Patent ID: 6931687

Claim:
A method of automatically aligning a passenger loading bridge to an aircraft having a rear doorway aft of or over a wing, comprising: a) automatically determining a type of the aircraft; b) retrieving information relating to an expected stopping position for the rear doorway of the determined type of the aircraft; c) retrieving other information relating to a predetermined minimum height profile for allowing the passenger loading bridge to maintain a desired minimum safe distance relative to the wing of the aircraft; d) waiting for the aircraft to stop; e) automatically moving an aircraft engaging end of the passenger loading bridge toward the expected stopping position of the rear doorway for the determined type of the aircraft; and f) moving an outboard portion of the passenger loading bridge relatively to an inboard portion of the passenger loading bridge about a first flexible connection disposed therebetween, and adjusting a height of the first flexible connection by pivoting the inboard portion of the passenger loading bridge about a second flexible connection, such that during (e) a point along the lower surface of the passenger loading bridge remains above the predetermined minimum height profile of the wing of the aircraft.