When every second counts, the very highest standards of safety are essential in emergency situations at airports.
There are all kinds of reasons why an aircraft might block a runway, from a burst tire to a brake that cannot be released.

With our airport being a busy air traffic hub, a rapid and efficient response is essential so that aircraft movement areas can be returned to use as quickly as possible.

At Frankfurt Airport, the Airport Fire Department and its Aircraft Recovery Team consisting of professional recovery experts are specialists for all scenarios involving disabled aircraft recovery.

State-of-the-art aircraft recovery equipment

We have a wide range of aircraft recovery equipment at our disposal. For example, the Aircraft Recovery and Transport System (ARTS) includes recovery dollies, crane traverses and slings, mobile road surfaces, support frames, hydraulic instruments and a full range of aircraft lifting bags. With the exception of the ARTS, all of the aircraft recovery equipment is stored in specially designed roll-off container systems, allowing it to be quickly transported to accident sites by road or by air.

International training

We also offer training on disabled aircraft recovery for international airport staff. Practical training takes place at our training area at Frankfurt Airport’s Fire Station 3 and uses our disabled aircraft prototype, which is comparable to an Airbus A320 or a Boeing 737.

Theoretical content, e.g. on the design features of different aircraft types and tried-and-tested recovery methods, can be delivered at our training center or at other airports.