초록 ▼

Aerial dispersion systems that may be employed to allow rapid and temporary conversion of aircraft for aerial dispersion purposes, such as aerial fire-fighting. The aerial dispersion systems may be implemented using modular components that may be configured for compatibility with conventional cargo

Aerial dispersion systems that may be employed to allow rapid and temporary conversion of aircraft for aerial dispersion purposes, such as aerial fire-fighting. The aerial dispersion systems may be implemented using modular components that may be configured for compatibility with conventional cargo loading and unloading systems of modern aircraft, including side-loading cargo systems of wide body passenger and cargo aircraft having high lift capacities. The aerial dispersion systems may be rapidly installed in a large fleet of high capacity aircraft in response to a wildfire or other rapidly-developing emergency such as an oil spill, chemical or biological contamination incident, building or refinery fire, etc. After use, the aircraft of the fleet may be rapidly de-modified and returned to original condition. The aerial dispersion systems may be operated with a fleet of aircraft in a coordinated manner, for example, as part of an aerial firefighting formation having multiple aircraft sharing information and/or common control.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A method of temporarily converting at least one fixed wing host aircraft for aerial dispersion purposes, comprising: providing a fixed wing host aircraft having a side cargo opening; providing two or more modular aerial dispersant holding tanks, said aerial dispersant holding

What is claimed is: 1. A method of temporarily converting at least one fixed wing host aircraft for aerial dispersion purposes, comprising: providing a fixed wing host aircraft having a side cargo opening; providing two or more modular aerial dispersant holding tanks, said aerial dispersant holding tanks being configured to be compatible with a side-loading aircraft cargo system of said fixed wing host aircraft; sequentially loading said two or more modular aerial dispersant holding tanks through said side cargo opening of said fixed wing host aircraft into a baggage or cargo hold of said fixed wing host aircraft; coupling said two or more modular aerial dispersant holding tanks together within said baggage or cargo hold of said fixed wing host aircraft to provide a dispersant material flow path; providing a dispersal regulator and airborne dispersal device coupled to said two or more aerial dispersant holding tanks coupled together within said baggage or cargo hold of said fixed wing host aircraft; and then removing said two or more modular aerial dispersant holding tanks from said baggage or cargo hold of said fixed wing host aircraft through said side cargo opening of said fixed wing host aircraft. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said aerial dispersant holding tanks are configured with a shape and outer dimensions that correspond to dimensions of a cargo container employed in the side-loading cargo system of said host aircraft. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein each of said aerial dispersant holding tanks comprises at least one flow opening on a first end of said holding tank, said first flow opening being configured to sealably mate with a flow opening of an adjacent aerial dispersant holding tank when two or more of said aerial dispersant tanks are positioned in adjacent end-to-end relationship within the baggage or cargo hold of said host aircraft. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein a first one of said aerial dispersant holding tanks is configured to be coupled to at least a second one of said aerial dispersant holding tanks when said first and second aerial dispersant tanks are positioned in adjacent front end-to-rear end relationship within the baggage or cargo hold of said host aircraft. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein said dispersal regulator comprises at least a part of a dispersal equipment container or a dispersal equipment pallet. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein said dispersal regulator comprises a pump. 7. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one of said first or second aerial dispersant tanks comprises flow control equipment configured to control flow of materials from said first aerial dispersant holding tank to said second aerial dispersant holding tank. 8. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a cargo door configured to be removably disposed within said cargo opening of said host aircraft; disposing said cargo door within said cargo opening of said host aircraft; and coupling said airborne dispersal device to said dispersal regulator through said cargo door. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein said two or more aerial dispersant holding tanks comprise a material containment subsystem; wherein said dispersal regulator comprises a material dispersal subsystem; and wherein said method further comprises providing a control subsystem and coupling said control subsystem to said material containment subsystem and said material dispersal subsystem. 