Aircraft autonomous pushback
AssigneeAirbus Operations GmbH
InventorsJames Morris, Antonio Colosimo
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention provides methods and systems for controlling speed of an aircraft during an autonomous pushback maneuver, i.e. under the aircraft's own power without a pushback tractor. The method includes applying a torque to at least one landing gear wheel of the aircraft, the torque being in a direction opposite to the backwards rolling direction of rotation of the landing gear wheel. The torque applied does not exceed a limit for ensuring aircraft longitudinal stability. For longitudinal stability the torque applied should not cause the aircraft to risk a tip-over event.
Claims40
A method of controlling speed of an aircraft during backwards motion of the aircraft when in contact with the ground, the method comprising:
- applying a torque to at least one landing gear wheel of the aircraft, the torque is in a direction opposite to the backwards rolling direction of rotation of the landing gear wheel, wherein the step of applying torque to the landing gear wheel comprises applying a braking torque to the wheel using a friction brake assembly, the braking torque is effected by a braking control system, and the aircraft has N braking wheels and the braking control system sends a braking command to a number n of the braking wheels where n<N,
- wherein the torque applied does not exceed a limit for ensuring aircraft longitudinal stability.
An autonomous pushback braking system for an aircraft comprising:
- a wheel drive system for driving one or more of the aircraft's landing gear wheels in rotation, wherein the wheel drive system is operable to drive the wheel in rotation to effect backwards motion of the aircraft when in contact with the ground,
- a means for applying a torque to at least one landing gear wheel of the aircraft, the torque is in a direction opposite to the backwards rolling direction of rotation of the landing gear wheel, and wherein the torque applied does not exceed a limit for ensuring aircraft longitudinal stability,
- a friction brake assembly for applying a braking torque to the wheel, and
- a braking control system for sending a braking command to the friction brake assembly, wherein the aircraft has N braking wheels and the braking control system is adapted to send a braking command to a number n of the braking wheels where n<N.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.