Odisha: To cut emissions, BPIA will employ electric aircraft towing trucks

The state capital of Odisha’s Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) has announced plans to use electric vehicles for the purpose of towing aircraft between runway holding points and aprons, marking a first for the aviation industry.

At the moment, airplanes employing BPIA are propelling themselves from holding positions to the aprons. When the new system is put into place at the airport, the electric cars will tow them all the way to the aprons. According to authorities, this would not only cut pollution but also save fuel for the aircraft.

Currently, airplanes are pushed away from the aprons using pushback tractors so they may start their engines and taxi to the runway. According to BPIA sources, the aircraft will be towed by the electric vehicles from the aprons to the holding sites.

The holding points and runway are around ninety meters apart. A taxiway is used by an airplane to get to the holding point. A aircraft is said to have been cleared from the runway after it has passed the holding point.

Aircraft towing electric cars between runway holding points and aprons is seen as a critical enabling technology for lowering emissions. They will also assist in the airlines’ fuel usage, according to a BPIA senior official.

There are three aprons, six holding points, and seven taxiways at BPIA. The three aprons have a total of twenty-four parking bays. According to sources, special service roads will be built so that the electric cars may pull the airplanes to the aprons and return to the holding stations.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has requested a comprehensive proposal outlining the introduction of an electric vehicle towing capability for airplanes. A top BPIA official said, “The proposal will soon be sent to AAI for its approval and implementation.”

BPIA’s runway re-carpeting project is anticipated to be finished by March 31. There will be no flights between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. during that time. According to reports, the 2,744-meter runway’s recarpeting project is expected to cost around Rs 72 crore. The runway at BPIA was last carpeted in 2007. The process was delayed for more than five years, even though re-carpeting is typically done every ten years.