Integration between aircraft and handling vehicles during taxiing procedures to improve airport sustainability

Integration of procedures is an important aspect of the air transport system, which focuses mainly on interoperability, safety and security. While both transport analysts and air operators have studied the integration aspects concerning these main items, less attention has been devoted to some other integration features that could reduce airport environmental impacts. In this article, the integration between handling vehicles and aircraft during taxi-out procedures has been analysed by referring to the proto-typal, semi-robotic vehicle called Taxibot. Aircraft emissions due to taxiing have been modelled for before and after scenarios, this latter referring to the use of the Taxibot. A simulation of the benefits – both environmental and monetary effects – obtained by using the Taxibot system has been made on a medium-size airport in Northern Italy.