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US 9,067,689 B2Granted
Aircraft refueling system and method of refueling an aircraft
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorKevin Julian Chang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An aircraft refueling system for use with a supplying aircraft is provided. The refueling system includes at least two strips of material coupled to a lower portion of the supplying aircraft. The at least two strips are separated by a distance and comprise a material that facilitates the at least two strips becoming progressively visible to a pilot of a receiving aircraft as the receiving aircraft approaches the supplying aircraft.
Claims20
An aircraft refueling system for use with a supplying aircraft, said refueling system comprising:
- at least two strips of material coupled to a lower portion of the supplying aircraft, said at least two strips are separated by a distance and comprise a material that facilitates said at least two strips becoming progressively visible to a pilot of a receiving aircraft as the receiving aircraft approaches the supplying aircraft;
- wherein said at least two strips comprising a first strip and a second strip, wherein only said first strip is visible to the receiving aircraft pilot when the receiving aircraft is in a first position relative to the supplying aircraft, and wherein said first strip and said second strip are visible to the receiving aircraft pilot when the receiving aircraft is in a second position relative to the supplying aircraft.
An aircraft refueling system comprising:
- a hose extending downward from a lower portion of a supplying aircraft, wherein a free end of said hose is configured to mate with a fuel receptacle extending from a receiving aircraft;
- and
- a ranging system coupled to the lower portion of the supplying aircraft, said ranging system comprising self-illuminating material configured to indicate, to a pilot of the receiving aircraft, positioning of the receiving aircraft relative to the supplying aircraft during low-light conditions, wherein only a first portion of said ranging system is visible to the receiving aircraft pilot when the receiving aircraft is a first distance from the supplying aircraft, and wherein said first portion and a second portion of said ranging system are visible to the receiving aircraft pilot when the receiving aircraft is a second distance from the supplying aircraft, the second distance being shorter than the first distance.
A method of refueling an aircraft, said method comprising:
- coupling a ranging system to a lower portion of a supplying aircraft, wherein the ranging system includes at least two strips of material separated by a distance, wherein the at least two strips include a first strip and a second strip, only the first strip being visible to the receiving aircraft pilot when the receiving aircraft is in a first position relative to the supplying aircraft, and wherein the first strip and the second strip are visible to the receiving aircraft pilot when the receiving aircraft is in a second position relative to the supplying aircraft;
- and
- positioning, with the ranging system, the receiving aircraft in a refueling position relative to the supplying aircraft, wherein the at least two strips become progressively visible to a pilot of the receiving aircraft as the receiving aircraft approaches the supplying aircraft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.