An aircraft landing gear longitudinal force control system for an aircraft having landing gears with braking and/or driving wheel(s). The system includes an error-based force controller having feedback for minimising any error between the demanded force and the actual force achieved by the force control system. The feedback may be derived from force sensors on the landing gear for direct measurement of the landing gear longitudinal force. The force control system may include an aircraft level landing gear total force controller and/or a landing gear level force controller for each actuated landing gear.

A traction control system and method are provided for electric vehicles with at least one drive wheel powered by an electric drive motor to maintain optimum maximum traction while the vehicle is driven on the ground. The traction control system includes drive means capable of transmitting torque through a vehicle drive wheel and controllable to move the vehicle over a ground surface. A preferred drive means is an electric motor designed to move the vehicle at desired ground speeds in response to operator input. Operator input requests a desired speed, and the system determines drive wheel torque required to produce the desired speed and provides maximum current to produce maximum torque to drive the vehicle with optimum traction at the desired speed. The system uses constant feedback to find maximum current corresponding to torque required for an inputted speed request to automatically control traction in any electric powered vehicle.

A method of controlling an aircraft electrical taxiing system, the method comprising the steps of: defining a target value (Ld_nmax) for an electrical parameter; generating a nominal force command (Cmd_nom) for the electrical taxiing system; in parallel with generating the nominal force command (Cmd_nom), using a processing system (2) to produce a maximum command force (Force_max) for the electrical taxiing system so that a real value of the electrical parameter reaches the target value (Ld_nmax), the processing system (2) comprising a regulator loop (4); and generating an optimized force command (Cmd_opt) for the electrical taxiing system equal to the smaller of the nominal force command and the maximum command force.

An aircraft includes a fuselage with one or more wings coupled thereto. One or more wheels are also coupled to the fuselage and are configured to allow the aircraft to taxi, take off, and land. A propulsor is used to provide thrust to the fuselage and airflow over the wings. The wings may be fixed in position or may be configured to fold along a line via a hinged system or pivot along an axis. The folding allows the wings to store in a smaller footprint. The fuselage may include one or more safety features. These may include indicator lights configured to illuminate or reflect an amount of light. Additionally, the aircraft may include an occupant safety system with the likes of an airbag and even an anti-lock brake system coupled to the one or more wheels.

A landing gear system includes a wheel rotatably coupled to an axle about an axis. A torque tube is rotatably mounted to the axle about the axis such that the axle extends through a central portion of the torque tube. A rotor is fixed in rotation about the axis relative to the wheel, and a stator is fixed in rotation about the axis relative to the torque tube. The landing gear assembly further includes a clutch assembly selectively reciprocal between an engaged state and a disengaged state. The stator is fixed in rotation about the axis relative to the torque tube when the clutch assembly is in an engaged state. When the clutch assembly is in a disengaged state, the stator is rotatably about the axis relative to the torque tube.

An aircraft electric taxi system diagnostics and prognostics evaluation method, including receiving, with a computer, an electronically recorded first performance parameter of a first electric taxi system of a first aircraft during a taxi operational event at an airport; and comparing the first performance parameter with a first performance factor statistical model generated in response to the first performance parameter and first comparative performance parameters; and calculating a first performance parameter difference based on the comparison.

An identification system and method are provided for aircraft equipped with electric taxi systems for autonomous ground movement that enables airport ground personnel and others outside the aircraft to safely and easily identify the aircraft moving on ground surfaces at an airport as equipped with a pilot-controlled electric taxi system and to distinguish these aircraft from aircraft not moved by electric taxi systems. The identification system may be mounted with nose or main landing gear drive wheels supporting the electric taxi system. The identification system includes an identifying lighting system with lighting elements of a selected number, shape, color, or arrangement positioned on at least a visible face of one or more landing gear wheels. Automatic or manual controls may actuate the identification system to identify electric taxi system-equipped aircraft when the aircraft are moved with the electric taxi system or are stopped.

An efficient system and method are provided wherein aircraft may be retrofitted with non-engine drive means controllable to power landing gear wheels to move the aircraft autonomously during ground movement without engines or tow vehicles so that existing landing gear structures are employed to achieve force distribution and load transfer. Non-engine drive means capable of powering a landing gear wheel to move the aircraft during taxi are integrated into existing landing gear designs so that excess drive forces are transferred and distributed through previously evaluated and certificated landing gear structures, including tow fittings, determined to be capable of handling such forces, which eliminates changes to the landing gear and facilitates retrofit and certification. Engines-off taxi technology can be rapidly designed and developed to be retrofitted on existing aircraft nose and/or main landing gear and then efficiently certificated.

The invention provides a drive system for rotating a wheel of an aircraft landing gear. The drive system includes a motor operable to rotate a drive pinion, and a driven gear adapted to be mounted to the wheel. The drive system has a first configuration in which the drive pinion is capable of meshing with the driven gear to permit the motor to drive the driven gear and a second configuration in which the drive pinion is not capable of meshing with the driven gear. The drive system includes a linear positioning actuator for moving the drive pinion relative to the driven gear. The positioning actuator has a first end and a second end, the first end having a pivotal connection with a pivot axis spaced at a fixed distance from an axis of rotation of the driven gear, and the second end having a pivotal connection with a pivot axis spaced at a fixed distance from an axis of rotation of the drive pinion.

A method for controlling an aircraft taxiing system, comprising the steps of: generating a nominal load command (Comm_nom); generating an acceleration setpoint (Cons_a); implementing, in parallel with the generation of the nominal load command, a processing chain (7) comprising a regulation loop (Br), the regulation loop (Br) having for its setpoint the acceleration setpoint (Cons_a) and for its command an acceleration command (Comm_a), the acceleration command being converted into an acceleration load (Eff_a), a maximum load threshold being equal to the maximum of the acceleration load (Eff_a) and a minimum load threshold (Seuil_min); and generating an optimised load command (Comm_opt) equal to the minimum of the nominal load command and the maximum load threshold.