US 12,404,001 B2
Method for managing the configuration of an aircraft alternately comprising tail cones incorporating or not at least one auxiliary power unit or not, aircraft and device making it possible to implement said method
Pierre Dourel, Toulouse (FR); and Benoit Cazor, Toulouse (FR)
Assigned to Airbus Operations SAS, Toulouse (FR)
Filed by Airbus Operations SAS, Toulouse (FR)
Filed on Dec. 11, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/535,363.
Claims priority of application No. 2213821 (FR), filed on Dec. 19, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0199190 A1, Jun. 20, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B64C 1/06 (2006.01); B64C 1/26 (2006.01); B64D 41/00 (2006.01); B64F 5/40 (2017.01)
CPC B64C 1/0685 (2020.01) [B64C 1/26 (2013.01); B64F 5/40 (2017.01); B64D 2041/002 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for managing at least one aircraft, said aircraft, in a first configuration, being configured to perform a first category of flights not requiring any auxiliary power unit and, in a second configuration, to perform a second category of flights requiring at least one auxiliary power unit, the aircraft comprising a fuselage that has a main portion; wherein the managing method comprises:
removably mounting, aft of the main portion of the fuselage, alternately a lightened first tail cone not comprising any auxiliary power unit or a second tail cone comprising the at least one auxiliary power unit, depending on the first or second category of flights to be performed by the aircraft.