SWA single engine taxi

[SWAPoolie]

After spending an hour trying to find the single engine taxi procedures I finally asked my SWA FO friend where are the single engine taxi procedures. I was astonished to find out that SWA doesn't single engine taxi. This is a requirement at my airline which flys Airbus and CRJs. Does it have something to do with the 737s? What gives? I know this saves my former airline tons of money in gas and engine cycles and with SW being the leader in cost savings I'm curious why they don't also.

 

[Captain Overs]

Probably because they taxi at V1 and get right out. They don't serve many airports that have taxi delays.

 

[canyonblue737]

Probably because they taxi at V1 and get right out. They don't serve many airports that have taxi delays.

ding, we have a winner!

 

[TR4A]

I was astonished to find out that SWA doesn't single engine taxi.

We had one until last year. Safety outweighed economy when they redesigned the procedures. Now we can only taxi in on one engine after 3 minute cooling. Before we could only do that if the ramp was dry. Now as long as the braking action is good.

The company is looking at putting a SE taxi procedure back.

 

[RP 04]

I know this saves my former airline tons of money in (gas) and engine cycles and

??????

 

[SWAPoolie]

We had one until last year. Safety outweighed economy when they redesigned the procedures. Now we can only taxi in on one engine after 3 minute cooling. Before we could only do that if the ramp was dry. Now as long as the braking action is good.

The company is looking at putting a SE taxi procedure back.

Thanks for the response.

 

[SWAPoolie]

??????

!!!!!!!

 

[SWAdude]

We had one until last year. Safety outweighed economy when they redesigned the procedures. Now we can only taxi in on one engine after 3 minute cooling. Before we could only do that if the ramp was dry. Now as long as the braking action is good.

The company is looking at putting a SE taxi procedure back.

I believe what poolie is talking about is taxi out for takeoff.

And it is true that with only a few exceptions we get right out. Since we don't operate a hub and spoke operation we find our taxi delays minimal. It is not often that we are more than a few in line for takeoff. Although as time has passed we find ourselves in more of these situations. ie PHL.

Recently the company has said they are reviewing the topic.

 

[Yank McCobb]

I agree with the "engine cycles" ????

Unless you are starting the engine, then shutting it down before taxi or at the runway, then restarting it (poor planning), what does SE taxi have to do with engine cycles????

You start it, you operate it, and you shut it down. One cycle. Whether you start it before or after you taxi out or shut it down before you taxi in has nothing to do with saving engine cycles.

 

[TR4A]

I believe what poolie is talking about is taxi out for takeoff.

That what I was talking about. NOW the only SE taxi in IN.

We used to taxi out with both and could shut one down for delays. You had to have both running when leaving the gate area. Break-away thrust too great with one engine was the reason given.

 

[Phil O'Sopher]

I haven't looked at an engine maintenance manual in a few years, but the last time I did an engine start was not an engine cycle. An engine cycle was not counted (logged) unless you started it, ran full cycle through take-off power and then shut it down. You could start it numerous times at idle and not count those starts as cycles. Some manufacturers had provisions for multiple ground starts i.e. 5 starts at idle equalled one cycle and each full deployment of thrust reversers at a threshold power setting equalled 1/6th cycle etc. I'd be surprised if this has changed, so SE taxi should have no implication for engine cycles and the maintenance requirements based on cycles. I guess that's why they call them cycles and not starts. Your engine maintenance manual will tell you.

 

[SWAPoolie]

Thanks SWA guys/gals for the info. I'm sure I'll learn more about the future in class.


To the peanut gallery: I'm not a mechanic nor do I profess to know anything about aircraft engines. I was referring to engine "cycles" not start "cycles" before required maintenance. Maybe it's called something else. Who cares? My point was maintenance and gas savings by utilizing single engine taxi.

 

[Juvat]

We waited in line for 1:15 to takeoff at PHL last week. Total cluster. If there's anyplace that's going to make us do single engine taxi procedures, it's certainly PHL.

 

[canyonblue]

We waited in line for 1:15 to takeoff at PHL last week. Total cluster. If there's anyplace that's going to make us do single engine taxi procedures, it's certainly PHL.

I have been to PIT quite a bit lately and it is also 1:15, as in 1 minute 15 seconds of taxi, at V1 of course. Just don't hit the tumbleweeds

 

[RP 04]

Call me stupid, but I'm still not sure how you save engine cycles by taxi on one engine...

 

[Yank McCobb]

I haven't looked at an engine maintenance manual in a few years, but the last time I did an engine start was not an engine cycle...so SE taxi should have no implication for engine cycles and the maintenance requirements based on cycles.

Exactly.

 

[juan2go]

SWA Taxi Speed

Actually the taxi speed is V1-10 kts. Chapter 3 of the FOM.

 

[SWAdude]

That what I was talking about. NOW the only SE taxi in IN.

We used to taxi out with both and could shut one down for delays. You had to have both running when leaving the gate area. Break-away thrust too great with one engine was the reason given.

I see what your talking about. I never really considered that to be a single engine taxi procedure. Especially because I never saw it performed. Not once. If we were known to have a delay like that we usually took it at the gate or taxied to a place to shut down both engines. At other airlines there were procedures that were normal in nature where SWA's was "Abby Normal" in nature.

 

[JustShy]

Asked and answered, your honor.

 

[TAZ MAN]

Asked and answered, your honor.

Interesting insight.