Aircraft Landing System

The big problem with aircraft is landing. In the air they are supported over their entire surface by the most ephemeral of substances. On the ground they are supported at three points by hardest substance in the world. The transition between the two is the difficult part.

So then I had an idea. How about a grapple car that runs on a track along the center of the runway? The car would position itself directly under the landing aircraft, a cable would be attached between the two, and the aircraft would be winched to the ground. The idea is that the aircraft could generate more lift and keep tension on the cable, while the winch could assure a controlled rate of descent. When the aircraft touched down they could relax their power and attitude, lift would disappear and the aircraft would settle on the ground, safe and secure.

It would operate somewhat like the tripwire systems used on aircraft carriers. Fighter aircraft hit full throttle as soon as they touch down so that if the tailhook does not catch, they can take off again. They cable works against this force and holds the aircraft in place.

Of course there are any number of problems with my idea. The car would have to quickly accelerate up to the aircraft's speed, it would have to position itself directly under the aircraft. We have to connect a cable between the car and the aircraft. If the car carries the cable, it is going to, what, shoot it at the aircraft and hope it hits the connection point? If the aircraft carries the cable, that's extra equipment and that means extra weight, which is the enemy of all aircraft. And then there's the problem of having tracks in the center of the runway, right where the nosewheel is going to be.

So I don't see this changing the face of aviation any time in the near future. It might be useful someplace where wind makes landing difficult or impossible most of the time. Military application possibly.