A system for extracting a ground route of an aircraft includes an airport surface detector acquiring ground movement information of an aircraft detected in an airport, a mapper acquiring node information of the airport from a database and mapping the ground movement information with the node information, a route detector detecting taxi route information of the aircraft by collecting adjacent node information of a mapped coordinate and erasing redundant node information among collected adjacent node information, a node identifier identifying start node information or end node information of a taxi route by using stand node information of the aircraft, and a final route extractor extracting a final taxi route including an extracted shortest route by dividing the taxi route into a plurality of sub-routes and applying a shortest route algorithm to the divided sub-routes.

A collision avoidance system for an airplane under tow may include a sensing device configured to capture image data of at least a portion of the airplane and an object while the airplane is being towed. The sensing device may be located remotely to both the airplane and the object. Positions of two or more features of the airplane may be determined based on the image data. A bounding box encompassing the airplane may be generated based, at least in part, on the positions of the two or more features. Additionally, based on a comparison of the position of an object relative to the bounding box, it may be determined whether the object is within a predetermined distance from the airplane.

A collision avoidance system for an airplane under tow may include a sensing device configured to capture image data of at least a portion of the airplane and an object while the airplane is being towed. The sensing device may be located remotely to both the airplane and the object. Positions of two or more features of the airplane may be determined based on the image data. A bounding box encompassing the airplane may be generated based, at least in part, on the positions of the two or more features. Additionally, based on a comparison of the position of an object relative to the bounding box, it may be determined whether the object is within a predetermined distance from the airplane.

A device is for assisting the taxiing of an aircraft, using at least one engine and at least one braking member. The device includes a control member, adapted to be actuated by a pilot from a neutral position to define a taxiing piloting command and a central controller, adapted to operate pilot at least one engine of the aircraft to apply the taxiing command defined by the pilot. The central controller is also configured to pilot at least one braking member of the aircraft to apply the taxiing piloting command defined by the pilot.

One variation of a tram system includes: a chassis; a latch configured to selectively engage a latch receiver mounted to an aircraft; an alignment feature adjacent the latch and configured to engage an alignment receiver mounted to the aircraft and to communicate acceleration and braking forces from the chassis into the aircraft; an optical sensor facing upwardly from the chassis; a drivetrain configured to accelerate and decelerate the chassis along a runway; and a controller configured to detect an optical fiducial arranged on the aircraft in optical images recorded by the optical sensor adjust a speed of the drivetrain to longitudinally align the alignment feature with the alignment receiver based on positions of the optical fiducial detected in the optical images, trigger the latch to engage the latch receiver once the aircraft has descended onto the chassis, and trigger the drivetrain to actively decelerate the chassis during a landing routine.

A system and method for estimating a distance between an aircraft and an object is disclosed. An exterior light of the aircraft transmit a test light signal and a parameter the transmitted test light signal is measured. A sensor receives a reflection of the test light signal from the object and the parameter is measured for the reflection test signal. The distance between the aircraft and the object is estimated using the parameter of the reflection and the parameter of the test light signal. The exterior light is generally a light that is built into the aircraft during aircraft construction while the sensor is retrofitted onto the aircraft.

A control device for an aircraft is disclosed including a push-button switch that is configured to be held in a depressed position by a pilot during taxiing of the aircraft. The push-button switch is configured to return automatically to a released position if it is not held in the depressed position by the pilot. The control device is configured to output a command for braking to a braking system of the aircraft, if the push-button switch moves to the released position during taxiing of the aircraft and does not return to the depressed position within a set time. The button may be provided on a tiller. A method of detecting on-board pilot incapacitation during an aircraft taxi phase is also disclosed.

A flight control system for an aircraft. The flight control system includes a thrust lever configured to control a thrust magnitude for the aircraft during flight. The thrust lever is in the form of a control stick that can be moved along a first direction to control the thrust magnitude. The thrust lever is also configured to control a yaw angle of the aircraft during flight. The control stick, or at least a portion of the control stick, can be twisted to control the yaw angle of the aircraft.