DE102007043025B4 - Method of operating an airport and airport - Google Patents

Abstract

Method for operating an airport (10), the - at least two aircraft tractors (12), - endpoints, in the form of at least one aircraft footprint (14) and at least one aircraft tug base (16) for the aircraft tractors (12), - movement surfaces in the form of runways (18; 24) having a first (20; 26) and a second end (22; 28), at least one runway (30) between the aircraft landing surface (14) and the runways (18; 24) and at least one feeder route for the aircraft tractors (12), and - crossing points between movement surfaces, comprising the steps of: (a) modeling the airport (10) as a Petri net (40), wherein (i) the endpoints and the intersections (ii) the movement surfaces as transitions, (iii) the occupation of the movement surfaces and the aircraft tugs (12) as brands and (iv) movements of the aircraft tugs (12) as transitions of the associated brands from one place to another place w (b) detecting a current state of the airport (10), (c) representing the current state in the Petri net (40), (d) calculating an accessibility graph (42) from the Petri net (40) based on the current state, (e) checking the reachability graphs (42) for critical states (48) (f) optionally blocking transitions leading to the critical state (48), ...

Description

The invention relates to a method for operating an airport, which has at least two aircraft tractors, end points in the form of at least one aircraft footprint and at least one aircraft tug base for the aircraft tractors, moving surfaces in the form of a runway having a first end and a second end , At least one runway between the aircraft footprint and the runway and at least one feeder route for the aircraft tractors, crossing points between movement surfaces and a guide for controlling the aircraft tractors comprises. According to a second aspect, the invention relates to such an airport.

A generic airport and a method for operating an airport are from the WO 20031078250 A1 known. It describes a method for autonomously transporting an aircraft on the ground between a runway and a parking position in which the aircraft is transported without its own aircraft propulsion. For this purpose, the aircraft is picked up on the main landing gear by an aircraft tractor, which is pulled by cables running under the runway.

A similar system is from the US 5 078 340 A known, which relates to a method for transporting aircraft on the ground in the range of parking positions. An advantage of such systems is that a transport of aircraft with ground vehicles significantly less fuel needed than an independent roles of the aircraft. A disadvantage of the known systems is that they are inflexible. Thus, the aircraft tractors can only be moved along such slopes in which cables are present. Another disadvantage is the complex maintenance. If there is a fault in the cable system, there is also a risk that the entire airport will be shut down. A further disadvantage is that no safety analyzes and no optimal strategies for the use of aircraft tractors are known for such a novel ground traffic transport system.

From the DE 20 2005 018 062 U1 is a cable towing threshold for vehicles a virtual tower is described. The aim of the air traffic control system is to provide this virtual tower with the most reliable image data in real time, so that an air traffic controller, who has service in the virtual tower, is fully aware of the situation at the airport. A disadvantage of the air traffic control device is that it does not manage without pilots.

From the DE 2005 018 062 U1 is known a cable towing threshold for vehicles. The disadvantage is that this drag threshold is not suitable for automated operation in a large airport.

The invention has for its object to make an airport so operable that fuel savings while rolling can be realized.

The invention solves the problem by a method according to claim 1.

According to a second aspect, the invention solves the problem by a generic airport, wherein the guide is arranged for performing a method according to the invention.

An advantage of the invention is that drastic fuel savings compared to self-propelled roles can be achieved. Advantageously, the system according to the invention is also very flexible, so that, for example, delays of aircraft can be absorbed.

It is particularly advantageous that the security of the method or the airport is mathematically detectable. Therefore, it is also sufficient for the common in aviation, high security requirements. It is also advantageous that the system is easily reconfigurable. If, for example, the number of aircraft to be towed per unit of time varies, more or fewer aircraft tugs can be used. A further advantage is that the system can be operated partially autonomously as part of a test operation, wherein the control signals are delivered to an operator of the aircraft tractor, who can perform an additional plausibility check of the movement of the aircraft tractor to be executed. It is also advantageous that accidents are largely excluded by pilot error or pilot error. The system also simplifies the work of the pilots.

