WBP NEWS
APA Issue 2, 2021
The latest news from ACI’s Asia-Pacific and global World Business Partners.
NEW MILESTONE FOR DELHI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT’S TAXIBOT Indira Gandhi International Airport’s semi-robotic aircraft towing vehicle, TaxiBot, has successfully completed 1,000 operations, reducing the Indian gateway’s CO2 emissions by 532 tonnes and helping save 214,000 litres of aircraft fuel in the process. Introduced two years ago as part of the gateway’s goal to become a net zero carbon emissions airport by 2030, TaxiBot boasts an 800-hp hybrid-electric engine and can be controlled by the pilot in the aircraft cockpit. No actual towbar is required for the taxi, with the vehicle lifting the aircraft’s nose wheel to direct it towards or off the gate. “Delhi Airport is one of the leading airports globally in terms of adopting environmental sustainability related initiatives,” says Videh Kumar Jaipuriar, CEO of operator Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL). “With the implementation and continuous use of TaxiBot, DIAL continues its journey of making Delhi Airport one of the most sustainable airports globally. “The reduction in carbon emissions by use of TaxiBot establishes DIAL as an environment-friendly
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organisation. This is a major milestone not only for DIAL but also for the aviation sector globally in terms of promoting and adopting alternative and green taxiing solutions.” TaxiBots are jointly manufactured by TLD and Israel Aerospace Industries, with TLD sister company, Smart Airport Systems (SAS), responsible for marketing, deployment and after sales services. Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) currently uses two TaxiBots to carry out push and pull-back operations for three airlines, with the numbers set to grow to up to 15 over a period of four years. The vehicle itself has been certified by India’s civil aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), as well as by the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) in the US; EASA in Europe; and the CAAI of Israel. Sustainability conscious DEL is the first airport in the Asia-Pacific region and one of only four in the world to achieve Level 4+ ‘Transition’ status in ACI’s Airport Carbon Accreditation programme.
