Sensing the steering angle while transporting aircraft on the ground

摘要

The acceptability of the steering angle between the nose wheel of an aircraft and the longitudinal axis of the aircraft during transportation of the aircraft on the ground using a wheeled vehicle (with or without a tow bar) is provided. The wheeled vehicle has a source of collimated radiation (such as a laser beam emitting unit, or an LED or other light source with a lens and/or aperture system) which directs a beam on a surface of the aircraft having at least two significantly different collimated radiation reflecting areas (e.g. a light material arc bounded by dark material marks). In response to radiation from the collimated beam, or lack thereof, reflected from the surface of the aircraft back to a receiver on the wheeled vehicle, it can be determined if the nose wheel steering angle is within an acceptable range (typically no more than between about 60 DEG -80 DEG , which would damage the nose wheel). Two beam sources and receivers may be provided, and other information-such as the size of the aircraft (which is proportional to the distance of the laser beam emitting unit from the reflected surface)-may also be calculated. An indicator or device for initiating corrective action may be provided to respond to insufficient reflected radiation received by the receiver.