In the context of the present description, the current state of the airport means the entirety of all brands. The detection of the current state can be done for example via sensors or people. For example, sensors may be present in the movement surfaces, which detect whether an aircraft or an aircraft tractor is located on the respective movement surface. Such sensors may be radar or radio sensors, for example.

By representing the current state in the Petri net is meant, in particular, that the entirety of all brands of aircraft tugs is assigned to the places where the aircraft tugs associated with the brands are currently located. By calculating the accessibility graph from the Petri net, starting from the current state, the corresponding process is understood according to the Petri net theory. In particular, the states of the airport that can be reached on the basis of the transitions are calculated for all possible transitions, the reachability graph having a depth of n. This means that n successive transitions are taken into account according to the current state. The depth n depends decisively on the available computing power of a computer system used for carrying out the method according to the invention. The greater the depth n, the more advantageous the method. It is particularly favorable if the depth n is greater than fifty and, for example, less than one hundred.

By checking the reachability graph for critical states, it is to be understood in particular that the states coded in the reachability graph are checked to see whether the state of security of the airport is at risk for such a state or whether it leads to a deadlock. Such a deadlock arises, for example, when two aircraft tugs move in opposite directions and would have to use the same movement surface in the further course. In particular, such a state of the airport would be a critical condition that would conflict with applicable aviation safety rules or would block vehicles such as aircraft and aircraft towers from one another.

By blocking transitions that lead to the critical state, it is to be understood in particular that the further method prevents a control signal from being generated, with the result that aircraft tractors would move in such a way that a critical state occurs. In order to determine the optimally future state, for example, a, in principle arbitrary, evaluation function is used which assigns a value to each transition. Such a valuation function is, for example, the cost of the transition or the roll time.

In a preferred embodiment, the airport is modeled as a colored Petri net, as this means of description ensures a compact form of presentation and hierarchical structuring as well as automatic analysis.

According to a preferred embodiment, the detection of the current state is carried out automatically, in particular by the aircraft tractors transmitting absolute or relative coordinates by radio to a central station. It is possible, for example, that the aircraft tractors determine their relative position to these transmitters by means of triangulation bearings for transmitters which are fixedly arranged at the airport. Alternatively or additionally, the aircraft tractors determine their absolute coordinates by a satellite-based navigation system.

Preferably, the sequence of transitions has a depth of 50 or more transitions to allow for sufficient projection into the future. However, this depends on the airport topology. The greater the depth, the greater the likelihood that the determined optimal future state will turn out to be the optimal choice even after a long time in retrospect. The lower the depth, the less computing power is needed.

In a preferred embodiment, determining the optimum future state comprises the steps of computing an evaluation score that encodes a cost and / or time required for the transition for all transitions, summing up all score numbers for all transitions that result in a highest depth state so that a state score is obtained and selecting a state of minimum state score as optimum future state. An advantage of this is that the method differs so with a high degree of certainty only a little from an optimal in terms of cost process.

On the one hand, to be able to react to changes sufficiently quickly and, on the other hand, to manage with comparatively low computing power, steps (b) to (h) are preferably repeated as a function of the event and / or at a time interval of several minutes.

The aircraft tractors can be used particularly effectively and flexibly if the control signals are transmitted by radio to the aircraft tractors. In order to prevent interference signals and sabotage attempts, the control signals are preferably coded.

In order to minimize aircraft waiting time for an associated aircraft tug, a preferred embodiment of the method includes the steps of detecting a landing time of an aircraft landing on the runway and blocking transitions that result in a condition in which no aircraft tugboat at the time of landing Towing the plane away from the runway is available.

In a preferred embodiment, an airport according to the invention comprises at least two aircraft tractors, each comprising a chassis, an engine and a coupling device for coupling the aircraft tractor to a landing gear of an aircraft, the coupling device being connected to the vehicle via a quick-mounting device Chassis is attached and a main landing gear adapter for connecting to a main landing gear of the aircraft and a nose gear adapter for connecting to a nose gear of the aircraft comprises. Alternatively, the tractor can be composed of separate, self-propelled modules which are coupled to each other via couplings. The aircraft tractor is therefore preferably of modular construction, so that it can be tuned for the respective intended use, for example to a mass of the aircraft to be towed. It is also possible to tailor the aircraft tractor to different geometries of main or nose gear and their orientation relative to each other.

