april2021 - 32

TECHNOLOGY

the underground channel. Eyestone Steel
Erectors will erect, assemble and install
the unique structural steel components
imported from Poland. 4G Concrete Inc.
is providing the cement, rebar, mesh and
other concrete related materials needed to
reinforce the poured-in-place concrete
channel. Steel plates will cover the entire
underground channel system.
The system's modular design allows
construction crews to install precast sections after hours. The installed sections
become operational at once.
" This keeps the disruption to airports
minimal, " he says.
Once complete, ATS will use an electric-powered underground pull cart and
above-ground tow dolly to run along the
U-shaped channel to move aircraft to and
from airport runways and gates without
relying on aircraft engines. A 400-horsepower Borg Warner electric motor, used
in electric cars, powers the pull cart and
tow dolly.
ATS purchased a 727 to demo its towing
innovation.
" Once complete and weather permitting, we will use the ATS channel to test
our aircraft towing system prototype this
summer, " he says.

How the ATS System Works
Howie describes the ATS system as a modern rail system for aircraft. The pull cart
sits on a track on a monorail in the channel's bottom, which sits underground. Two
sets of hydraulic motors, one in front and
one in back, move the cart.
Upon landing an aircraft, pilots' taxi to
the correct taxiway and drive the aircraft
nose wheel onto the ATS tow dolly, which
looks like a round disc with ramps on each
end. Doing so secures the aircraft in place.
" Once that happens, pilots turn off the
main engines and the tow dolly does the
work, " Howie says. " A round tow dolly puts
no stress on nose landing gear. There is
positive control of the aircraft. The system can pull or push aircraft in different
directions, but the pilot maintains control. "
The system works with a foot of snow
or an inch of ice.
" Our system eliminates aircraft sliding
off taxiways because of the weather, " he

32 GROUND SUPPORT WORLDWIDE

says. " And we can program the system to
slow down or speed up taxi times. We're
taking this manual system and automating
it. OSU calculations show our system will
increase throughput in airports up to 30%,
without adding a gate. "
He adds airports have asked about using
the system for pushbacks. The ATS system would push aircraft away from airport
gates with specialized pushcars that also
operate in an underground channel.
By designing a system for taxiing and
pushbacks, Howie explains, ATS expanded
the product's reach.
" We had targeted 34 airports in the
United States for the total system; hubs like
Dallas or O'Hare and places like that, " he
says. " But we had 22 smaller airports say
they needed an electric pushback system,
so we developed a curve that lets us bring
in an aircraft and flip it as we push it back.
Around 200 U.S. airports could benefit
from the pushback system. "
The system uses full-size pull cars able
to handle regional-size jets up to an A380.
" We sized it to be one size fits all, " Howie
says.
" In the future, we'll develop more sizes.
Some airports will never have an A380 or
787 and don't need a bigger size. We are
already designing smaller pieces. "

Working with ATS
According to ATS officials, the company
has received interest from several major
airports across the United States and
Europe, including London Heathrow as
well as airports in Denmark, Sweden,
Dubai, Poland and others.
Should airports decide to add the ATS
system, the first step is to simulate the
airport.
" We are working on a simulation model
right now, so that we can take the airport
layout and traffic patterns and optimize
them, " he says. " This process determines
where we will place track. Power is not

an issue - airports have plenty of power.
But we need to pay attention to drainage
systems. "
The next step is to develop a construction schedule that minimizes downtime.
" We work out a timeline that will cause
the least disruption, " he says.
A large airport can expect the project
to take 10 to 12 months, while a project at
a smaller airport might be complete in 6
months.
" We believe the ATS system will revolutionize the way airports operate and will
change the world one airport at a time, "
Howie says.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Ronnie Wendt is a freelance writer based in Waukesha, Wisconsin. She has written
about aviation-related topics for over a decade.

APRIL 2021
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