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.

Disclosed is a ground movement system for a helicopter having a fuselage and rotor blades fixed to the top of the fuselage, the ground movement system comprising at least three wheels secured below the fuselage of the helicopter, the wheels being retractable during flight; a motor positioned in the hub or on the undercarriage leg of each of at least two of the wheels, wherein each motor is operable to rotate the wheel in forward and backward directions; wherein each motor allows the wheel to rotate freely when unpowered; at least one user interface operable to receive user input commands to control the speed and direction of travel of the helicopter using the ground movement system; and a control arrangement to provide control signals to each of the motors based on the user input commands.

An aircraft nose landing gear assembly is disclosed including two wheels, motors, brakes, and a controller. The wheels are separated by a steering axis and independently rotatable about a rotation axis in a rotation direction. The motors and brakes are each arranged to selectively engage a respective wheel. The motors and brakes supplement and resist rotation of the respective wheel in the rotation direction, respectively. On the basis of an indication to the controller of rotation of the two wheels in the rotation direction, the controller is arranged to: cause one motor to engage its respective wheel and supplement rotation, and cause the brake associated with the other wheel to engage the other wheel and resist rotation. Engagement of the motor and brake causes the wheels to pivot about the steering axis during a turning event.

Braking systems and methods for an electrical vertical takeoff and landing aircraft are provided. A braking system may contain a pilot control device, brakes, wheels, sensors, and a controller. Pilot controls the pilot control device to transmit information to the controller such that the aircraft will slow down.

Braking systems and methods for an electrical vertical takeoff and landing aircraft are provided. A braking system may contain a pilot control device, brakes, wheels, sensors, and a controller. Pilot controls the pilot control device to transmit information to the controller such that the aircraft will slow down.

There is provided a pivot turn load alleviation (PTLA) brake system for alleviating structural loads on a pivoting main landing gear of an aircraft in a pivot turn maneuver. The PTLA brake system includes a brake control system operatively coupled to at least two main landing gear, each having two or more wheels. The PTLA brake system further includes a PTLA brake inhibit subsystem coupled to the brake control system. The subsystem inhibits braking of one or more of the two or more wheels of the pivoting main landing gear, in the pivot turn maneuver, so that at least one wheel of the two or more wheels is in an unbraked state, and a remaining number of the two or more wheels are in a braked state. The PTLA brake system alleviates structural loads, and reduces wear on the at least one wheel that is in the unbraked state.

There is provided a pivot turn load alleviation (PTLA) brake system for alleviating structural loads on a pivoting main landing gear of an aircraft in a pivot turn maneuver. The PTLA brake system includes a brake control system operatively coupled to at least two main landing gear, each having two or more wheels. The PTLA brake system further includes a PTLA brake inhibit subsystem coupled to the brake control system. The subsystem inhibits braking of one or more of the two or more wheels of the pivoting main landing gear, in the pivot turn maneuver, so that at least one wheel of the two or more wheels is in an unbraked state, and a remaining number of the two or more wheels are in a braked state. The PTLA brake system alleviates structural loads, and reduces wear on the at least one wheel that is in the unbraked state.

An aircraft brake control system accommodates desired yaw for steering, while substantially eliminating undesired yaw. The system assesses brake command signals from the pilot, signals corresponding to aircraft parameters, and signals based on brake control parameters, and determines therefrom an amount of yaw desired by the pilot. The instantaneous yaw rate is monitored and compared to the desired yaw rate. An error signal corresponding to the difference between instantaneous and actual yaw rates is calculated and that error signal is employed to modify a braking differential between right and left brakes to eliminate or substantially reduce the undesired yaw.

An aircraft brake control system accommodates desired yaw for steering, while substantially eliminating undesired yaw. The system assesses brake command signals from the pilot, signals corresponding to aircraft parameters, and signals based on brake control parameters, and determines therefrom an amount of yaw desired by the pilot. The instantaneous yaw rate is monitored and compared to the desired yaw rate. An error signal corresponding to the difference between instantaneous and actual yaw rates is calculated and that error signal is employed to modify a braking differential between right and left brakes to eliminate or substantially reduce the undesired yaw.

A method of controlling and optimizing braking and directional control of a vehicle operated on a contaminated, compliant, or non-compliant surface. The method includes steps of: collecting data from a plurality of sensors, the data being indicative of a condition of the contaminated, compliant, or non-compliant surface; sending the data to a neural controller having an algorithm configured to process the data. The algorithm includes: determining optimum braking and directional control instructions for the vehicle, generating warnings and alerts based on the calculated optimum braking and directional control instructions, and sending the optimum braking and directional control instructions to a braking and steering system of the vehicle and the warnings and alerts to an alert and warning system of the vehicle. The method further includes adjusting the steering and directional control of the braking and steering system in accordance with the optimum braking and directional control instructions provided by the neural controller.