Control system for controlling a landing gear drive system

A control system for controlling a landing gear drive system on an aircraft, the drive system being capable of driving rotation of a wheel of the aircraft, the control system comprising

• a control panel, provided with a controller, the controller having
• a backwards motion setting,
• a zero speed setting, and
• a forward motion setting,
• a control unit for receiving a control input from the controller, and for providing a torque command to be applied to the wheel, and
• a speed sensor for sensing an aircraft taxi speed and for providing an indication of the aircraft taxi speed to the control unit,
• wherein the control unit is arranged such that, when the controller is in the backwards motion setting:
• the control unit provides a backwards driving torque command to the drive system, based on the indication of the aircraft taxi speed, to maintain the backwards aircraft taxi speed at or near a desired speed, and
• when the controller is moved from the forward motion setting to the zero speed setting:
• the control unit provides a torque command to the drive system to provide zero forwards driving torque to the wheel, and the control unit provides a braking command to apply a braking torque to the wheel to slow rotation of the wheel while the aircraft taxi speed is above zero.

A method of controlling an aircraft landing gear drive system capable of driving rotation of a wheel of an aircraft, the method comprising the steps of:

• moving a controller of a control panel from a forward motion setting to a zero speed setting, and providing a control input from the controller to a control unit,
• and
• when the controller is in the zero speed setting, the control unit providing a torque command to the drive system to provide zero forwards driving torque to the wheel, and the control unit providing a braking command to apply a braking torque to the wheel to slow rotation of the wheel while the aircraft taxi speed is above zero, and
• the method further comprising the steps of:
• positioning the controller in a backwards motion setting, and providing a control input from the controller to the control unit, and when the controller is in the backwards motion setting, the control unit providing a backwards driving torque command to the drive system, based on an indication of an aircraft taxi speed such that the backwards aircraft taxi speed is maintained at or near a desired speed.