Patent application number | Description | Published |
20150021431 | METHOD FOR ACCELERATED POWERED SELF PUSH BACK OF AN AIRCRAFT - A method for accelerated power push back of an aircraft equipped with a pilot-controlled engines-off taxi system that drives the aircraft without reliance on the aircraft's main engines or tugs is provided. An aircraft is quickly and efficiently moved out of a gate where it is positioned in a nose-in orientation. The pilot controls the taxi system to drive the aircraft in reverse along a perpendicular path away from the terminal to a location where there is sufficient space for the aircraft to stop and turn, and the aircraft is turned and driven in a forward direction to a takeoff runway. Pilot reliance on ground personnel guidance during push back maneuvers is minimized by providing a monitoring system designed to monitor gate and ramp areas around the aircraft in any visibility or environmental conditions and provide feedback to the pilot. | 01-22-2015 |
20150051757 | Method for Monitoring Autonomous Accelerated Aircraft Pushback - A method for monitoring an autonomous accelerated pushback process in an aircraft equipped with an engines-off taxi system is provided to maximize safety and facilitate the accelerated pushback process. The aircraft is equipped with a monitoring system including a number of different kinds of sensors and monitoring devices positioned to maximally monitor the aircraft's exterior ground environment and communicate the presence or absence of obstructions in the aircraft's path while the pilot is controlling the engines-off taxi system to drive the aircraft in reverse away from a terminal gate and then turn in place at a selected location before driving forward to a taxiway. The sensors and monitoring devices may be a combination of cameras, ultrasound, global positioning, radar, and LiDAR or LADAR devices, and proximity sensors located at varying heights adapted to continuously or intermittently scan or sweep the aircraft exterior and ground environment during aircraft ground movement. | 02-19-2015 |
20150076280 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMPROVING EFFICIENCY OF AIRCRAFT GATE SERVICES AND TURNAROUND - A system and method is provided for improving efficiency of aircraft gate services and reducing time spent by an aircraft parked parallel to an airport terminal wherein aircraft utilities and gate services provided during turnaround are supported by an arrangement of flexibly movable, service and utility-carrying extendable passenger boarding bridges that enable passenger and baggage exchange concurrently with connection of utilities and provision of gate services to the aircraft. Baggage transfer is facilitated by conveyors mounted on one or more loading bridges and designed to provide a direct connection between an aircraft and a terminal. Aircraft are maneuvered by a pilot into and out of a parallel parking location in a forward direction by an engines-off electric taxi system, enabling loading bridge, utility, and service connections to be made to multiple aircraft doors as soon as the aircraft reaches a parking location and then quickly disconnected upon departure. | 03-19-2015 |
20150129713 | STEERING CONTROL IN AN AIRCRAFT EQUIPPED WITH A WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM - Control of aircraft steering during ground travel is provided in an aircraft equipped with an engines-off wheel drive system controllable to move the aircraft autonomously on the ground without reliance on the aircraft's main engines or external tow vehicles. The wheel drive system is designed to interact with the aircraft's nose wheel hydraulic steering system to augment or replace the hydraulic steering system with the operation of the wheel drive system at taxi speeds, particularly at very low taxi speeds and even when the aircraft is stopped, to steer the aircraft as it maneuvers through turns during ground travel between landing and takeoff and at other times. | 05-14-2015 |
20150151834 | AIRPORT TERMINAL AIRCRAFT GATE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD - An airport terminal gate traffic management system is provided that maximizes efficiency and safety of passenger transfer and aircraft servicing and minimizes aircraft time parked at a terminal. Aircraft are driven forward into and out of gates by controllable landing gear wheel non-engine drive means and parked in a parallel or perpendicular orientation relative to the terminal that facilitates passenger transfer through a maximum number of aircraft doors. Passenger transfer and aircraft servicing may begin upon aircraft arrival using all available accessible aircraft doors. Departing aircraft may be turned by an unassisted pilot and driven forward with the controllable non-engine drive means to a takeoff runway. Airport terminal aircraft gate traffic is most effectively and efficiently managed when a significant number of aircraft using an airport are equipped with non-engine drive means controllable to move them into and out of a parking orientation optimal for passenger transfer. | 06-04-2015 |
