An electrical system for an aircraft with an electric taxi system (ETS), the electrical system may include at least one traction motor, a DC link and at least one traction-motor bidirectional DC-AC converter interposed between the at least one traction motor and the DC link. An engine-driven power source may be configured to provide DC power to the DC link or extract DC power from the DC link. A battery unit may be configured to provide DC power to the DC link or extract DC power from the DC link. An adaptive power controller may be interconnected with the power source, the battery unit and the at least one traction-motor bidirectional DC-AC converter and configured to regulate voltage of DC power delivered to the DC link.

A method is provided for improving aircraft engine operating efficiency during flight in aircraft driven on the ground by electric taxi systems that extends engine warm up and cool down time during ground operations without increasing the time an aircraft spends on the ground. Aircraft are driven by electric taxi systems between landing and take off with the main engines simultaneously maintained at throttle setting for time periods that ensure even and symmetrical heating or cooling for all engine components. When the aircraft reaches a location where idle or take off thrust is required before take off, engine thrust may be increased without the adverse effects of differential thermal expansion of engine components during flight. Aircraft engines may be designed to rely on electric taxi operation and extended warm up and cool down times without delaying push back or taxi-in or otherwise negatively impacting airport operations.

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.

The invention provides an engagement method for engaging a first gear element with a second gear element, at least the second gear element being mounted to move between a meshing position and a disengaged position by means of an actuator. The engagement method including a step of driving at least one of the gear elements in rotation so as to establish a non-zero difference in speed of rotation between said gear elements, and a step of controlling the actuator to perform the following in succession: moving at least the second gear element towards the meshing position; on detecting contact between the gear elements, stopping the movement of the second gear element; and on detecting an ideal angular position for engaging said gear elements, moving the second gear element as quickly as possible into the meshing position.

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.

A method is provided for improving both landing gear wheel drive assembly performance and energy efficiency performance in an aircraft equipped with one or more landing gear wheel drive assemblies to move the aircraft autonomously on the ground without reliance on the aircraft's engines. Aircraft moved on the ground by thrust from aircraft engines may also show improved energy efficiency. The present method employs a discovered relationship between aircraft tyre pressure and landing gear wheel drive assembly performance and maintains aircraft tyre inflation pressure at an optimum high pressure that enhances both landing gear wheel drive assembly performance and aircraft energy efficiency while the aircraft are driven on the ground by the landing gear wheel drive assemblies. Operation of the landing gear wheel drive assembly may be automatically prevented by a failsafe mechanism when optimum high tyre inflation pressure levels are not maintained during aircraft ground travel.

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.