Based on our perception of the features of patrol searchthe viewpoint is proposed that when the antisubmarine patrol aircraft uses sonobuoys for searching submarinesthe deploying of linear arraythe monitoring of linear array and their relationship should be taken into integrated consideration.The definitions of single array and complex array are givenand the analytical models of the search situation of the single/complex linear array and the optimal configuration of the complex linear array are established.The essence of the patrol search methods of anti-submarine patrol aircrafts and the basic problems to be solved are analyzed.Two typestotally six kinds of aircraft patrol methods using sonobuoys for submarine search are proposed. Based on the analysis of the search situation and the search methodstwelve comprehensive conclusions are drawnwhich provides a theoretical and technical basis for anti-submarine patrol aircrafts in the patrol search using sonobuoys.