20150151835 | Load Transfer in a Powered Aircraft Drive Wheel - An efficient system and method are provided wherein aircraft may be retrofitted with non-engine drive means controllable to power landing gear wheels to move the aircraft autonomously during ground movement without engines or tow vehicles so that existing landing gear structures are employed to achieve force distribution and load transfer. Non-engine drive means capable of powering a landing gear wheel to move the aircraft during taxi are integrated into existing landing gear designs so that excess drive forces are transferred and distributed through previously evaluated and certificated landing gear structures, including tow fittings, determined to be capable of handling such forces, which eliminates changes to the landing gear and facilitates retrofit and certification. Engines-off taxi technology can be rapidly designed and developed to be retrofitted on existing aircraft nose and/or main landing gear and then efficiently certificated. | 06-04-2015 |
20150158579 | METHOD FOR MAXIMIZING POWERED AIRCRAFT DRIVE WHEEL TRACTION - A method for maximizing traction in an aircraft drive wheel powered by non-engine drive means controllable to move the aircraft on the ground without reliance on the aircraft's brakes and dependence on friction defined by a mu-slip curve. The non-engine drive means is operated to control wheel speed and maintain the powered drive wheel in a maximized optimal traction condition when driving torques are applied to the drive wheel. Traction can be automatically maximized and maintained within an optimal range defined by a relationship between slippage and braking for maximum efficiency of aircraft ground travel under a wide variety of surface, weather, temperature, tire, and other conditions. | 06-11-2015 |
20150175256 | METHOD FOR ACCELERATED POWERED SELF PUSH BACK OF AN AIRCRAFT - A method for accelerated power push back of an aircraft equipped with a pilot-controlled engines-off taxi system that drives the aircraft without reliance on the aircraft's main engines or tugs is provided. An aircraft is quickly and efficiently moved out of a gate where it is positioned in a nose-in orientation. The pilot controls the taxi system to drive the aircraft in reverse along a perpendicular path away from the terminal to a location where there is sufficient space for the aircraft to stop and turn, and the aircraft is turned and driven in a forward direction to a takeoff runway. Pilot reliance on ground personnel guidance during push back maneuvers is minimized by providing a monitoring system designed to monitor gate and ramp areas around the aircraft in any visibility or environmental conditions and provide feedback to the pilot. | 06-25-2015 |
20150175271 | Method for Monitoring Autonomous Accelerated Aircraft Pushback - A method for monitoring an autonomous accelerated pushback process in an aircraft equipped with an engines-off taxi system is provided to maximize safety and facilitate the accelerated pushback process. The aircraft is equipped with a monitoring system including a number of different kinds of sensors and monitoring devices positioned to maximally monitor the aircraft's exterior ground environment and communicate the presence or absence of obstructions in the aircraft's path while the pilot is controlling the engines-off taxi system to drive the aircraft in reverse away from a terminal gate and then turn in place at a selected location before driving forward to a taxiway. The sensors and monitoring devices may be a combination of cameras, ultrasound, global positioning, radar, and LiDAR or LADAR devices, and proximity sensors located at varying heights adapted to continuously or intermittently scan or sweep the aircraft exterior and ground environment during aircraft ground movement. | 06-25-2015 |
20150175275 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMPROVING EFFICIENCY OF AIRCRAFT GATE SERVICES AND TURNAROUND - A system and method is provided for improving efficiency of aircraft gate services and reducing time spent by an aircraft parked parallel to an airport terminal wherein aircraft utilities and gate services provided during turnaround are supported by an arrangement of flexibly movable, service and utility-carrying extendable passenger boarding bridges that enable passenger and baggage exchange concurrently with connection of utilities and provision of gate services to the aircraft. Aircraft are maneuvered by a pilot into and out of a parallel parking location in a forward direction by an engines-off electric taxi system that does not rely on the use of aircraft main engines to drive the aircraft, enabling loading bridge, utility, and service connections to be made to multiple aircraft doors as soon as the aircraft arrives at a parking space and then quickly disconnected upon departure. | 06-25-2015 |