By David Learmount in London
European researchers have launched a project aimed at developing technology to enable airliners to taxi automatically to the airport terminal after carrying out an autoland in zero-visibility conditions. They believe such a system could keep air traffic flowing at airports that today have to shut when visibility is to too poor for pilots to taxi their aircraft safely.
The project includes research into “more-electric” aircraft systems that would replace hydraulics, beginning with the nosewheel steering system.
The European Commission-funded project, co-ordinated by Safran group companies Messier-Bugatti and Messier-Dowty, comprises a total of 13 companies and academic institutions. Its initial task is to develop an all-electrically controlled and actuated nosewheel steering system that has the high level of reliability and integrity required for certification as a critical component in an automatic airport navigation system. The initial project is known as Dress – distributed and redundant electrical nosegear steering system. “The project,” says the team, “falls within the scope of research into ‘more-electric’ aircraft as well as airport automatic navigation [AAN].” The concept of a “more-electric” aircraft, it says, is centred on weight reduction, the simplification of systems and control, and the reduction of maintenance costs and spares holdings. The team adds that hydraulically actuated nosewheel steering systems could never reach the level of reliability needed for critical parts in an AAN system. Low- or zero-visibility airport AAN systems are also backed by Eurocontrol, the Dress team says, as a part of its push to improve traffic flow on the ground.
The team, which includes Airbus UK, Saab, five European universities and seven research organisations, expects to build a proof-of-concept system within three years.
Source: Flight International
