Patent application number | Description | Published |
20130062459 | METHOD FOR ENHANCING PILOT EFFICIENCY AND AIRCRAFT SAFETY DURING GROUND TRAVEL - A method for enhancing pilot and cockpit crew efficiency and increasing aircraft safety during aircraft ground travel between landing and takeoff is provided. The present method is most effective in enhancing pilot efficiency and aircraft safety in an aircraft equipped with at least one powered, self-propelled drive wheel that drives the aircraft on the ground independently of the aircraft main engines or external tow vehicles that is controlled by the pilot and cockpit crew to maneuver the aircraft during ground travel. | 03-14-2013 |
20130200209 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MAINTAINING AIRCRAFT GROUND TRAVEL SPEED AND DIRECTION - A system and method for setting, controlling, or maintaining a selected taxi speed and route for one or more aircraft equipped with an onboard non-engine powered drive means powering one or more aircraft wheels to move the aircraft during taxi is provided. Taxi speed and/or route can be set, maintained, or controlled by the aircraft pilot or ground traffic control in conjunction with taxi speed and travel of other aircraft and ground vehicles. A pilot activates a speed control to set and control taxi speed. The aircraft will automatically travel on the ground at that speed without input from the pilot until it is necessary to change the speed manually or automatically. Airport ground traffic control can generate taxi profiles for all non-engine driven aircraft to automatically control, subject to pilot capability to override, the taxi of multiple aircraft at an airport in conjunction with ground vehicle movement. | 08-08-2013 |
20140138478 | METHOD FOR REDUCING AIRLINE FLEET CARBON EMISSIONS AND CARBON EMISSIONS FEES - A method for reducing airline fleet carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions and fees associated with the emission of greenhouse gases is provided. The method is implemented by equipping at least a substantial portion or all of the aircraft in an airline's fleet with onboard wheel drive means capable of translating torque through aircraft wheels and controllable to move the aircraft on the ground independently without complete reliance on the aircraft's engines or the use of external tow vehicles. One or more drive wheels, each of which may be powered by onboard electric, hydraulic, or other wheel drive means, are controllable to move each aircraft efficiently during ground travel without increasing carbon emissions. | 05-22-2014 |
20140193780 | TRAINING SYSTEM AND SIMULATION METHOD FOR GROUND TRAVEL IN AIRCRAFT EQUIPPED WITH NON-ENGINE DRIVE MEANS - A training system and method for operating aircraft equipped with non-engine drive means during independent ground travel is provided. The system and method of the present invention is designed specifically to train pilots, ground personnel, and air traffic control to move an aircraft safely and efficiently on the ground during taxi and pushback using the aircraft's non-engine drive means to propel the aircraft independently during ground travel. Simulations and procedures for training pilots and ramp personnel in the conduct of pushback operations and forward taxi with an aircraft equipped with non-engine drive means are also provided. | 07-10-2014 |
20150142214 | MONITORING AND CONTROL SYSTEM FOR ENHANCING GROUND MOVEMENT SAFETY IN AIRCRAFT EQUIPPED WITH NON-ENGINE DRIVE MEANS - An improved monitoring and control system capable of providing automatic control of ground movement in an aircraft equipped with non-engine drive means for autonomous ground movement to enhance airport ground safety and efficient ground travel is provided. The monitoring and control system is installed on aircraft equipped with non-engine drive means controllable to move the aircraft autonomously on the ground and includes monitoring means positioned in locations on the aircraft selected to obtain a maximum amount of information relating to an aircraft's ground position and operation, processor means, data transmission means, and manual or automatic control means to control and direct operation of an aircraft's non-engine drive means to move the aircraft autonomously, safely and efficiently on the ground. The improved monitoring and control system can be employed with one or a number of aircraft simultaneously to increase safety and efficiency of airport ground operations. | 05-21-2015 |
20150203193 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR THE POWERED SELF PUSH BACK OF AN AIRCRAFT - A powered self push back method and system for an aircraft are provided to move an aircraft on the ground safely during push back without assistance from an external tug vehicle or the aircraft main engines. The method employs constant cooperative communication and signals between the pilot and the ground crew during the push back process to ensure that push back of the aircraft is safe, efficient, and reduces aircraft turnaround time. The powered self push back system used in conjunction with this method includes at least one powered self-propelled aircraft drive wheel powered by a wheel drive assembly that can be activated by pilot input controls or by remote control exteriorly of or interiorly to the aircraft in response to ground crew signals to activate the driver to rotate the drive wheel in a reverse, push back direction, causing the aircraft to move in the push back direction or in a forward direction for taxi and takeoff in accordance with activation of the controls. | 07-23-2015 |
20150221224 | PERMANENT WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM FOR AN AIRCRAFT EQUIPPED WITH A WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM - A permanent wireless onboard to ground operations communications system is provided for an aircraft equipped with a pilot-controllable drive wheel drive system for autonomous ground movement without reliance on the aircraft's engines or external tow vehicles, including an onboard wireless communications link installed to remain permanently with the aircraft designed to interface wirelessly with ground personnel at any airport, aerodrome, or airfield where the aircraft lands immediately upon landing. The permanent wireless onboard to ground operations communications system provides a substantially instantaneous connection between a pilot and ground personnel to facilitate guidance of pilot-controlled autonomous ground movement during taxi, parking in nose-in and parallel orientations, and pushback without reliance on visual signals. The present communications system establishes and maintains cockpit to ground communications during pilot-controlled autonomous aircraft ground movement to enhance the safety of ramp operations and improve the speed at which ramp operations can be safely conducted. | 08-06-2015 |
20150251751 | SURFACE TRAVEL SYSTEM FOR MILITARY AIRCRAFT - A surface travel system for military aircraft is provided that enables efficient, quiet, and safe ground operations of one or more aircraft in a wide range of military missions and operations. The surface travel system includes controllable onboard drive means that effectively drives one or more of the aircraft's wheels to move the aircraft autonomously, efficiently, quietly, and safely on any travel surface required for a military mission. The present invention allows the rapid safe deployment of multiple aircraft from tight spaces and enhances the readiness and availability of aircraft for a wide range of military operations. | 09-10-2015 |