Aircraft Onboard Wheel Drive System for Autonomous Ground Movement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Airlines face challenges in maintaining profitable operations due to high costs associated with maintaining and extending the life of aging aircraft fleets, with factors like technology changes, fuel prices, and regulatory requirements impacting aircraft value and service life, necessitating a method to increase aircraft effective value and extend its useful economic life.
Innovation Solution
Equipping aircraft with a cost-saving onboard wheel drive system that allows autonomous ground movement without relying on main engines or external tow vehicles, reducing operating costs and increasing aircraft value, particularly for those with high taxi times and short flights.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If airlines operate older aircraft fleets to maximize asset utilization, then productivity increases, but operating costs and maintenance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The aircraft's own engines are used to drive the wheels during taxiing operations, eliminating the need for external tow vehicles. This self-service approach reduces operating costs while maintaining the ability to move the aircraft efficiently on the ground.
Solution Approach 2:
The aircraft engines serve dual purposes: propulsion during flight and wheel drive during ground movement. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate tow vehicle systems, reducing overall operating costs while maintaining productivity.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If airlines extend the service life of existing aircraft, then asset value increases, but maintenance and regulatory compliance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The aircraft remains operational longer by continuously utilizing its engines for both flight and ground movement functions. This continuous useful action delays retirement decisions and extends the economic service life, allowing airlines to recover more value from existing assets.
Solution Approach 2:
The operational parameters of the aircraft are expanded to include wheel drive functions during taxiing, which changes the cost structure and extends the economic viability of older aircraft by reducing overall operating costs.
3Ease of operation
If airlines use external tow vehicles for ground movement, then operating flexibility is maintained, but operating costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The aircraft's own engines replace the need for external tow vehicles, providing self-service ground movement capability. This eliminates the additional cost of hiring external vehicles while maintaining the same operational flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The functions of flight propulsion and ground movement are merged into a single system (the aircraft engines), eliminating the need for separate tow vehicle systems and reducing overall operating costs.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for increasing the effective value and extending the economic life of aircraft is provided. When older or new aircraft are enabled and controlled to move autonomously on the ground without reliance on aircraft engines or external tow vehicles by equipping the aircraft with cost-saving wheel drive systems controllable to move the aircraft autonomously on the ground, substantial reductions in aircraft operating costs can be realized, and the value of aging airline fleets, as well as new aircraft, can be increased significantly. Unexpected reductions in aircraft effective economic age and increases in value can be achieved, particularly when aircraft equipped with cost-saving wheel drive systems experience large numbers of short flights and a large amount of taxi time.