A method and system for generating a taxi assist path for an aircraft at an airport has been developed. First, a network of taxiways/runways for the airport is retrieved and used to generate multiple taxi assist paths for the aircraft from the present location of the aircraft to the destination of the aircraft. An optimum taxi assist path is selected for the aircraft from the multiple taxi assist paths. A mapping diagram of painted taxiway guidance lines for the airport is retrieved. The optimum taxi assist path is then modified to match corresponding painted taxiway guidance lines and displayed on an aircraft display device.

The present disclosure provides for informed de-icing by identifying a travel time range for an aircraft from a de-icing station to a runway; identifying a holdover window based on predicted weather conditions during the travel time range; estimating a takeoff time for the aircraft based on a takeoff queue for the runway and the travel time range; and in response to the holdover window expiring before the estimated takeoff time, delaying the aircraft from de-icing. In some aspects, informed de-icing includes, in response to identifying an aircraft scheduled for de-icing within a caution threshold of a scheduled takeoff time and to determining that a push time cannot be delayed: evaluating an effect of repeating a de-icing operation for the aircraft on flight operations; and in response to the effect exceeding an impact threshold: rescheduling the de-icing operation for the aircraft based on a new takeoff time.

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 camera with a field of view toward an external environment of an aircraft is disposed within an aircraft door such that an evacuation slide deployment path is within the field of view of the camera. A display device is disposed within an interior of the aircraft. A processor is operatively coupled to the camera and to the display device. The processor analyzes image data captured by the camera to identify a region within the captured image data that corresponds to the evacuation slide deployment path, determine whether the evacuation slide deployment path will generate a failed deployment outcome, and produce a warning associated with the evacuation slide deployment path in response to determining that the evacuation slide deployment path will generate the failed deployment outcome.

A camera with a field of view toward an external environment of an aircraft is disposed within an aircraft door such that an evacuation slide deployment path is within the field of view of the camera. A display device is disposed within an interior of the aircraft. A processor is operatively coupled to the camera and to the display device. The processor analyzes image data captured by the camera to identify a region within the captured image data that corresponds to the evacuation slide deployment path, determine whether the evacuation slide deployment path will generate a failed deployment outcome, and produce a warning associated with the evacuation slide deployment path in response to determining that the evacuation slide deployment path will generate the failed deployment outcome.

Methods and systems are provided for displaying a taxi clearance for an aircraft at an airport. One exemplary method involves receiving user input indicative of a constraining taxi path of a plurality of taxi paths at the airport, determining a first taxi portion between an initial location for the taxi clearance and the constraining taxi path, determining a second taxi portion between the constraining taxi path and a destination location for the taxi clearance, and displaying, on a display device associated with the aircraft, a taxi route comprising the first taxi portion, the second taxi portion, and the constraining taxi path between the first taxi portion and the second taxi portion.

A method and a device for automatically piloting an aircraft on the ground comprises, when an activation control present in the cockpit of the aircraft is activated, the steps of and apparatus for determining at least one sequence of taxiing instructions as a function of static and dynamic characteristics of the aircraft and of a taxiing path to be traversed, and transmitting the determined sequence of taxiing instructions to the command system piloting the displacement systems of the aircraft so that the aircraft traverses the taxiing path.

A flight management system architecture with separate core and supplementary modules. In the core module, generic functionalties relative to the flight management of the aircraft are implemented. In the supplementary module, supplementary functions are implemented. The supplementary functionalities include functionalties specific to an entity to which the aircraft belongs such as the specific aircraft model, a family of airdraft, a company, an alliance, and so on. The flight management system also includes a message exchange interface in which enables the core and supplementary modules to exchanges messages with each other. The core and supplementary modules includes corresponding core module and supplementary module interfacing functionaltities that respectively interface with generic ans specific man-machine interfaces.

A method of detecting collisions between an equipped mobile object travelling around an airport installation and at least one obstacle. The method comprises the following steps. Determining the real-time positions of the equipped mobile object in a reference frame tied to the airport installation. Reading at least one item of information contained in at least one marker fixed to the equipped mobile object. Determining an outline of the equipped mobile object on the basis of the read item of information contained in the marker. Positioning the outline determined in the reference frame tied to the airport installation. Triggering an alert if the distance between the outline of the equipped mobile object and the obstacle is less than a given threshold.

Systems and methods for detecting runway conditions are disclosed. A weight on wheel system may determine that an aircraft is on the ground. Wheel speed sensors may measure the speed of the aircraft wheels. Axle reference speeds may be calculated for each landing gear based on the speed of the aircraft wheels. A weight on wheel time limit may be reached prior to the axle reference speeds reaching an on ground threshold. A brake control unit may determine that the runway is contaminated if the on ground threshold was not reached.