Three ex-cadets from the class of ’73, Shawn Coyle 9758, Maj (Ret’d) Ron Davidson 9657, and Maj (Ret’d ) Kent Smerdon 9719, have been recognized by The Space Technology Hall of Fame and recently been included in the various Nasa Space Shuttle “Spin-Off” Technology Museums throughout the United States for their new, revolutionary product. The three got together a few years back and formed Aeroserve Technologies Ltd., and developed the award-winning product known as Airtab®.
The Airtab® is a small individually manufactured plastic 3×5 inch, wishbone-shaped aerodynamic device. Airtabs™ alter the airflow in the vehicle’s wake when mounted on the sides and across the roof of any square-backed highway vehicle. This airflow modification stabilizes the vehicle and reduces the partial vacuum that forms there. This vacuum is precisely why the backs of vehicles become dirty; more importantly, it is also what causes the drag which induces heightened fuel costs.
In a world where gas prices are constantly increasing, the threat of global warming looms overhead each day, and fossil fuels are a concern on numerous nations’ minds, a simple product that aims to conserve fuel is a necessity. The product is proven to save between two to four percent of overall fuel consumption; this may not seem to be an overly impressive figure initially, but the savings truly show its potential when one considers the daily world consumption of highway transportation – which amounts to several million gallons a day.
“Our first target market was the Owner/Operators in North America. They buy their own fuel, so we believed Airtabs were a logical fit,” explain Maj (Ret’d) Ron Davidson, the current CEO of Aeroserve, “The drivers tried them out, liked the performance, and told others that Airtabs deliver. Word of mouth is doing the rest.”
The future of the ex-cadets’ product looks very promising. The Airtab has an almost limitless amount of application possibilities; regardless of the vehicle’s size or type, the Airtab can be utilized on any square-backed vehicle or trailer, and the physic and aerodynamic remain the same. While world-wide trucking remains Aeroserve’s primary target, the concept of the Airtab is catching on quickly because of fuel prices and environmental concerns. It is very possible to see these products on buses, trains, subway cars, tankers, mini-vans, RVs, SUVs, utility trailers, and many other public vehicles in the near future.
“It is a feather in our caps for sure,” remarks Maj (Ret’d) Kent Smerdon.
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For more information concerning the brainchild of these three ex-cadets, Airtab®, check out their company’s website.