Even as the aviation industry strengthens its focus on sustainability, an autonomous system to move aircraft at airports from the runway to the gate and back, without using fuel, is attracting attention.
The Aircraft Towing System (ATS), developed by Oklahoma-based Aircraft Towing Systems World Wide LLC., has a fully automated design and promises significant savings on fuel, faster pushback times and enhanced safety. According to the company, Chicago O’Hare could save as much as US$491 million in fuel costs alone each year by using the system.
A prototype of the disruptive technology, presently being installed at the Ardmore Industrial Airpark in Ardmore, OK, will be completed in September this year. The company expects to sell its first system in 2023.
“Fuel savings is just one of the benefits,” says Vince Howie, Company CEO and Vice President. “Reduced engine run-time while on the ground results in reduced emissions. As the engine is switched of while towing, there is less noise. The system also lowers manpower requirements significantly.”
The idea for the system came about during a chance meeting between Howie, who was Director of Aerospace & Defense for the Oklahoma Department of Commerce until 2020, and Stan Malicki at the Paris Airshow in 2015. “Back then, it was just an idea that Stan had. I thought that it had a lot of potential and invited him to come to Oklahoma,” says Howie. “He liked what he saw and wanted to work on the concept in the state. We formed an LLC and asked the Oklahoma State University to design and develop a prototype. Once we got the design to the point where we started talking about a prototype, I left my job with the state and began working on this full time.”
One System, Three Configurations
The system utilizes an electric-powered pullcar/tow dolly that rides on a monorail in a below ground channel and pulls aircraft from the runway to the gate and back. Following feedback from prospective buyers, ATS has decided to come up with three configurations of the system. “We have a complete airport system that goes all over the airport, but what we are ready to sell and what we are prototyping is the pushback piece at the gate that eliminates two dollies, tugs and marshalling crew,” says Howie.
“We also have a point-to-point ferry system. American Airlines is interested in one at Tulsa Airport to take the aircraft from the terminal to the maintenance bay. It now takes up to 16 people to move the aircraft that mile and a quarter to the maintenance bay. With this, we can do the same thing with just one person.”
The under-development system, which promises to reduce the environmental impact of the aviation industry when it comes to ground operations, uses an electrohydraulic powered pull car and tow dolly system to automatically transport aircraft at airports using the ATS underground channel system. After landing, the pilot taxies to the appropriate taxiway and drives the aircraft nose wheel onto the ATS tow dolly. Once secured, the aircraft’s main jet engines are shut down. The aircraft then moves using the ATS underground channel system located beneath the taxiway to the appropriate gate.
In Demand
“We are in negotiations with a number of prospective customers,” says Howie. “We are talking to Baltimore Washington International; they are interested in a ferry system to take the aircraft to the maintenance bay. They want us to be certified by the FAA; we have started the process. In Madrid, they are interested in trying out the pushback option. We had initially targeted the larger hubs with the system but at a conference, I had representatives from 22 airports come up and ask if they could buy just the pushback component of the system. That is when we decided to have three configurations of the system.”
Vic Bird, ATS Chief Operating Officer, believes the system has the potential to revolutionize the aviation industry. “The possibilities are incredible,” he says. “Aircraft are still moved around airports the way they were over 100 years ago – using the aircraft’s power. Not only does this burn tremendous amounts of fuel but it also harms the environment. Our system provides provides a solution to all these problems.”
Poised to Grow
“We are a small company now but we want to go to the next level and are actively looking for partners,” says Bird. “We are currently in discussions to select a software partner for the total system. I think we will be much larger by 2025 and have at least 12-15 sales.”
“Everyone loves it; they think it will solve all their problems,” says Howie. “But they want to see it work. Next year, we will sell one or two systems. Once we start moving planes, that will be game changer for us. Fuel savings alone, you could pay for the system in less than a year if you did a total system in a large airport.”
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