Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Aviation startup tests 'sky train' technology in North Texas
Dallas Business Journal via WFAA (DFW) ^ | 10/02/2025 | Seth Bodine

Posted on 10/03/2025 7:08:59 AM PDT by DFG

Planes, trains and automobiles can be seen moving in AllianceTexas in north Fort Worth, but a start-up aviation company says making a "sky train" is starting to come to fruition in the area.

The company, Aerolane, announced its headquarters at Perot Field Fort Worth Alliance Airport in April. During an Oct. 1 event at the airport, a crowd that included Hillwood executives, investors and U.S. Congressman Jake Ellzey saw Aerolane's towed cargo glider technology in action as a plane took off with another plane tethered behind it.

Aerolane, which consists of former executives from Prime Air and BNSF, envisions using gliders to tug cargo as a way to save energy for future customers and make air cargo transportation more efficient.

Now, Aerolane is waiting for certification to implement its technology on a commercial scale. The company is currently going through a series of design approvals from the Federal Aviation Administration to convert existing aircraft into tow gliders. Customers have already signed up for the tow technology, known as the AC0. Watson said Aerolane contracted $300 million with a customer described as a large regional carrier, but would not disclose the name of the company. Watson described the customer as "one of the most important and largest regional carriers that serves the United States, but also flies to and from Mexico, the Caribbean, Canada.


TOPICS: Business/Economy
KEYWORDS: aviation; freight; gliders; texas

Click here: to donate by Credit Card

Or here: to donate by PayPal

Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794

Thank you very much and God bless you.


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-22 next last

1 posted on 10/03/2025 7:08:59 AM PDT by DFG
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: DFG

I’d like to see it land in a crosswind.


2 posted on 10/03/2025 7:13:04 AM PDT by crusty old prospector
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DFG; 04-Bravo; 1FASTGLOCK45; 1stFreedom; 2ndDivisionVet; 2sheds; 60Gunner; 6AL-4V; ...

AVIATION PING!...................


3 posted on 10/03/2025 7:13:45 AM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger
It's been done before...


4 posted on 10/03/2025 7:17:15 AM PDT by Regulator (It's fraud, Jim)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Regulator

You beat me to it.


5 posted on 10/03/2025 7:18:46 AM PDT by Semper Vigilantis (A Free Press MAY distort the truth, but a Controlled Press WILL distort the truth.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Regulator

D-Day Redux


6 posted on 10/03/2025 7:27:12 AM PDT by dagunk
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Regulator

As often as not, the gliders turned out to be single use.


7 posted on 10/03/2025 7:32:27 AM PDT by PAR35
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: PAR35; dagunk; Semper Vigilantis

We’ve all seen it before and undoubtedly they got the idea from what the USAAF did in the war.

Remains to be seen how effective it is in commercial use. Will depend on the average flight profile.


8 posted on 10/03/2025 7:38:34 AM PDT by Regulator (It's fraud, Jim)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: DFG
I envision quadruples in the future...


9 posted on 10/03/2025 7:47:46 AM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Regulator

10 posted on 10/03/2025 7:48:46 AM PDT by Larry Lucido (Donate! Don't just post clickbait.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: DFG

What could go wrong?


11 posted on 10/03/2025 7:50:43 AM PDT by al_c (Democrats: Party over Common Sense)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DFG

should this ever actually get off the ground commercially, the first glider that crashes into a neighborhood will terminate this whole nonsense ...


12 posted on 10/03/2025 7:52:40 AM PDT by catnipman ((A Vote For The Lesser Of Two Evils Still Counts As A Vote For Evil))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Regulator

Air Traffic Control: “Go around, Go around. Execute missed approach.

Response: “Nope”

TCAS: “Climb, Climb, Climb”

Response: “ “

They will need to limit these to Freight/GA only airports in rural areas to prevent ‘incidents’ with passenger planes and folks on the ground.

Say Winder for Atlanta, North Texas Regional for DFW, etc.


13 posted on 10/03/2025 7:52:57 AM PDT by PAR35
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: crusty old prospector

2 AMAZON DRONES HIT A CONSTRUCTION CRANE YESTERDAY—MISSED WHERE


14 posted on 10/03/2025 7:56:10 AM PDT by ridesthemiles (not giving up on TRUMP---EVER)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: PAR35

Or maybe they could just catch ‘em in big nets.

You’re right, all the repurposed air bases like Mesa Gateway and the others you named would have to be the destinations, but that was always the plan for the cargo biz...

Still should be interesting when the errant field service truck accidentally drives on to an active runway...eek! Can’t go around...


15 posted on 10/03/2025 8:21:59 AM PDT by Regulator (It's fraud, Jim)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: ProtectOurFreedom

The drivers will hopefully be fully qualified and licensed, no foreigners please.


16 posted on 10/03/2025 8:33:07 AM PDT by Night Hides Not (Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad! Remember Gonzales! Come and Take It!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: DFG

The main purpose of this start up is to collect investor/government money. Then go bankrupt. Like always...


17 posted on 10/03/2025 8:44:28 AM PDT by PilotDave (No, really, you just can't make this stuff up!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PilotDave

“Then go bankrupt. Like always...”

There are always a few exceptions like Apple, Google, Amazon, NVidia, SalesForce, Uber, AirBnB, Netflix, Tesla, Facebook, Cisco, Oracle, Instagram and some others.


18 posted on 10/03/2025 8:55:21 AM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

19 posted on 10/03/2025 9:12:31 AM PDT by Lazamataz (I figure if Charlie Kirk can die for free speech, I can be mildly inconvenienced.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: DFG

Oh yeah I see zero problems with any of this.... /s


20 posted on 10/03/2025 10:25:49 AM PDT by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; not averse to Going Bronson.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-22 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson