Patent ID: 9676475
Date: 2017-06-13
CPC Classifications: B64C,G05D,G08G,Y02T

Claim:
1. A method for setting, controlling, and maintaining a defined taxi speed of an aircraft equipped with onboard non-engine electric drive motors mounted in one or more nose or main landing gear wheels powered to drive the aircraft during taxi without the use of engines and retrofitted with a cockpit controls array kit having a set of components operable to set, control, and maintain the defined aircraft taxi speed, comprising: a. retrofitting a cockpit controls array kit within a cockpit of an aircraft powered for ground travel without aircraft engines by electric drive motors mounted in one or more nose or main landing gear wheels, the cockpit controls array kit comprising a set of controls comprising at least a master power switch in activating communication with a source of electric power operating the electric drive motors, a drive motor control system switch in operative communication with a drive motor control system movable between multiple power and control positions comprising at least test, taxi, override, and off positions, a number of visual indicators corresponding to the multiple power and control positions, and a speed hold control switch operable to set and maintain a taxi speed; b. defining and generating a taxi profile for ground travel of the aircraft comprising at least a desired taxi speed for airport ground conditions; c. activating the master power switch when the aircraft is on the ground after landing or prior to pushback and directing electric power from the source of electric power to the drive motor control system and setting the desired taxi speed to a set taxi speed by activating the speed hold control switch; d. checking the presence of electric power in selected drive motor control system components by moving the drive motor control system switch from the off position to the test position and then moving the drive motor control system switch to the taxi position when the presence of power is detected to direct electric current to the electric drive motors and generating a torque required to move the aircraft at the set taxi speed; and e. maintaining the set taxi speed when the aircraft is driven by the electric drive motors at the torque required to move the aircraft at the set taxi speed.