Abstract: A monitoring system and method are provided to monitor ground movement of aircraft driven with electric taxi drive systems and movement of ground service vehicles and equipment and personnel within airport ramp areas. Monitor and sensor devices, including those that are intelligent and employ scanning technology to generate image, positional, and other data may be mounted in locations on aircraft, ground service vehicles and equipment, passenger loading bridges, an airport terminal, and other ramp locations to generate a constant stream of data as the aircraft moves into, within, and out of an airport ramp area. The data stream is transmitted to an artificial intelligence-based processing system to identify and communicate possible safety hazards to multiple locations so that the aircraft's ground travel or a ground vehicle's travel may be altered to avoid identified safety hazards and to avoid collisions.

Abstract: A system is provided that guides aircraft driven with landing gear wheel-mounted electric taxi drive systems without reliance on airport ground personnel to park the aircraft parallel to an airport terminal with connections to multiple passenger loading bridges, automatically docks the aircraft, and connects the multiple loading bridges to multiple forward and rear doors. Cooperative on-aircraft monitoring systems, airport docking systems, loading bridge and terminal monitoring systems, and processors are integrated to use real time information and guide the aircraft to safely maneuver into and automatically dock in a parallel orientation at a parking location with multiple aircraft forward and rear doors connected to multiple loading bridges. The system may automatically undock the aircraft and retract the loading bridges and guide the electric taxi drive system-driven aircraft out of the parking location without reliance on airport ground personnel.

Abstract: A system and method are provided that direct a real time global view with images of an aircraft's entire exterior environment from an external monitoring system located on an aircraft equipped with landing gear wheel-mounted electric taxi drive systems powering ground travel to an integrated head-up display worn by a pilot driving the aircraft with the electric taxi drive systems within an airport ramp area. The real time global view and images produced by the monitoring system are communicated to the integrated head-up display in the form of an actual picture of the ramp area environment exterior to the aircraft viewable by the pilot with the head-up display in real time as the pilot maneuvers the aircraft within the ramp area with the electric taxi systems. The pilot can change the images viewed in the head-up display by changing head position.

Abstract: A monitoring system and method are provided for real time monitoring of flaps, landing gears, or tail skids to determine safe taxi, takeoff, and flight readiness. Monitoring units, including scanning LiDAR devices combined with cameras or sensors, mounted in aircraft exterior locations produce a stream of meshed data that is securely transmitted to a processing system to generate a real time visual display of the flaps, landing gears, or tail skid for communication to aircraft pilots to ensure safe aircraft taxi, takeoff, and flight readiness. Actual flap position alignment with optimal flap setting, proper retraction and extension positions of landing gears, and tail skid condition is ensured. Safety of aircraft taxi, takeoff and flight and airport operations are improved when the present system and method are used to prevent incidents related to misaligned flaps and improperly positioned landing gears or tail skids.

Abstract: A method for increasing airport airside parking locations without adding infrastructure to the airport is provided. Aircraft equipped with pilot-controllable landing gear wheel-mounted electric taxi drive systems for ground travel are maneuvered forward into remote tarmac stands or non-standard parking locations with the electric taxi drive systems, turned 180 degrees through tight turns, and parked in a nose-out orientation that enables the aircraft to efficiently unload and load passengers. The electric taxi drive systems drive the departing aircraft forward out of the parking locations. Remote tarmac parking locations may be located in areas that do not interfere with arrival and departure of aircraft parking at existing terminal stands. The present method may increase aircraft parking capacity at an airport, provide better utilization of existing tarmac space at the airport, reduce requirements for ground personnel on a per-flight basis, and improve airport ground operations efficiency.

Abstract: A method is provided that reduces time to dock an electric taxi drive system-driven aircraft parking in a parallel orientation at an airport terminal. Passenger loading bridges are pre-positioned to substantially align with forward and rear doors of the aircraft. Pre-positioned passenger loading bridges extend from the terminal to locations that align with terminal-facing forward and rear doors when electric taxi systems maneuver the aircraft into the parallel parking orientation. The passenger loading bridge connected to a rear door may be pre-positioned at a height above the ramp surface above or below the height of the aircraft's horizontal stabilizer or below the height of the wing to enhance safety and further reduce connection and passenger transfer time. Connection of the pre-positioned passenger loading bridges with the aircraft doors should require only minimal adjustment before passenger transfer between the aircraft and terminal may begin.

