Air-taxi stands, boarding bridges for air taxis, and methods of using same

Abstract

An air-taxi stand includes a boarding bridge with an aircraft-proximal end and an aircraft-distal end. The aircraft-distal end includes an aircraft interface. The air-taxi stand is configured to allow for simultaneous ground movement of an aircraft, adjacent a concourse, including forward power-in pushing and forward power-out pushing. A method includes the forward power-in pushing of an aircraft, docking the aircraft, and forward power-out pushing out of the air-taxi docking bay.

1 . An air-taxi stand comprising: 
 a first boarding bridge including an aircraft proximal end and an aircraft distal end;    a concourse first interface at the aircraft distal end;    an aircraft second interface at the aircraft proximal end; and    wherein the air-taxi stand is configured to allow the simultaneous ground movement of a plurality of air-taxi aircraft adjacent a concourse, including forward power-in and forward power-out (FPIPO).    
   
   
       2 . The air-taxi stand of  claim 1 , further wherein the concourse first interface is coupled with at least one of a concourse external boundary, a fixed passenger tunnel, a large aircraft passenger boarding bridge, and a regional aircraft passenger boarding hub.  
   
   
       3 . The air-taxi stand of  claim 1 , wherein the aircraft proximal end is configurable to interface with one selected from an airfield tarmac at ground level, an air taxi at sill height thereof, a regional aircraft at sill height thereof, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       4 . The air-taxi stand of  claim 1 , wherein the aircraft proximal end and the concourse first interface are separated and coupled by a structure selected from a lateral-articulating section, a bascal-articulating section, a telescoping section, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       5 . The air-taxi stand of  claim 1 , further including 
 a subsequent boarding bridge including: 
 an aircraft proximal end and an aircraft distal end;  
 a concourse first interface at the aircraft distal end;  
 a subsequent aircraft second interface at the aircraft proximal end; and  
   wherein the air-taxi stand is configured to allow the simultaneous and independent ground movement of a plurality of air-taxi aircraft adjacent the concourse, including FPIPO pushing.    
   
   
       6 . The air-taxi stand of  claim 1 , wherein the air-taxi stand is further configured to accommodate a plurality of air taxis at an air-taxi stand docking ramp, wherein the air-taxi stand is locatable between a concourse external boundary and adjacent thereto, an object-free line for a large aircraft that are substantially adjacent to the concourse external boundary.  
   
   
       7 . The air-taxi stand of  claim 1 , wherein the air-taxi stand is further configured to allow docking of at least one air taxi, selected from nose-in toward a concourse, tail-in toward the concourse, and a combination thereof.  
   
   
       8 . The air-taxi stand of the  claim 1 , wherein the first air-taxi boarding bridge is locatable at a corner of a concourse.  
   
   
       9 . The air-taxi stand of  claim 1 , wherein the first air-taxi boarding bridge is part of a conveyance.  
   
   
       10 . An air-taxi stand layout comprising: 
 a first boundary at a concourse external boundary;    a second boundary at an object-free line (OFL);    a first boarding bridge including an aircraft proximal end and an aircraft distal end;    a concourse first interface at the aircraft distal end;    an aircraft second interface at the aircraft proximal end;    wherein the aircraft proximal end and the concourse first interface are coupled by a structure selected from a joint; a lateral-articulating section, a bascal-articulating section, a telescoping section, and combinations thereof; and    wherein the air-taxi stand is configured to allow the simultaneous ground movement of a plurality of air-taxi aircraft between the concourse external boundary and the OFL, including forward power-in and forward power-out (FPIPO).    
   
   
       11 . The air-taxi stand layout of  claim 10 , further wherein the concourse first interface is coupled with at least one of a concourse external boundary, a fixed passenger tunnel, a large aircraft passenger boarding bridge, a regional aircraft passenger boarding hub.  
   
   
       12 . The air-taxi stand layout of  claim 10 , wherein the aircraft proximal end is configurable to interface with one selected from an airfield tarmac at ground level, an air taxi at sill height thereof, a regional aircraft at sill height thereof, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       13 . A method comprising: 
 in a first air-taxi, forward powering into a docking ramp;    docking with or adjacent an air-taxi passenger bridge, the air-taxi passenger bridge including: 
 a first boarding bridge including an aircraft proximal end and an aircraft distal end;  
 a concourse first interface at the aircraft distal end;  
 an aircraft second interface at the aircraft proximal end; and  
 wherein the air-taxi stand is configured to allow the ground movement of the first air-taxi adjacent a concourse, including a forward power-in and a forward power-out (FPIPO) push; and  
   forward-powering out of the docking ramp.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein docking with an air-taxi passenger bridge further includes at least one of: allowing an occupant to deplane; allowing an occupant to board; removing cargo; and loading cargo.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein docking with an air-taxi passenger bridge further includes allowing a passenger to transfer between a first aircraft and a second aircraft, wherein one of the first aircraft and the second aircraft interfaces with the air-taxi bridge.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein at least one air-taxi movement of the FPIPO push includes moving the aircraft with a tug.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the air-taxi stand is further configured to allow the simultaneous and independent ground movement of the first air-taxi and the simultaneous and independent ground movement of a subsequent air taxi therewithin.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 13 , further including responding to a passenger hail and the first air taxi approaching the air-taxi stand.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the air-taxi stand is further configured to allow the simultaneous ground movement of the first air-taxi and the forward powering into the docking ramp of a subsequent air taxi.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 13 , further including a security screening area coupled to the concourse first interface, the method further including allowing a passenger to enter the security screening area.