A drive system for rotating a wheel of an aircraft landing gear includes a motor operable to rotate a first drive pinion via a first drive path and a driven gear adapted to be fixed to the wheel. The drive system has a first configuration in which the first drive pinion is capable of meshing with the driven gear to permit the motor to drive the driven gear via the first drive path. One of the first drive pinion and the driven gear comprises a first sprocket and the other of the first drive pinion and the driven gear comprises a series of rollers arranged to form a ring. Each roller being rotatable about a roller axis at a fixed distance from an axis of rotation of the first drive pinion or driven gear, respectively.

An aircraft wheel having a rim having brake discs driving keys (21). The wheel has a rotational driver mechanism (210) which includes a drive gear (211) associated with coupling members (212) of the drive gear to the rim of the wheel. The coupling members are fixed to the rim by fixing members (220) introduced into orifices of the rim extending at an end of the keys which are also used to hold heat shields protecting the rim.

An aircraft wheel having a rim having brake discs driving keys (21). The wheel has a rotational driver mechanism (210) which includes a drive gear (211) associated with coupling members (212) of the drive gear to the rim of the wheel. The coupling members are fixed to the rim by fixing members (220) introduced into orifices of the rim extending at an end of the keys which are also used to hold heat shields protecting the rim.

An aircraft tire capable of suppressing rubber tire wear during landing and shocks which accelerate or decelerate an aircraft at touchdown includes, on a side of a tire body constituting an outer peripheral part of an aircraft wheel, a protrusion for receiving flight wind pressure. The wheel is rotated ahead of the touchdown by the action of the wind pressure received by the protrusion in a direction in which the wheel rotates during a landing roll. Weight is inserted into a hollow part of the protrusion. Through use of centrifugal force on the weight in association with a rotational motion of the wheel, the protrusion is deformed to change its wind pressure receiving area for bringing rotational speed of the wheel ahead of the touchdown close to a rotating speed of the wheel that is consistent with a flying speed of the aircraft making the touchdown.

An aircraft tire capable of suppressing rubber tire wear during landing and shocks which accelerate or decelerate an aircraft at touchdown includes, on a side of a tire body constituting an outer peripheral part of an aircraft wheel, a protrusion for receiving flight wind pressure. The wheel is rotated ahead of the touchdown by the action of the wind pressure received by the protrusion in a direction in which the wheel rotates during a landing roll. Weight is inserted into a hollow part of the protrusion. Through use of centrifugal force on the weight in association with a rotational motion of the wheel, the protrusion is deformed to change its wind pressure receiving area for bringing rotational speed of the wheel ahead of the touchdown close to a rotating speed of the wheel that is consistent with a flying speed of the aircraft making the touchdown.

An electric connector assembly is provided that is designed to provide a simple and reliable electric connection between a source of electric power on an aircraft and a plurality of electrical connections, such as those from stator windings, in an electric drive means powering an aircraft landing gear drive wheel. The plurality of drive means electrical connections are individually connected to power distribution elements designed to significantly reduce the number of connectors required to establish an electrical connection between the drive means and an aircraft power supply. The reduced number of connectors is directed out of the wheel and guided along a path by a path guide element to a connector element designed to connect directly with a wire harness or other connection with an aircraft source of electric power. This electric connector design facilitates disconnection and reconnection when removal and remounting of the drive wheel is required.

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.

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.

An electric hydraulic motor system for aircraft having at least a taxing and takeoff mode. While in the taxiing and takeoff mode, a battery and optionally other sources of energy stored within the aircraft together provide energy to drive an electric motor, which in turn drives a hydraulic pump creating hydraulic pressure within the aircraft hydraulic system. The increase in hydraulic pressure within the system actuates a hydraulic motor connected to the aircraft wheels, thereby providing rotation to the wheels of the aircraft, moving the aircraft forward.

An aircraft landing gear arrangement comprises a nose landing gear assembly and at least one main landing gear assembly. The nose landing gear assembly has a nose landing gear wheel with a high energy brake apparatus therein. The main landing gear assembly has a main landing gear wheel with a high energy brake apparatus therein and a main landing gear wheel with a motor therein. The motor is used for driving the main landing wheel during taxiing of the aircraft.