Mobile Platform for Gear-Up Aircraft Landing Stabilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional emergency landing systems lack mechanical infrastructure to receive and stabilize aircraft without deployed landing gear, leading to uncontrolled landings that risk structural damage, fire, and operational disruptions, exacerbated by adverse weather conditions.
Innovation Solution
An emergency aircraft landing system featuring a mobile platform with wheels, propulsion, securing mechanisms, and guidance sensors, capable of intercepting and securing aircraft during landing, and equipped with fire suppression and suspension systems to minimize damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional emergency landing systems are used, then no mechanical infrastructure is required, but the aircraft cannot be stabilized and structural damage occurs
Solution Approach 1:
A mobile platform is introduced as an intermediary between the aircraft and the runway. The platform includes a flat top surface to receive the aircraft, wheels for movement, and a securing mechanism to stabilize the aircraft during landing, thereby preventing direct contact between the aircraft fuselage and the runway surface
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile platform is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to be positioned dynamically to intercept the aircraft during landing. The propulsion system enables the platform to move along the runway to meet the approaching aircraft, providing adaptive response to varying landing conditions
2Adaptability or versatility
If gear-up landing occurs, then landing gear failure is accommodated, but uncontrolled frictional engagement causes rapid deceleration and high shear loading
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile platform is positioned beforehand to intercept the aircraft before it can contact the runway surface. The platform's flat top surface provides a controlled landing surface that prevents direct fuselage-runway contact, thereby avoiding the uncontrolled frictional engagement and high shear loading that would occur during conventional gear-up landings
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile platform acts as an intermediary that absorbs the impact forces during landing. By providing a controlled landing surface and securing mechanism, the platform mediates between the aircraft's kinetic energy and the runway, preventing direct transmission of high shear loads to the aircraft structure
3Ease of operation
If conventional emergency landing measures are used, then reactive deployment is possible, but no mechanical infrastructure provides directional guidance and automated deceleration assistance
Solution Approach 1:
Guidance sensors are integrated into the mobile platform to detect the aircraft's position, speed, and trajectory during approach. This feedback information is used to automatically adjust the platform's position and activate the securing mechanism at the optimal moment, providing automated deceleration assistance and directional guidance
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile platform is designed with self-positioning capability through its propulsion system and guidance sensors. The system automatically intercepts the aircraft, aligns itself with the aircraft's flight path, and activates the securing mechanism without requiring manual intervention, thereby providing self-service automated deceleration assistance
4Reliability
If foam blankets and pre-positioned crews are deployed, then fire suppression is available, but no mechanical infrastructure receives or stabilizes the aircraft
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile platform serves as a mechanical intermediary that physically receives and stabilizes the aircraft during landing. The platform's flat top surface provides a controlled landing zone, and the securing mechanism ensures the aircraft remains stable, thereby replacing the need for reactive foam blanket deployment and pre-positioned crews
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Provides controlled and damage-minimized landings by stabilizing aircraft on a mobile platform, reducing structural and operational risks, and enhancing safety in gear-failure scenarios.
Implementation Method 1
The propulsion system is configured to accelerate the mobile platform to a speed
Implementation Method 2
a securing mechanism configured to activate upon contact with the aircraft and secure the aircraft to the mobile platform during deceleration
Implementation Method 3
The absence of shock absorption, provided by the struts and tires of the landing gear, leads to unmitigated vertical impact loads
Data Source
AI summary
An emergency aircraft landing system includes a mobile platform having a flat top surface configured to receive an aircraft landing without deployed landing gear, a plurality of wheels connected to the mobile platform by a plurality of axles mounted to a frame of the mobile platform, a propulsion system secured to the frame of the mobile platform configured to accelerate the mobile platform to a speed, and a securing mechanism configured to activate upon contact with an aircraft and secure the aircraft to the mobile platform during deceleration. Further, a method for emergency landing of an aircraft includes positioning the mobile platform at a position on a runway, accelerating the mobile platform to a speed, receiving the aircraft on the top surface, activating a securing mechanism to affix the aircraft to the mobile platform, and decelerating the combined mobile platform and aircraft.