Passenger Loading Bridge Pre-Positioning for Parallel Aircraft Docking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for maneuvering and docking aircraft with electric taxi drive systems into parallel parking orientations at airport terminals are inefficient, as they require significant time to extend and align passenger loading bridges with aircraft doors.
Innovation Solution
Pre-positioning passenger loading bridges to align with both forward and rear doors of aircraft driven by electric taxi systems, allowing for quick extension and connection once the aircraft is maneuvered into a parallel parking orientation, thereby minimizing adjustment time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If aircraft are maneuvered into parallel parking orientation with electric taxi drive systems, then passenger transfer efficiency is improved through simultaneous use of multiple loading bridges, but the time required to extend and align the loading bridges with aircraft doors increases
Solution Approach 1:
The passenger loading bridges are pre-positioned in advance at locations that correspond to the forward and rear door positions of the aircraft. This preliminary positioning allows the bridges to be immediately aligned with the doors when the aircraft parks, eliminating the time-consuming alignment process and enabling immediate passenger transfer through multiple bridges simultaneously
Data Source
AI summary
A method is provided that reduces time to dock an electric taxi drive system-driven aircraft parking in a parallel orientation at an airport terminal. Passenger loading bridges are pre-positioned to substantially align with forward and rear doors of the aircraft. Pre-positioned passenger loading bridges extend from the terminal to locations that align with terminal-facing forward and rear doors when electric taxi systems maneuver the aircraft into the parallel parking orientation. The passenger loading bridge connected to a rear door may be pre-positioned at a height above the ramp surface above or below the height of the aircraft's horizontal stabilizer or below the height of the wing to enhance safety and further reduce connection and passenger transfer time. Connection of the pre-positioned passenger loading bridges with the aircraft doors should require only minimal adjustment before passenger transfer between the aircraft and terminal may begin.