Study on the Automation of Aircraft Ground Handling Processes

Abstract

This study addresses the automation of aircraft ground handling processes, including taxiing, passenger boarding and disembarkation, refueling, and baggage transport. The main challenge is the development of a dynamic and efficient control system capable of coordinating these processes, minimizing operational failures, enhancing safety, and optimizing efficiency. The proposed system integrates multiple inputs and outputs, such as positioning sensors and resource status, in addition to actuators responsible for executing tasks like finger coupling and the activation of refueling and baggage handling vehicles. The system modeling employs Petri Nets (RdP), a methodology that allows for a precise representation of the system's states, transitions, and interlocks, ensuring a clear and robust analysis of its dynamic behavior. The model validation will be conducted through computational simulations using the PIPE 4.3 software, ensuring the absence of deadlocks and resource limitations within the modeled network. Subsequently, the model will be translated into Ladder Diagram (LD) programming language, following the IEC 61131-3 standard, for practical implementation in Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs). As a result, this study aims to achieve efficient automation of ground handling processes, reducing aircraft turnaround times at airports, optimizing operational efficiency, and improving safety. This project contributes to the modernization and sustainability of airport operations, providing a solid foundation for future applications in more complex systems.