A system and method for facilitating take-off from or landing on aircraft
on a short runway includes a linear array of individual linear induction
motors placed along the short runway. A reaction plate mounted to the
aircraft is either accelerated or decelerated by the individual linear
induction motors. A control system associated with each individual linear
induction motor senses the presence of the aircraft, determines its speed,
and applies a predetermined amount of electrical energy to either
accelerate or decelerate the aircraft.
