Patent ID: 8240599
Filing Date: 2012-08-14
Classification: B64C,B64F,Y02T,Y10S

Abstract:
1. An aircraft ground movement control system with apparatus to enable airport ground staff from a location remote from the aircraft to control either or both of aircraft ground speed and direction of ground movement of an aircraft driven on the ground by at least one self-propelled nose wheel, comprising a. an aircraft equipped with a self-propelled nose wheel, wherein said nose wheel propels itself by drive means comprising an electric motor to move the aircraft on the ground; b. an aircraft ground movement control unit located remotely from the aircraft self-propelled nose wheel, c. an aircraft ground movement control arm movably attached by one end to said remotely located control unit, wherein an opposite end is movable by airport ground staff to operatively communicate directional movements to said control unit to input aircraft ground speed and direction information to said control unit; d. information transmission means on said remotely located control unit for transmitting the inputted aircraft ground speed and direction information to said self-propelled nose wheel; e. information receiver means at said self-propelled nose wheel for receiving the ground speed and direction information transmitted by said information transmission means; and f. speed and direction control means in operative communication with the self-propelled nose wheel drive means and responsive to signals from said information receiver means to control either or both of the ground speed and direction of ground movement of the nose wheel to move the aircraft on the ground at a desired speed or in a desired direction in response to the received ground speed and direction information corresponding to the movements of the control arm.