In order to be able to adapt the engine power, it is preferably provided that one or more self-propelled engine modules are coupled with their chassis between nose landing gear module and main landing gear module. For increased automation, the aircraft tractor is also preferably designed to be self-propelled.

In order to be able to detect the state of the airport at any time, individual, but in particular all movement areas, advantageously comprise sensors for detecting aircraft tugs.

In the following the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to exemplary embodiments. It shows

1 a schematic view of an airport according to the invention,

2 a graphic representation of a Petri-net representation of a part of the airport after 1

3 an accessibility graph for the Petri net according to 2 .

4 a schematic representation of an interaction between the guidance of the airport and its other components and

5 a schematic representation of an aircraft tractor according to the invention of an airport according to the invention.

1 shows an airport 10 with aircraft tugs 12.1 . 12.2 , ..., aircraft stands 14.1 . 14.2 , an aircraft tug stand 16 (hatched), a first runway 18 (shown in dotted lines), which is a first end 20 and a second end 22 owns and a second runway 24 (shown in dotted lines), which is a first end 26 and a second end 28 has.

The airport 10 also includes a first runway 30.1 (Runways are shown dotted like pistes) and a second runway 30.2 that the second runway 24 each at their first end 26 or second end 28 with the plane stand 14 connect. A third runway 30.3 leads from the aircraft stand area 14 also to the first end 26 the second runway 24 and a runway 30.4 also connects the second end 28 with the plane stand 14 facing an apron 32 is arranged. A fifth runway 30.5 leads from the first end 26 the second runway 24 to the first end 20 , the first runway 18 and a sixth runway 30.6 connects the second end 22 the first runway 18 with the second end 28 the second runway 24 , The airport 10 is from a virtual tower 34 controlled from.

At the airport 10 are the aircraft tugs 12.1 . 12.2 , ... track-guided and it is a roadway system 36 for the aircraft tractors 12 provided by the route network for aircraft 38.1 . 38.2 , ... is disconnected. In the present specification, reference numerals without counting suffix indicate the corresponding object each as such.

The aircraft tractors can be realized in different ways. Examples are rail-bound aircraft tractors with diesel, gas or electric motors. It is also possible, the aircraft tractors 12 carry out with magnetic levitation with long stator or provide virtual tracking using satellite navigation, video image processing and radio bearing. Through the aircraft tugs 12 are the ground movements of the aircraft 38 before and after landing, largely automatic, comparable to rail transport, with control and optimal resource allocation as described below.

2 shows a model of the airport 10 in the form of a state machine in the form of a Petri net 40 , In the Petri net 40 Places are drawn as ellipses, where endpoints and crossing points of movement surfaces are modeled as places. Places thus represent, for example, the aircraft stand areas 14.1 . 14.2 in 1 , where in 2 just 14.1 Shown is the aircraft tractor stand areas 16.1 and 16.2 , where in 2 just 16.1 is shown and crossing points 70.1 like the one between piste 24.1 and runway 30.4 ,

Transitions, represented as rectangles in Petri nets, represent the transitions between squares. In the airport topology they map the movement areas (slopes, runways, ...). The directed edges, as connecting lines between squares and transitions, indicate the possible directions of movement of the aircraft and aircraft tugs via the movement areas (transitions) of crossing point / footprint (square) Crossing point / floor space (square). Aircraft and aircraft tugs are represented as brands. For example, the mark means 72.1 / 38.1 that the aircraft tug 12.3 by plane 38.1 is connected and both form a composite. For the period of transport of the aircraft by the aircraft tug, the transport resource becomes aircraft tugs in the Petri net 40 occupied by the aircraft. The process dynamics are represented in Petri nets by switching the transitions and the associated brand flow. By switching the transitions, a moving surface in the form of the second runway 30.2 the brand flows 12.3 / 38.1 to 70.2 ie the plane 38.1 is from the aircraft tractor 12.3 from crossing point 70.1 towards intersection point 70.2 towed. This is the taxiway 30.4 used.

