Pioneer Aerospace Corporation, a Zodiac Company that provides analytical, design, development, manufacturing, and flight-testing services for all types of Aerodynamic Deceleration Systems in the Space and Military Equipment industries, announced today the purchase of Airlift Technologies International, Inc., located in Milton, Florida. Airlift Technologies International, Inc. is an approved U.S. Government manufacturing and engineering company that specializes in the design and production of Aerial Delivery Systems, Airdrop Qualification Testing, Airdrop Load Design, Systems Related Logistic Support, and Training for all personnel involved in cargo airdrop operations.
Pioneer Aerospace initiated the acquisition of Airlift Technologies International, Inc. (known as ATI) to reinforce core competencies for airdrop products and operations support. With the acquisition of ATI, Pioneer Aerospace looks forward to supplying “Completely Integrated System” solutions for Airdrop Mission Requirements and Aerial Delivery Products. Together, Pioneer Aerospace and ATI will now offer a wide range of products and services that includes all hardware and textile elements necessary for the airdrop of critical cargo payloads of any scale. With the combined experience of the engineering staff from these companies, customers can now also expect the development of innovative products and capabilities for future airdrop needs.Pioneer Aerospace provides parachute systems and alternative aerodynamic decelerator components for Space and Military customers worldwide. Pioneer Aerospace operates a modern factory in Columbia, Mississippi for the mass production of cargo and personnel parachutes used by all branches of the military. In 2004, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory used a Parachute Deceleration System designed and manufactured by Pioneer Aerospace to land the robotic Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity safely on Mars. The development of this system included the design of a Mortar Deployment System, aerodynamic performance analysis of a parachute deployed in the Martian atmosphere at supersonic velocity, and qualification testing. Currently, Pioneer Aerospace is developing a large gliding parachute capability for the U.S. Army and has developed a Navigation, Guidance, and Control System for maneuvering gliding parachutes to precision landings.ATI is a world leader in Air Cargo Delivery System Technology. NASA has utilized ATI expertise for cargo mission management for the International Space Station critical lift movements of components and sections that utilized large cargo aircraft. ATI maintains a team of expert instructors for providing a total systems approach that allows customers to fully utilize the operational capabilities of heavy transport aircraft. ATI trains pilots, navigators, loadmasters, technicians, ground support personnel, load riggers, and parachute riggers in all aspects of aerial delivery procedures. The ATI engineering department works in mechanical design, structural analysis, aerodynamics, fluid mechanics, electronics, and computer science. The technical team has completed air transport / airdrop system design and development efforts for ground handling equipment, in-aircraft air transport equipment, cradles, restraint systems, airdrop rigging systems, airdrop extraction dynamics analysis, airdrop trajectory analysis, landing impact shock mitigation dynamics analysis, helicopter external transport sling design, and structural analysis of mechanical designs. ATI is currently one of the largest approved manufacturers of Type V and DRAS (Dual Row Airdrop System) airdrop platforms in the world
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