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing a navigation subsystem, a communications subsystem, and a sensor subsystem; coupling said navigation subsystem, communications subsystem, and sensor subsystem to said control subsystem; and coupling said control subsystem, said navigation subsystem and said communications subsystem to one or more host aircraft systems. 11. The method of claim 1, further comprising aerially dispersing a material from said fixed wing host aircraft after sequentially loading said two or more modular aerial dispersant holding tanks through said side cargo opening of said fixed wing host aircraft into said baggage or cargo hold of said fixed wing host aircraft and prior to removing said two or more modular aerial dispersant holding tanks from said baggage or cargo hold of said fixed wing host aircraft through said side cargo opening of said fixed wing host aircraft. 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising installing at least first and second of said aerial dispersant holding tanks into said baggage or cargo hold of said host fixed wing aircraft by slidably or rollably transporting said first and second aerial dispersant holding tanks within said baggage or cargo hold in a forward or rearward direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft fuselage; and stacking said first and second aerial dispersant holding tanks in adjacent front end-to-rear end relationship within said baggage or cargo hold of said host aircraft. 13. The aerial dispersion method of claim 11, wherein said method comprises aerially dispersing said material from said fixed wing host aircraft to suppress a fire prior to removing said two or more modular aerial dispersant holding tanks from said baggage or cargo hold of said fixed wing host aircraft through said side cargo opening of said fixed wing host aircraft. 14. The method of claim 1, wherein said host aircraft comprises a wide body aircraft. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein said host aircraft has a gross carrying capacity of greater than or equal to about 100,000 pounds. 16. The method of claim 1, wherein said host aircraft comprises a commercial passenger or commercial cargo plane. 17. The method of claim 1, wherein said method comprises: providing two or more fixed wing host aircraft, each of said two or more fixed wing host aircraft having a side cargo opening; providing two or more modular aerial dispersant holding tanks for each of said two or more fixed wing host aircraft, said aerial dispersant holding tanks being configured to be compatible with a side-loading aircraft cargo system of said two or more fixed wing host aircraft; sequentially loading said two or more modular aerial dispersant holding tanks through said side cargo opening of each of said fixed wing host aircraft into a baggage or cargo hold of each of said fixed wing host aircraft; coupling said two or more modular aerial dispersant holding tanks together within said baggage or cargo hold of each of said fixed wing host aircraft to provide a dispersant material flow path; and providing a dispersal regulator and airborne dispersal device coupled to said two or more aerial dispersant holding tanks coupled together within said baggage or cargo hold of each of said two or more fixed wing host aircraft; then aerially dispersing one or more materials from said two or more fixed wing host aircraft as a fleet in a coordinated manner; and then removing said two or more modular aerial dispersant holding tanks from said baggage or cargo hold of each of said two or more fixed wing host aircraft through said side cargo opening of each of said fixed wing host aircraft. 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising aerially dispersing said one or more materials from said two or more fixed wing host aircraft as a fleet to suppress a fire prior to removing said two or more modular aerial dispersant holding tanks from said baggage or cargo hold of each of said two or more fixed wing host aircraft. 19. An aerial dispersion method, comprising: temporarily converting at least one fixed-wing host aircraft for aerial dispersion purposes by installing two or more modular aerial dispersant holding tanks, a dispersal regulator and an airborne dispersal device on said fixed wing host aircraft to form at least one aircraft-based material dispersion system prior to aerially dispersing one or more materials from said at least one aircraft-based material dispersion system; then aerially dispersing one or more materials from said at least one aircraft-based material dispersion system; then removing said two or more modular aerial dispersant holding tanks, said dispersal regulator and said airborne dispersal device from said fixed wing host aircraft after aerially dispersing said one or more materials from said at least one aircraft-based material dispersion system; wherein said method further comprises forming said at least one aircraft-based material dispersion system by: providing said at least one fixed wing host aircraft, providing and sequentially disposing said two or more modular aerial dispersant holding tanks within said fixed wing host aircraft, and coupling together said two or more modular aerial dispersant holding tanks within said fixed wing host aircraft to