Important is the resource limitation inherent in the Petri net and the formally derived analysis of the accessibility of all possible system states. Another important feature is the possibility of hierarchical structuring of Petri nets for complex systems over subnets. In 2 only the highest hierarchy is shown. Different process levels are displayed on correspondingly different network hierarchy levels. In the example, the transition "apron" represents 32 a subnet that describes the processes on the apron at a terminal building.

• 1. Festlegung eines Netzwerkes von Wegstrecken und Kreuzungspunkten zur Beschreibung der Bodenverkehrsflüsse auf den Flughafen. (a) Die Bewegung (Schleppen) über ein Wegstück wird als Prozess im Petri-Netz durch das Schalten einer Transition beschrieben. (b) Das Erreichen eines Kreuzungspunktes als Prozesszustand wird durch die Belegung eines Platzes mit einer Marke beschrieben.
• 2. Festlegen von Regeln zur Benutzung der Wegstrecken durch Flugzeuge, dies umfasst Nutzungsstrategien (z. B. Nutzung in eine Richtung oder in beide Richtungen) und Ressourcenbeschränkungen (z. B. Nutzungsobergrenzen). (a) Wegstücke werden als Ressourcen verstanden und durch Marken ihre Auslastung im Petri-Netz repräsentiert. Art und Umfang der verfügbaren Markierungen beschreiben die Nutzungsart der Wegstücke. (b) Frei verfügbare Wegstücke befinden sich in einem Ressourcenspeicher und stehen den Verkehrsobjekten zur Nutzung zur Verfügung. Ressourcenspeicher werden im Petri-Netz als Plätze realisiert.
• 3. Erfassung möglicher Flugzeuge und deren für den Transport relevanten Eigenschaften (z. B. Gewichtsklasse). (a) Flugzeuge sind die dynamischen Objekte im Flughafenbodenverkehrsprozess und werden durch Marken repräsentiert. (b) Durch Färbung (Attributierung) der Marken erfolgt die Zuweisung von Eigenschaften, wie z. B. die Gewichtsklasse eines Flugzeugs Ableitung der Anforderungen an den automatisierten Flughafentransport:
• 4. Einführung von Flugzeugschleppern und Festlegung der Anforderungen an diese (a) Flugzeugschlepper sind Transportressourcen im System und werden als Marken repräsentiert. (b) Durch Färbung der Marken erfolgt die Zuweisung von Eigenschaften, wie z. B. Gewichtsklasse der transportierbaren Flugzeuge. (c) Die Verwendung unterschiedlicher Flugzeugschlepper für den Schleppprozess unterschiedlicher Flugzeuggewichtsklassen kann durch Verwendung unterschiedlicher Schlepperleistungsklassen oder durch Zusammenkoppeln mehrerer standardisierter Motor-Module realisiert werden.
• 5. Identifikation geeigneter Flugzeugschlepper-Standflächen, Festlegung Menge und Fassungsvermögen. (a) Flugzeugschlepper-Parkplätze sind Ressourcenspeicher (Speicher für Flugzeugschlepper) und werden als Platz im Petri-Netz dargestellt.
• 6. Identifikation notwendiger Unterstützungsprozesse, wie z. B. einer Verbindung von Flugzeug und Flugzeugschlepper. (a) Der Kopplungsvorgang von Flugzeug mit Flugzeugschlepper ist ein Prozess und wird durch das Schalten einer Transition beschrieben. Das Ergebnis ist die Verschmelzung von zwei Marken zu einer Produktmenge. (b) Die Zurverfügungstellung von Flugzeugschleppern (Fahrt zur Kopplungsstelle) als Prozess wird ebenfalls durch das Schalten einer Transition beschrieben.

