A method for designing and operating an aircraft nose landing gear wheel-mounted electric taxi system to move aircraft with optimal torque during a broad range of ground travel conditions. Electric taxi system components may be sized to produce optimal ground travel torque to move aircraft during the majority of aircraft ground travel conditions and operated to produce a maximum or breakaway torque to move the aircraft with the electric taxi system when a higher level of torque is required. Turning the nose landing gear wheels to a selected angle or through a range of angles simultaneously as the electric taxi system is operated produces the breakaway torque required to get the aircraft moving. When lower torque is needed, the aircraft may be driven with the nose landing gear wheels parallel to the longitudinal axis to produce optimal torque for electric taxi system-powered aircraft ground travel.

A method for designing and operating an aircraft nose landing gear wheel-mounted electric taxi system to move aircraft with optimal torque during a broad range of ground travel conditions. Electric taxi system components may be sized to produce optimal ground travel torque to move aircraft during the majority of aircraft ground travel conditions and operated to produce a maximum or breakaway torque to move the aircraft with the electric taxi system when a higher level of torque is required. Turning the nose landing gear wheels to a selected angle or through a range of angles simultaneously as the electric taxi system is operated produces the breakaway torque required to get the aircraft moving. When lower torque is needed, the aircraft may be driven with the nose landing gear wheels parallel to the longitudinal axis to produce optimal torque for electric taxi system-powered aircraft ground travel.

A steering valve includes a housing and a spool disposed inside the housing. The housing includes a top plane and a bottom plane, the top plane including an opening of a first port and the bottom plane including an opening of a second port. The spool includes a top plane including a first and second opening corresponding to a third port and a fourth port, one of which is configured to align with the opening of the first port depending on the orientation of the housing. The spool also includes a bottom plane including a first and second opening corresponding to the third port and fourth port, one of which is configured to align with the opening of the second port depending on the orientation of the housing. The housing is configured to rotate around the spool and wherein the orientation of the housing determines whether the first port is fluidly coupled to the third port via the first opening in the top plane of the spool while the second port is fluidly coupled to the fourth port via the first opening on the bottom plane of the spool or whether the second port is fluidly coupled to the third port via the second opening in the top plane of the spool while the first port is fluidly coupled to the fourth port via the second opening on the bottom plane of the spool.

A steering valve includes a housing and a spool disposed inside the housing. The housing includes a top plane and a bottom plane, the top plane including an opening of a first port and the bottom plane including an opening of a second port. The spool includes a top plane including a first and second opening corresponding to a third port and a fourth port, one of which is configured to align with the opening of the first port depending on the orientation of the housing. The spool also includes a bottom plane including a first and second opening corresponding to the third port and fourth port, one of which is configured to align with the opening of the second port depending on the orientation of the housing. The housing is configured to rotate around the spool and wherein the orientation of the housing determines whether the first port is fluidly coupled to the third port via the first opening in the top plane of the spool while the second port is fluidly coupled to the fourth port via the first opening on the bottom plane of the spool or whether the second port is fluidly coupled to the third port via the second opening in the top plane of the spool while the first port is fluidly coupled to the fourth port via the second opening on the bottom plane of the spool.

An aircraft is presented. The aircraft comprises a tow point positioned on a body of the aircraft and forward of main landing gear of the aircraft, wherein the tow point is connected to an airframe of the aircraft to accept and distribute forces forward, aft, and normal to the aircraft.

An aircraft is presented. The aircraft comprises a tow point positioned on a body of the aircraft and forward of main landing gear of the aircraft, wherein the tow point is connected to an airframe of the aircraft to accept and distribute forces forward, aft, and normal to the aircraft.

An aircraft landing gear assembly is disclosed including a landing gear bracket, a fore lever receiving a fore aircraft wheel, an aft lever receiving a rear aircraft wheel, the fore and aft levers being independently moveable, wherein the bracket further comprises a fore lever stop to prevent downwards movement of the fore lever past a lowest rotational position with respect to the bracket at a first angle α.sub.1 forward from the notional bracket axis, and a rear lever stop to prevent downwards movement of the rear lever past a lowest rotational position at a second angle α.sub.2 behind from the notional bracket axis, wherein the first angle is greater than the second angle. An aircraft and a method of landing an aircraft are also disclosed.

An aircraft landing gear assembly is disclosed including a landing gear bracket, a fore lever receiving a fore aircraft wheel, an aft lever receiving a rear aircraft wheel, the fore and aft levers being independently moveable, wherein the bracket further comprises a fore lever stop to prevent downwards movement of the fore lever past a lowest rotational position with respect to the bracket at a first angle α.sub.1 forward from the notional bracket axis, and a rear lever stop to prevent downwards movement of the rear lever past a lowest rotational position at a second angle α.sub.2 behind from the notional bracket axis, wherein the first angle is greater than the second angle. An aircraft and a method of landing an aircraft are also disclosed.

A landing gear control apparatus for an air mobility vehicle may include a shaft of the landing gear control apparatus, the shaft deployed when the air mobility vehicle is landing or driving; a tire provided at one end portion of the shaft; a steering rod coupled to the shaft in a direction crossing a longitudinal direction of the shaft to steer the tire by rotating the shaft; a rotation load sensor mounted on the steering rod and sensing a rotation load applied to the steering rod; a MR damper coupled to the shaft to surround thereof, having a MR fluid filled in the damper, and configured for changing, by the controller, a damping force of the MR damper for rotation of the shaft according to a current applied to the MR damper; and a controller for controlling a current applied to the MR damper on the basis of the rotation load detected by the rotation load sensor.

A method of operating an aircraft is disclosing including, during a non-braking time period, taxiing the aircraft by using driving torque provided by a landing gear drive system, and not providing a braking torque from the landing gear brake system, and, during a braking time period, providing the brake command device at one or more command levels within a sub-range of a brake command range, and controlling the landing gear drive system, in response to the level of the brake command device, to reduce the driving torque provided.