Aircraft
Vintage 727 Airliner Deployed to Test New Aircraft Towing System
ATS World-Wide, which is developing a permanently-installed towing system for airports, found a "time-capsule" when it purchased a derelict Boeing 727 jet.
ATS World-Wide CEO Vince Howie poses with his company's new acquisition, a formerly-derelict Boeing 727 that it will use to test and demonstrate its permanently installed, automated aircraft towing system. (Photo: ATS)
ATS World-Wide CEO Vince Howie poses with his company's new acquisition, a formerly-derelict Boeing 727 that it will use to test and demonstrate its permanently installed, automated aircraft towing system. (Photo: ATS)

When Vince Howie first noticed the Kitty Hawk Air Cargo Boeing 727 parked forlornly at Oklahoma’s Ardmore Industrial Airpark several years ago, he thought about leasing it someday to test his company's permanently installed automatic aircraft towing system. Howie's Aircraft Towing Systems World-Wide (ATS) has been developing the technology in cooperation with Oklahoma State University’s New Product Development Center.

As the prototype of the electrically-powered system nears completion, he inquired about the classic tri-jet’s status. “When I discovered it was abandoned, I asked if I might buy it,” said Howie. “The City of Ardmore then filed for an abandoned title and put it up for auction.” With no other bidders, ATS was able to acquire it for just over the minimum bid.