In the following, the steps for the construction of a Petri net for modeling the airport and its operational control are described in detail. In a first step, an analysis of the description of the ground handling system is made. In a second step, the formulation of the description object follows on the basis of a system-theoretical representation. In a third step, the description item is formalized using colored Petri nets. In detail, the following steps are processed:

• 1. Definition of a network of routes and intersections describing the ground traffic flows to the airport. (a) Movement (towing) over a span is described as a process in the Petri net by switching a transition. (b) Achieving a crossing point as a process state is described by occupying a place with a mark.
• 2. Establish rules for the use of the routes by aircraft, including usage strategies (eg unidirectional or bi-directional use) and resource constraints (eg usage limits). (a) Distances are understood as resources and brands represent their utilization in the Petri net. The nature and extent of the available markings describe the usage of the way pieces. (b) Freeways are located in a resource repository and are available for use by the traffic objects. Resource storages are realized in the Petri net as places.
• 3. Recording of possible aircraft and their relevant properties for transport (eg weight class). (a) Aircraft are the dynamic objects in the airport ground handling process and are represented by brands. (b) By staining (attribution) of the marks, the assignment of properties, such as. B. the weight class of an aircraft Derivation of requirements for automated airport transportation:
• 4. Introduction of aircraft tugs and the requirements for them (a) Aircraft tugs are transport resources in the system and are represented as brands. (b) By staining the marks, the assignment of properties such. B. Weight class of transportable aircraft. (c) The use of different aircraft tractors for the towing process of different aircraft weight classes can be realized by using different tractor performance classes or by coupling together several standardized engine modules.
• 5. Identification of suitable aircraft tractor stand areas, determination of quantity and capacity. (a) Aircraft tug parking spaces are resource stores (storage for aircraft tugs) and are represented as a place in the Petri net.
• 6. identification of necessary support processes, such. B. a connection of aircraft and aircraft tractor. (a) The coupling process of aircraft with aircraft tractors is a process and is described by the switching of a transition. The result is the merger of two brands into one product. (b) The provision of aircraft tugs (trip to the coupling point) as a process is also described by switching a transition.

A crucial aspect for the operators of the ground transportation system, which increasingly take on supervisory control as automation progresses, is the timely identification of critical system conditions. This is done by continuous calculation of the so-called reachability graph. Accessibility graphs, which can be generated automatically from the Petri net, form discrete events all variants in the course of the traffic, which can occur in the Petri net in a given aircraft-aircraft tug scenario. In the For example, for a two-aircraft scenario, different aircraft tug configurations are shown.

An accessibility graph depicts all possible alternatives in the traffic flow starting from the current time. Optimal trajectories can be identified, selected and implemented, or critical paths can be identified and eliminated early.

The possibility of a periodically recurring accessibility analysis enables the entry of changing process data into the running scenario.

For each point in time, the state of the airport can be formulated, for example, in the form of a graph or in the form of a matrix equivalent thereto. As a rule, a large number of other states can result from this current state, for example by moving an aircraft and / or an aircraft tractor from one position to another position. All possible, resulting states are displayed in a reachability graph. The procedure for creating a reachability graph from a Petri net can be taken from standard literature.

3 shows such a reachability graph 42 , wherein the initial state of in 2 shown current state is. The accessibility graph 42 discovers event-discrete all variants in the traffic flow, which can occur in the Petri net and was created with the computer program CPN Tools, which represents standard software. As can be seen, the reachability graph points 42 a depth n of nine. This means that, starting from the original state, nine transitions to a subsequent state are calculated, if possible. The set of end nodes (four in the present case, corresponding to depth n = 12) represents the possible transports.

All in the reachability graph of 42 States represented as (rounded) square symbols are checked to see if they represent a critical state. That is, they are checked to see if they encode a state of the airport that conflicts, for example, with applicable safety regulations. If so, the transition leading to the invalid state is disabled. From the possible future states in depth n = 12, which in 3 to the far right, becomes the optimal future state 74 selected. For this the roll times are evaluated. This means that in each case the time is calculated that is necessary to bring the state into the respective final state. The final state that is most quickly reached, or for which the taxiing time of the towed aircraft is minimized, is selected as the optimal future state.

By introducing boundary conditions and constraints, such as positioning and route assignment of the aircraft tractors, in the Petri net, the reachability graph extent is constrained to optimal transport. Locking transitions to critical states ensures that the airport is always safe States can assume. After the optimal future state is determined, the transitions leading to the optimally future state are extracted from the reachability graph. Subsequently, by radio via a radio system 44 ( 1 ) encoded control signals to the aircraft tractors 12 Sent so that they move so that the airport 10 comes in the optimal future state.