provide a dispersant material flowpath, providing and disposing said dispersal regulator on said fixed wing host aircraft and coupling said dispersal regulator to said two or more aerial dispersant holding tanks, and providing and disposing said airborne dispersal device on said fixed wing host aircraft and coupling said airborne dispersal device to said dispersal regulator; and wherein said method further comprises installing and removing said two or more modular aerial dispersant holding tanks within a baggage or cargo hold of said fixed wing host aircraft using a side-loading aircraft cargo system of said fixed wing host aircraft; or wherein said method further comprises installing and removing said two or more aerial dispersant holding tanks within a passenger compartment of said fixed wing host aircraft through a passenger door opening of said fixed wing host aircraft. 20. The method of claim 19, comprising installing and removing said two or more aerial dispersant holding tanks within said baggage or cargo hold of said host aircraft using said side-loading cargo system of said host aircraft. 21. The method of claim 20, further comprising forming said at least one aircraft-based material dispersion system by removably disposing and coupling together two or more of said aerial dispersant holding tanks coupled in adjacent front end-to-rear end relationship within said baggage or cargo hold of said host aircraft. 22. The method of claim 21, further comprising forming said at least one aircraft-based material dispersion system by providing and coupling flow control equipment to at least one of said aerial dispersant holding tanks to control flow of materials between two or more of said aerial dispersant holding tanks. 23. The method of claim 21, further comprising forming said at least one aircraft-based material dispersion system by providing and removably disposing a cargo door within a cargo opening of said host aircraft; and coupling said airborne dispersal device to said dispersal regulator through said cargo door. 24. The method of claim 20, further comprising removably installing said dispersal regulator and said airborne dispersal device on said host aircraft. 25. The method of claim 20, wherein said two or more aerial dispersant holding tanks are configured with a shape and outer dimensions that correspond to dimensions of a cargo container employed in said side-loading cargo system of said host aircraft. 26. The method of claim 25, further comprising disposing and stacking said two or more aerial dispersant holding tanks in end to end manner within said baggage or cargo hold of said host aircraft in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage of said aircraft. 27. The method of claim 26, further comprising disposing said two or more aerial dispersant holding tanks within said baggage or cargo hold of said host aircraft and slidably or rollably transporting said cargo containers forward or rearward in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of said aircraft fuselage. 28. The method of claim 19, comprising installing and removing said two or more aerial dispersant holding tanks within a passenger compartment of said host aircraft through said passenger door opening. 29. The method of claim 28, further comprising forming said at least one aircraft-based material dispersion system by removably disposing and coupling together two or more of said aerial dispersant holding tanks in adjacent front end-to-rear end relationship within said passenger compartment of said host aircraft. 30. The method of claim 29, further comprising forming said at least one aircraft-based material dispersion system by providing and removably disposing a passenger door within a passenger door opening of said host aircraft; and coupling said airborne dispersal device to said dispersal regulator through said passenger door. 31. The method of claim 19, wherein said two or more aerial dispersant holding tanks comprise a material containment subsystem; wherein said dispersal regulator comprises a material dispersal subsystem; and wherein said method further comprises forming said aerial dispersion system by providing and coupling a control subsystem to said material containment subsystem and said material dispersal subsystem. 32. The method of claim 31, further comprising forming said at least one aircraft-based material dispersion system by providing and coupling a navigation subsystem, a communications subsystem, and a sensor subsystem to said control subsystem; and coupling said control subsystem, said navigation subsystem and said communications subsystem to one or more host aircraft systems. 33. The aerial dispersion method of claim 19, comprising aerially dispersing one or more materials in a coordinated manner from a fleet of aircraft-based material dispersion systems; and wherein said method further comprises installing said two or more modular aerial dispersant holding tanks, said dispersal regulator and said airborne dispersal device on each aircraft of said fleet of said aircraft-based material dispersion systems prior to aerially dispersing said one or more materials from said fleet of aircraft-based material dispersion systems; and wherein said method further comprises removing said two or more modular aerial dispersant holding tanks, said dispersal regulator and said airborne dispersal device from each aircraft of said fleet of aircraft-based material dispersion systems after aerially dispersing said one or more materials from said fleet of aircraft-based material dispersion systems. 