted for catapult settings via an RF transmitter if such an integration requirements is specified. Such a sensing system would be low cost and low maintenance. ACX proposes to investigate the feasiblity of this aircraft weighing system based on thin film piezopolymer sensors. Due to the criticality of the measurement and the strict operational and integration requirements, a significant portion of this program will entail an in depth investigation of the operational, integration and performance requirements for such a thin film aircraft weighing system. ACX will be aided in the operational requirements investigation by McDonnell Douglas Corp. To establish the feasibility of such a sensing system, ACX proposes to design and test a set of prototypes to address the requirements determined to have the most significant technical risk. Once these requirements have been shown to be met, the Phase II can build on these results, working towards a complete prototype system to be demonstrated first on land and then on an aircraft carrier.