The airport 10 also includes sensors 46.1 . 46.2 , ..., those in the runways 30.1 . 30.2 , ... and the other traffic areas are embedded, and which record whether an aircraft tractor 12 or an airplane 38 or both are located on the respective movement area or on the respective end point.

4 shows a schematic overview of the method described above. The current state of the airport 10 corresponds to a current state in a Petri net 40 , Based on this Petri net 40 becomes an accessibility graph 42 calculated and critical states, such as the state 48 , are locked, as by a cross 50 is indicated.

It remains in the in 4 In the simplified example shown, two possible future states Z1 and Z2 are selected, under which the optimal future state is selected. In a subsequent step, control signals 52 sent out the airport 10 bring in the assumed optimal state Z2. After expiration of a given time becomes another reachability graph 40 ' calculated from the state Z2 and can lead to the future states Z3, Z4 and Z5, wherein Z5 is discarded as an invalid state, the transition from Z3 is locked in the state Z5.

The monitoring of the system state of the airport, that is to say the approaching, landing and taking off aircraft and the aircraft towers, is carried out by means of an Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and Control System (ASMGCS), the information of which provides the basis for the Petri-Net Control Panel , Critical situations, such as runway incursions, are avoided, since all traffic flows are in the hands of the monitoring center in the form of a virtual tower. As a result, pilot errors are impossible, such as an inadmissible rolling on a non-released runway due to ignorance of local conditions or faulty communication.

The planes 38 After landing, the first taxiway entrance to the runway will be occupied by an aircraft tug 12 taken over, so that already here the engines of the aircraft can be switched off and the responsibility passes from the pilot to a taxi driver in the virtual tower as a supervisor of the automatic transmission. The aircraft towers remotely controlled by the virtual tower via the Petri net 12 transport the aircraft 38 track guided by suitable guidance systems. The transport of the aircraft 38 From a gate to the runway for the start is quite analogous with the same system, so that here too, the turbines are started just before the start to warm up.

5 shows an aircraft tractor 12 according to a preferred embodiment, a chassis 54 , a motor 56 in the form of a diesel engine and a coupling device 58 for coupling the aircraft tractor 12 to a not schematically drawn aircraft 38 includes. The coupling device 58 in turn includes a main landing gear adapter 60 consisting of two sub-elements for the respective wheelsets of the aircraft 38 consists. The coupling device 58 also includes a nose gear adapter 62 , which is a nose landing gear of the aircraft 38 can record.

At least one self-propelled engine module 56 on the chassis 54 is coupled via couplings between main landing gear module and nose landing gear module, with the number of engine modules or engine performance class depending on the weight category of the aircraft to be towed. Via a schematically drawn radio unit 64 can the aircraft tug 12 Receive and transmit radio signals. The radio unit 64 is in connection with an electrical control 66 using position sensors 68.1 . 68.2 is electrically connected and which is adapted to the aircraft tractor 12 lead tracked at the airport.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

Airport

12

aircraft tractor

14

Aircraft stand area

16

Aircraft tractor-footprint

18

first runway

20

first end

22

second end

24

second runway

26

first end

28

second end

30

runway

32

advance

34

virtual tower

36

track system

38

plane

40

Petri net

42

reachability graph

44

radio system

46

sensor

48

critical condition

50

cross

52

control signal

54

chassis

56

engine

58

coupling device

60

Main gear adapter

62

Bugfahrwerksadapter

64

radio unit

66

electrical control

68

position sensor

70

crossing points

74

optimal condition

n

depth

Claims (13)