34. The aerial dispersion method of claim 33, wherein said method comprises aerially dispersing said one or more materials from said fleet of aircraft-based material dispersion systems to suppress a fire prior to removing said two or more modular aerial dispersant holding tanks, said dispersal regulator and said airborne dispersal device from each aircraft of said fleet of aircraft-based material dispersion systems. 35. The method of claim 33, further comprising: providing a control subsystem for each of said fixed wing host aircraft of said fleet of aircraft-based material dispersion systems, said control subsystem being configured to control at least one of material dispersement or flight characteristics of said fixed wing host aircraft of each of said aircraft-based material dispersion systems; providing communication between said control subsystem of each of said fixed wing host aircraft of said fleet of aircraft-based material dispersion systems and at least one of a ground source or another airborne source; controlling aerial dispersion operations of each of said fixed wing host aircraft of said fleet of aircraft-based material dispersion systems by communicating from at least one of said ground source or said another airborne source to said control subsystem of each of said fixed wing host aircraft of said fleet of aircraft-based material dispersion systems to provide common control to direct at least one of flight path or release of materials from each of said fixed wing host aircraft of said fleet of aircraft-based material dispersion systems and to aerially disperse said one or more materials from said fleet of fleet of aircraft-based material dispersion systems in a coordinated manner. 36. The method of claim 19, wherein said host aircraft comprises a wide body aircraft. 37. The method of claim 19, wherein said host aircraft comprises a commercial passenger or commercial cargo plane. 38. The aerial dispersion method of claim 19, wherein said method comprises aerially dispersing said one or more materials from said aircraft-based material dispersion system to suppress a fire prior to removing said two or more modular aerial dispersant holding tanks, said dispersal regulator and said airborne dispersal device from said fixed wing host aircraft. 39. A method of temporarily converting at least one fixed wing wide body host aircraft for aerial dispersion purposes comprising: providing a fixed wing wide body host aircraft; operating said fixed wing wide body host aircraft in conventional passenger or conventional cargo configuration for commercial passenger or commercial cargo use; then converting said fixed wing wide body host aircraft for aerial dispersion operations by providing and installing one or more aerial dispersant holding tanks within said fixed wing wide body host aircraft; then aerially dispersing one or more materials from said one or more aerial dispersant holding tanks installed within said fixed wing wide body host aircraft; then returning said fixed wing wide body host aircraft to said conventional passenger or conventional cargo configuration by removing said one or more aerial dispersant holding tanks from said fixed wing wide body host aircraft; and then operating said fixed wing wide body host aircraft for commercial passenger or commercial cargo use; wherein said fixed wing wide body host aircraft has a side-loading cargo system; wherein said one or more aerial dispersant holding tanks are configured as cargo containers; and wherein said method further comprises removably disposing said one or more aerial dispersant holding tanks within a baggage or cargo hold of said host aircraft using said side-loading cargo system of said host aircraft. 40. The method of claim 39, wherein said fixed wing wide body host aircraft has a gross carrying capacity of greater than or equal to about 100,000 pounds. 41. The method of claim 40, wherein said fixed wing wide body host aircraft comprises a wide body passenger plane. 42. The method of claim 39, further comprising removably disposing and coupling together two or more of said aerial dispersant holding tanks in adjacent front end-to-rear end relationship within said baggage or cargo hold of said fixed wing wide body host aircraft. 43. The method of claim 42, further comprising providing and coupling flow control equipment to at least one of said aerial dispersant holding tanks to control flow of materials between two or more of said aerial dispersant holding tanks. 44. The method of claim 42, further comprising providing and removably disposing a cargo door within a cargo opening of said fixed wing wide body host aircraft; and coupling said airborne dispersal device to said dispersal regulator through said cargo door. 45. The method of claim 39, removably installing said dispersal regulator and said airborne dispersal device on said fixed wing wide body host aircraft. 