OSU center signs contract with Airplane Transporting Systems

Thursday, November 17, 2016

The New Product Development Center (NPDC) at Oklahoma State University will be signing a contract with the Airplane Transporting Systems (ATS) to conduct research and development to produce engineering drawings that will lead to working prototype of an automated system for handling landed aircraft.

The ATS is an innovative system designed to transport aircraft from the runway via the taxiway to the airport gates and back to the runway.  Upon landing, the pilot taxis the aircraft to the taxiway where the ATS system is installed, ready for use. 

Next, the aircraft nose wheel is driven into the ATS pull car, then secured, and finally the aircraft engines are shut down saving fuel and emissions. The ATS system uses special channels with a rail system built beneath the taxiway and powered by electrical motors in the channels to transport aircraft. The pull car moves each aircraft along the channel to the appropriate gate.  At time for gate departure, the ATS pull car pushes the aircraft away from the gate and pulls it along the taxiway and to the runway. Lastly, the pilot starts the engines, drives off the pull car, and positions the aircraft for takeoff. 

The entire ATS system is fully automatic, integrated into the ground control system, and run by the ground control tower personnel.  ATS maximizes safety by optimizing airport taxiway traffic, reducing personnel and equipment in and around flight operations, and controls all aircraft movements during taxi and gate operations. The system optimizes airport traffic and increases safety creating an estimated increase in airport capacity by 30 percent.

The contract signing will take place at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 17.