Method for operating an airport ( 10 ), the - at least two aircraft tractors ( 12 ), - endpoints, in the form of at least one aircraft footprint ( 14 ) and at least one aircraft tug stand ( 16 ) for the aircraft tractors ( 12 ), - movement areas, in the form of slopes ( 18 ; 24 ), the first ( 20 ; 26 ) and a second end ( 22 ; 28 ), at least one runway ( 30 ) between the aircraft footprint ( 14 ) and the slopes ( 18 ; 24 ) and at least one feeder route for the aircraft tractors ( 12 ), and - intersecting points between movement surfaces, comprising the steps of: (a) modeling the airport ( 10 ) as a Petri net ( 40 ), where (i) the end points and the crossing points as places, (ii) the movement areas as transitions, (iii) the occupancy of the movement areas and the aircraft tractors ( 12 ) as marks and (iv) movements of aircraft tractors ( 12 ) are modeled as transitions of the assigned marks from one place to another place, (b) detecting a current state of the airport ( 10 ), (c) representing the current state in the Petri net ( 40 ), (d) calculating an accessibility graph ( 42 ) from the Petri net ( 40 ) starting from the current state, (e) checking the reachability graphs ( 42 ) to critical states ( 48 ) (f) if necessary, blocking of transitions leading to the critical state ( 48 g) from the remaining, allowed transitions determining a sequence of transitions into an optimal future state, (h) outputting control signals corresponding to the sequence of transitions ( 52 ), so that at least one of the aircraft tractors ( 12 ) to an aircraft ( 38 ) and / or moves from one movement surface to another movement surface, so that the current state of the airport ( 10 ) is transferred to the calculated optimal state of the airport, and (i) continuously repeating steps (b) through (h). Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the airport ( 10 ) as a colored Petri net ( 40 ) is modeled. Method according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the detection of the current state is carried out automatically, in particular by the aircraft tractors ( 12 ) transmit absolute or relative coordinates by radio to a central office. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the sequence of transitions comprises a depth (s) of four, five, six, seven or more successive transitions, in particular of more than fifty transitions. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the determination of the optimal future state comprises the following steps. - for all transitions, calculate a score that encodes a transition cost, Adding up all rating numbers for all transitions leading to a state of highest depth such that a state score is obtained, and Selecting a state of minimum state score as optimal future state. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the steps (b) to (h) are repeated at a time interval of 0.1 min to 10 min. Method according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that control signals ( 52 ) by radio to the aircraft tractors ( 12 ). Method according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by the steps: - Detecting a landing time of an aircraft ( 38 ) in the approach to the slopes ( 18 ; 24 ) and - blocking of transitions that lead to a state in which no aircraft tugboat (at the time of landing) 12 ) for towing the aircraft ( 38 ) from the slopes ( 18 ; 24 ) is available. Airport which (a) has at least two aircraft tractors ( 12 ), (b) endpoints in the form of at least one aircraft footprint ( 14 ) and at least one aircraft tug stand ( 16 ) for the aircraft tractors ( 12 ) (c) Movement areas, in the form of slopes ( 18 ; 24 ), which is a first end ( 20 ; 26 ) and a second end ( 22 ; 28 ), at least one runway ( 30 ) between the aircraft footprint ( 14 ) and the slopes ( 18 ; 24 ) and at least one feeder line ( 36 ) for the aircraft tractors ( 12 ), and (d) crossing points between movement surfaces, and (e) a guidance device for controlling the aircraft tractors ( 12 ), characterized in that the guide device is set up for carrying out a method according to one of the preceding claims. Airport ( 10 ) according to claim 9, characterized in that at least two aircraft tractors ( 12 ) each (a) a chassis ( 54 ), (b) a motor ( 56 ) and (c) a coupling device ( 58 ) for coupling the aircraft tractor ( 12 ) to a landing gear of an aircraft ( 38 ) connected to the chassis via a quick-release device ( 54 ) and (i) a main landing gear adapter ( 60 ) for connection to a main landing gear of the aircraft ( 38 ) and (ii) a nose landing gear adapter ( 62 ) for connecting to a nose gear of the aircraft. Airport ( 10 ) according to one of claims 9 or 10, characterized in that the engine ( 56 ) via a quick mounting device to the chassis ( 54 ) is attached. Airport ( 10 ) according to one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the aircraft tractors ( 12 ) are self-propelled. Airport ( 10 ) according to one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that movement surfaces sensors ( 46 ) for detecting aircraft tugs ( 12 ).

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