Helicopter ground movement system and method

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,
• wherein the control arrangement is operable to determine differential control signals for each motor based on user input commands to control the direction of travel according to the user input commands,
• wherein the at least one user interface comprises a helicopter user interface fixed within the helicopter cockpit and comprising a projecting user interface element movable between an up position and a down position,
• wherein in the up position the projecting user interface element protrudes from a surface of the helicopter user interface and is operable as at least one of a speed and steering controller for the ground movement system of the helicopter,
• wherein the projecting user interface element is tiltable to receive user input when in the up position but not when in the down position.