46. The method of claim 39, wherein said one or more aerial dispersant holding tanks comprise a material containment subsystem; wherein said method further comprises providing a dispersal regulator that comprises a material dispersal subsystem; and wherein said method further comprises providing and coupling a control subsystem to said material containment subsystem and said material dispersal subsystem. 47. The method of claim 46, wherein said method further comprises providing and coupling a navigation subsystem, a communications subsystem, and a sensor subsystem to said control subsystem; and coupling said control subsystem, said navigation subsystem and said communications subsystem to one or more host aircraft systems. 48. The method of claim 39, wherein said method comprises aerially dispersing said one or more materials from said one or more aerial dispersant holding tanks installed within said fixed wing wide body host aircraft to suppress a fire after converting said fixed wing wide body host aircraft for aerial dispersion operations and prior to returning said fixed wing wide body host aircraft to said conventional passenger or conventional cargo configuration. 49. The method of claim 39, wherein said method comprises: providing two or more fixed wing wide body host aircraft; operating said two or more fixed wing wide body host aircraft in conventional passenger or conventional cargo configuration for commercial passenger or commercial cargo use; then converting said two or more fixed wing wide body host aircraft to a fleet of two or more fixed wing wide body host aircraft configured for aerial dispersion operations by providing and installing one or more aerial dispersant holding tanks within each of said two or more said fixed wing wide body host aircraft; then aerially dispersing one or more materials from said one or more aerial dispersant holding tanks installed within each of said fleet of two or more fixed wing wide body host aircraft; then returning said two or more fixed wing wide body host aircraft to said conventional passenger or conventional cargo configuration by removing said one or more aerial dispersant holding tanks from each of said fixed wing wide body host aircraft; and then operating said two or more fixed wing wide body host aircraft for commercial passenger or commercial cargo use. 50. The method of claim 49, wherein said method comprises aerially dispersing said one or more materials from said one or more aerial dispersant holding tanks installed within each of said fleet of two or more fixed wing wide body host aircraft to suppress a fire prior to removing said one or more aerial dispersant holding tanks from within each of said two or more fixed wing wide body host aircraft. 51. The method of claim 39, wherein said one or more aerial dispersant holding tanks are configured with a shape and outer dimensions that correspond to dimensions of a cargo container employed in said side-loading cargo system of said fixed wing wide body host aircraft. 52. The method of claim 51, further comprising disposing and stacking said one or more aerial dispersant holding tanks in end to end manner within said baggage or cargo hold of said fixed wing wide body host aircraft in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage of said aircraft. 53. The method of claim 52, further comprising disposing said one or more aerial dispersant holding tanks within said baggage or cargo hold of said fixed wing wide body host aircraft by slidably or rollably transporting said one or more aerial dispersant holding tanks upon a surface within said baggage or cargo hold forward or rearward in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of said aircraft fuselage. 54. A method of temporarily converting at least one fixed wing wide body host aircraft for aerial dispersion purposes comprising: providing a fixed wing wide body host aircraft; operating said fixed wing wide body host aircraft in conventional passenger or conventional cargo configuration for commercial passenger or commercial cargo use; then converting said fixed wing wide body host aircraft for aerial dispersion operations by providing and installing one or more aerial dispersant holding tanks within said fixed wing wide body host aircraft; then aerially dispersing one or more materials from said one or more aerial dispersant holding tanks installed within said fixed wing wide body host aircraft; then returning said fixed wing wide body host aircraft to said conventional passenger or conventional cargo configuration by removing said one or more aerial dispersant holding tanks from said fixed wing wide body host aircraft; and then operating said fixed wing wide body host aircraft for commercial passenger or commercial cargo use; wherein said fixed wing wide body host aircraft has at least one passenger door opening for access to a passenger compartment of said aircraft; wherein said one or more aerial dispersant holding tanks are configured as cargo containers; and wherein said method further comprises removably disposing said one or more aerial dispersant holding tanks within a passenger compartment of said wide body host aircraft through said passenger door opening. 