Electric Drive Motors for Taxi Use

[BILL LUMBERG]

Just as oil was peaking at 150 a barrel, they had a press release that Delta was going to be the launch customer for the product on the 737. This deal included apparently a free installation and bulk rate purchase price well under market value to make it worth it to Delta.

We had tech writers and people on the project and then it just went away.......

No idea what happened......me thinks the weight to fuel savings ratio math didn't add up to the bean counters.....but what do they know.

My crew meal "costs" money also......

 

[Pervis]

I was told by a Chief Pilot that the system that SWA is looking at weighs 400 lbs.

No big deal. That's the equivalent of only 1 pax.

 

[GOULET!]

No big deal. That's the equivalent of only 1 pax.

Well played sir, well played.

 

[wmuflyguy]

Nice! I kinda like it. The only things that I can think of that they would have to overcome is obviously weight but also, when you would rather have the engines running. A) Short taxi where you would want engines started prior to taxi for warm up and stabilization. B) The engines would need to be powerful enough to climb a steep incline at MGTOW. C) Ability to taxi an aircraft through contaminated surfaces and up an incline. Conversely would they be able to shut off or store energy on down hill slopes where the aircraft is able to roll/gain speed under it's own weight. I hope it works out though. More money in our pockets, right!?

I envision this system as just another option to the pilot.

In JFK, LGA, EWR, LAX, ATL, or any similar airport on an average day...use the electric wheels.

Short Taxi? light both engines up and go (you have to have a minimum warm up time anyway).

Contaminated surface? Most guys wouldn't taxi on 1 engine on a contaminated surface (I'm talking snow and ice). Light both engines up for safety.

This concept has the ability to be very effective brakes for landing and RTO also.

 

[ackattacker]

Somebody I flew with was telling me about some foreign airline where it was SOP to be tugged to the runway. Can't remember the country. But it makes a certain amount of sense.

 

[LearLove]

Electric morots for taxi = something else to break and MEL.

In the next contract we will have to get out and push the aircraft by hand to the runway to save gas. Pay starts at engine start. However our healthcare costs will be really low because we will all be super fit and we will save on a gym membership to boot.

 

[Tweaker]

Lear, youR such a MORAT!

 

[BrickTop]

How do they plan to Anti-Ice the engine cowls on taxiing in contaminated conditions without EXPENSIVE duct rerouting from the APU bleed air or do so electrically? Or do they plan a heating period after engine start.

 

[ackattacker]

How do they plan to Anti-Ice the engine cowls on taxiing in contaminated conditions without EXPENSIVE duct rerouting from the APU bleed air or do so electrically? Or do they plan a heating period after engine start.

Obviously you'd plan for a typical 3-5 minute warmup. Engines don't need deice when they're not running. The use for such a drive system would be for long taxis and possibly pushback without a tug (hopefully with some sort of rear camera system). Also for taxi into the gate after landing.

 

[asayankee]

The problem still lies with single generator ops. If you lose the APU gen (which I have a couple of times), you now have no electric power and hence no hydraulics for brakes. Are we really going to rely on accumulator pressure in this scenario?