Abstract: A force limiting system and method are provided for limiting loads in aircraft nose or main landing gear having wheels powered by taxi drive systems mounted within the landing gear wheels to drive aircraft on the ground. The force limiting system may include mechanical components selected to limit or minimize spin-up mass and to releasably connect the taxi drive system to a landing gear wheel section so that operation of the taxi drive system to drive a landing gear wheel is prevented in the presence of a predetermined maximum load. The load limiting system employs mechanical components engineered to securely connect the taxi drive system to the landing gear wheel during operation and to release the taxi drive system from connection to the wheel when loads applied to system components exceed an established or recommended maximum load.

Abstract: A method for designing and operating aircraft nose landing gear wheel-mounted electric taxi systems to move aircraft during ground travel. Electric taxi system components are engineered and sized to produce optimal ground travel torque to move aircraft during the majority of aircraft ground travel and are operated in conjunction with the aircraft steering to turn the nose wheels to an effective angle that moves the aircraft during pushback and in breakaway situations. The nose landing gear wheels are turned to an effective angle and the electric taxi systems are operated simultaneously to get the aircraft moving. After breaking away, the aircraft is driven with electric taxi systems at the optimal ground travel torque in a forward or reverse direction with the nose wheels parallel or in a desired ground travel direction with the nose wheels steered in the desired direction of ground travel.

Abstract: An integrated monitoring system and method are provided with the capability for monitoring ground surface movements of electric taxi drive system-driven aircraft, ground vehicles and personnel, and objects within airport ramp areas. Monitoring units may include a scanning LiDAR device with and without cameras or other sensing devices to transmit meshed real time encrypted data from multiple locations to an artificial intelligence-based processing system that generates a visual display of the monitored area for communication to aircraft cockpits and locations responsible for controlling ramp operations. Monitoring units may be mounted in single or multiple exterior locations on aircraft and/or in locations on ground vehicles and equipment, ground personnel, and the airside portion of an airport terminal.

Abstract: A method for designing and operating an aircraft nose landing gear wheel-mounted electric taxi system to move aircraft with optimal torque during a broad range of ground travel conditions. Electric taxi system components may be sized to produce optimal ground travel torque to move aircraft during the majority of aircraft ground travel conditions and operated to produce a maximum or breakaway torque to move the aircraft with the electric taxi system when a higher level of torque is required. Turning the nose landing gear wheels to a selected angle or through a range of angles simultaneously as the electric taxi system is operated produces the breakaway torque required to get the aircraft moving. When lower torque is needed, the aircraft may be driven with the nose landing gear wheels parallel to the longitudinal axis to produce optimal torque for electric taxi system-powered aircraft ground travel.

Abstract: A method is provided for adding available takeoff and landing slots when aircraft designed for long haul flight are moved quietly and efficiently on the ground without operation of aircraft engines at airports with slot controls and airports that are constrained from operation at certain times by curfews that limit operating hours for these long haul aircraft. Long haul aircraft are powered and driven by onboard non-engine drive means or moved manually or automatically by tugs, tow vehicles, or other transfer apparatus to arrive at a runway before expiration of a morning curfew and to be ready for takeoff as soon as curfew is lifted. Long haul aircraft may land immediately before an evening curfew starts and to move without engines to an airport arrival location after evening curfew starts, effectively expanding and increasing the number of available takeoff and landing slots for long haul aircraft.

Abstract: A system and method are provided that direct a real time global view with images of an aircraft's entire exterior environment from an external monitoring system located on an aircraft equipped with landing gear wheel-mounted electric taxi drive systems powering ground travel to an integrated head-up display worn by a pilot driving the aircraft with the electric taxi drive systems within an airport ramp area. The real time global view and images produced by the monitoring system are communicated to the integrated head-up display in the form of an actual picture of the ramp area environment exterior to the aircraft viewable by the pilot with the head-up display in real time as the pilot maneuvers the aircraft within the ramp area with the electric taxi systems. The pilot can change the images viewed in the head-up display by changing head position.

Abstract: A method is provided that extends available aircraft engine warm up and cool down times without extending total aircraft time on the ground. Aircraft that have engines with longer than average or longer than typical warm up and cool down times and are equipped with electric taxi systems are driven during hybrid taxi-out and taxi-in periods when the aircraft engines at lowest throttle settings are operating simultaneously with the electric taxi drive systems to move the aircraft during ground travel. The hybrid taxi-out and taxi-in periods ensure optimal steady, even warm up and cool down of engine components by takeoff and upon arrival and avoid thermally-induced structural deformations of engine components that adversely affect engines during flight. Aircraft engines may be designed to rely on the extended warm up and cool down times provided by the hybrid taxi periods without increasing aircraft ground travel time or negatively impacting airport operations.