55. The method of claim 54, further comprising removably disposing and coupling together two or more of said aerial dispersant holding tanks in adjacent front end-to-rear end relationship within said passenger compartment of said fixed wing wide body host aircraft. 56. The method of claim 55, further comprising providing and removably disposing a passenger door within a passenger door opening of said fixed wing wide body host aircraft; and coupling said airborne dispersal device to said dispersal regulator through said passenger door. 57. A method of temporarily converting at least one fixed wing host aircraft for aerial dispersion purposes, comprising: providing a fixed wing host aircraft having a passenger compartment and a passenger door opening; providing two or more modular aerial dispersant holding tanks, said aerial dispersant holding tanks being configured for installation and removal from said passenger compartment of said fixed wing host aircraft through said passenger door opening of said fixed wing host aircraft; sequentially loading said two or more modular aerial dispersant holding tanks into said aircraft passenger compartment of said fixed wing host aircraft through said passenger door opening of said fixed wing host aircraft; coupling said two or more modular aerial dispersant holding tanks together within said passenger compartment of said fixed wing host aircraft to provide a dispersant material flow path; and providing a dispersal regulator and airborne dispersal device coupled to said two or more aerial dispersant holding tanks coupled together within said passenger compartment of said fixed wing host aircraft; and then removing said two or more modular aerial dispersant holding tanks from within said passenger compartment of said fixed wing host aircraft through said passenger door opening of said fixed wing host aircraft. 58. The method of claim 1, wherein said aerial dispersant holding tanks are configured with a shape and dimensions for installation in a passenger compartment of said host aircraft through a passenger door opening of said fixed wing host aircraft. 59. The method of claim 57, further comprising providing a passenger door configured to be removably disposed within a passenger door opening of said host aircraft; and coupling said airborne dispersal device to said dispersal regulator through said passenger door. 60. The method of claim 57, wherein said dispersal regulator comprises at least a part of a dispersal equipment container or a dispersal equipment pallet. 61. The method of claim 60, further comprising providing a navigation subsystem, a communications subsystem, and a sensor subsystem; coupling said navigation subsystem, communications subsystem, and sensor subsystem to said control subsystem; and coupling said control subsystem, said navigation subsystem and said communications subsystem to one or more host aircraft systems. 62. The method of claim 57, wherein said dispersal regulator comprises a pump. 63. The method of claim 57, wherein said two or more aerial dispersant holding tanks comprise a material containment subsystem; wherein said dispersal regulator comprises a material dispersal subsystem; and wherein said method further comprises providing a control subsystem and coupling said control subsystem to said material containment subsystem and said material dispersal subsystem. 64. The method of claim 57, further comprising aerially dispersing a material from said fixed wing host aircraft after sequentially loading said two or more modular aerial dispersant holding tanks into said aircraft passenger compartment of said fixed wing host aircraft through said passenger door opening of said fixed wing host aircraft and prior to removing said two or more modular aerial dispersant holding tanks from within said passenger compartment of said fixed wing host aircraft through said passenger door opening of said fixed wing host aircraft. 65. The method of claim 57, wherein said method comprises: providing two or more fixed wing host aircraft, each of said two or more fixed wing host aircraft having a passenger compartment and a passenger door opening; providing two or more modular aerial dispersant holding tanks, said aerial dispersant holding tanks being configured for installation and removal from said passenger compartment of each of said two or more fixed wing host aircraft through said passenger door opening of each of said two or more fixed wing host aircraft; sequentially loading said two or more modular aerial dispersant holding tanks into said aircraft passenger compartment of each of said two or more said fixed wing host aircraft through said passenger door opening of said fixed wing host aircraft; coupling said two or more modular aerial dispersant holding tanks together within said passenger compartment of each of said two or more fixed wing host aircraft to provide a dispersant material flow path; and providing a dispersal regulator and airborne dispersal device coupled to said two or more aerial dispersant holding tanks coupled together within said passenger compartment of each of said two or more fixed wing host aircraft; and then removing said two or more modular aerial dispersant holding tanks from within said passenger compartment of each of said two or more fixed wing host aircraft through said passenger door opening of each of said fixed wing host aircraft.