Abstract: A method for maintaining a supply of available aircraft equipped with non-engine drive means for autonomous ground movement is provided that enables an air carrier, particularly a low cost carrier, to operate reliably, efficiently, and economically to provide substantially uninterrupted air transport service. The present method is designed to enable airlines with fleets of older aircraft retrofitted with non-engine drive means for autonomous ground movement to operate economically and efficiently through a cooperative arrangement with a maintenance, repair, and overhaul provider that maintains and ensures an available supply network of spare and backup aircraft. The supply network may be global in geographic scope and may provide spare or backup aircraft equipped with non-engine drive means to one or more airlines.

Abstract: A system is provided that guides aircraft driven with landing gear wheel-mounted electric taxi drive systems without reliance on airport ground personnel to park the aircraft parallel to an airport terminal with connections to multiple passenger loading bridges, automatically docks the aircraft, and connects the multiple loading bridges to multiple forward and rear doors. Cooperative on-aircraft monitoring systems, airport docking systems, loading bridge and terminal monitoring systems, and processors are integrated to use real time information and guide the aircraft to safely maneuver into and automatically dock in a parallel orientation at a parking location with multiple aircraft forward and rear doors connected to multiple loading bridges. The system may automatically undock the aircraft and retract the loading bridges and guide the electric taxi drive system-driven aircraft out of the parking location without reliance on airport ground personnel.

Abstract: A powered clutch assembly is provided for an aircraft landing gear or other vehicle wheel drive system equipped with wheel drive motors controllable to move the aircraft or vehicle during ground travel. Electric power for the clutch assembly is transferred to clutch actuation elements by a rotary power transfer assembly mounted between stationary and rotating elements within the landing gear wheel drive system to clutch actuation elements. Actuation elements are powered to securely lock clutch rotating elements when required to improve the reliability of failsafe operation of the clutch assembly when torque should not be transferred and to unlock clutch rotating elements when torque should be transferred when the landing gear wheel drive system is used to drive the aircraft during ground travel. Power transferred from the rotary power transfer assembly may also be used to operate components associated with the aircraft drive wheel other than the powered clutch assembly.

Abstract: An improved ground collision avoidance system and method is provided for aircraft driven during ground operations by electric taxi drive systems. One or more monitoring devices employing scanning LiDAR technology may be mounted in exterior locations on or near aircraft landing gears or aerodynamically in locations on the aircraft fuselage selected to generate panoramic three-dimensional images from any point of view within or without the aircraft as the aircraft is driven independently within an airport ramp area. The point of view images are transmitted in real time to displays in the aircraft cockpit and may be transmitted to displays outside and remote from the aircraft, allowing the pilot and airport personnel to monitor the aircraft moving within the ramp environment and to respond quickly to control the aircraft's electric taxi drive system-powered ground travel to avoid and prevent a potential collision.

Abstract: A cockpit control system and method for efficiently controlling ground travel in an aircraft equipped with engine-free electric taxi drive systems are provided. The cockpit control system is configured with a display that provides a maximum amount of information during aircraft ground movement with a minimal amount of input from and distraction to pilots or cockpit crew to facilitate essentially hands free operation and control of aircraft ground travel. System test and drive procedures ensure safe aircraft ground travel with the engine-free electric taxi system. Constant pilot hand or other input is not required to achieve safe and maximally efficient aircraft ground travel powered by the aircraft's engine-free electric taxi drive systems or, under selected defined conditions, by the aircraft's engines to achieve this maximum efficiency. The system may further be designed to be uninterruptible by unauthorized persons.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A system is provided for maximizing efficient ground travel in wide-body and other aircraft equipped with onboard non-engine drive means for autonomous ground travel. Selective operation of the non-engine drive means and selective operation of the aircraft's engines are integrated to power aircraft movement when different ground travel speeds are required between landing and takeoff, optimizing savings and maximizing the cost/benefit ratio for equipping the aircraft with a non-engine drive means. The non-engine drive means may be designed to move a wide-body aircraft at low speeds required for ground maneuvers in a ramp area and to move the aircraft at speeds typically used for pushback, initial forward roll, all start-stop situations, and other low speed ground travel. One or more of the aircraft's engines may be operated to move the aircraft at higher airport taxi speeds.