Wheeltug - the novel answer to marginal airline profitability

[rahosi]

Re the recent issue of promoting / prospecting / advertising.
I am a shareholder. I am not an employee of the company & other than this, I have no involvement with the air industry. I would make a pretty lousy salesman. I never mentioned the main product / company by name even once, neither did I offer a link to its website. The web link I did offer was in response to other posters off topic comments; more of a technical show piece comparing different approaches to hybrid vehicles. I did not prospect (initiate) ANY topic.

Currently there is no product for sale. Thus 'advertising' is a non issue!

I whole heartedly agree that this thread should be focussed on the technical aspects.

HOWEVER if others stray from this and I do not address that needing clarification, the wrong impression might be conceived by readers. I will not stray, if others don't. I certainly don’t want to write such lengthy replies let alone read one... If a simple question is asked, I’ll try to simply answer within NDA limitations. Other than real news, responding as requested or clarifying, as before, I won’t post. Last was Nov07, so not exactly pushing it. My recent answer was specifically requested of me.

WAY off technical topic.
The technology is heavily patented within the family of companies.

Boeing & Air Canada are not involved in the development program. Never were. (Other than the proof of concept). Boeing selected the company to design, build, and operate said system.

Delta IS our launch customer, but has NOT invested (They hold warrants).

Funding issues are not something I am prepared to discuss at all. I am under an NDA. Current public reporting on this is simply Many negotiations continue worldwide with many parties.This I am personally aware of.

Facts.... (should not always be taken as said. Some gross inaccuracies have been posted here)
The Company had a court case against Lehman Bros for 18 years & managed to collect 70% of what was due to them....
The Canadian regulatory issues are very long & (off) topic. The company’s major iron ore mine exploration has been under way for a 3? years in Canada.
A few projects have gone by the wayside or are effectively dormant. Another ore resource. A microphone & something called Green Steel (I think) (before my time). However ALL current / recent technology projects are still firmly active with good prospects. No products have failed as none have been brought to market – to date. Other subsidiaries have patented technologies that will also have major implications for the aircraft industry. But that is a topic THAT WILL BE addressed here as & when.

All the companies report in a very timely fashion every year.
Borealis reported a retained profit of $7.7M last year and $650K the previous year.
Chorus Motors also showed a profit in both years. Whereas its/the sub in question showed losses due to the expenditure on this project.
The iron ore subsidiary (Legal bit This is subject to a NI 43-101 report. However the company conducting the exploration stated on Jan6 - We believe we are within a few weeks of getting the last of the assays.... Once that process is complete we will be able to finish creating our resource model and the NI 43-101 report.)
Over 100 million dollars have so far been spent on the exploration. Offtake agreements for more than 15 million tons (over 10 years) of refined ore exist.
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This product will be fully certified.

Well renowned companies, individuals & non commercial entities talk to / partner the company. Mostly yet unnamed.
Boeing & Delta. Co-operative Industries (our wire harness partner, offers extensive experience in harness solutions. They design and manufacture electrical wiring harnesses, cables & more. Plus on-site FAA, EASA and CAAC Certified Repair Station),
Luxell (our cockpit controls partner, with a superb track record of providing top-tier Human-Machine Interface (HMI) systems for aerospace, naval and land vehicles),
Newport Aeronautical Development (our certification partner & has an outstanding track record of successfully managing complex certification programs for the world's largest aerospace firms).
The Program Manager - Daniel Barbalata oversaw development, testing, cert and launch of Bombardier Global Express aircraft family (multiple variants). He was also Program Manager at Hispano-Suiza for design, test, cert and launch of L/G and SCU on Dassault Falcon 7X aircraft. Introduced new tools and manufacturing processes in joint program between British Aerospace and Romaero.
The Senior Certification Advisor - Gilbert Thompson has more than 32 years of experience with FAA, including as head of Los Angeles Aircraft Certification Office (ACO). His certification experience includes L-1011, McDonnell Douglas DC8, DC9, DC10, MD-80, MD-90, KC-10A, MD-11, Boeing 717-200, C-17 Globemaster. Winner of AW&ST Laurels Award (1999) for outstanding achievement in aeronautics/propulsion.

I have included the above because some here have poo pooed the feasibility of the product. I hope the credentials of the above are enough to allay such comments previously made.

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Quite a bit of important additional information can be found in last year's article in Flightglobal.
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Re:- Does any unbiased person think that an aircraft - size say, from the 737 and bigger - could be usefully pulled by their own nosewheel? By this I mean in a day-to-day working environment, not just a flat and dry ground test.

Delta does, as did the Air Canada pilots during the test. Boeing put their name to it. Many companies in the industry see its merits too. Along with airports, regulators & environmentalists. You'd be surprised how long the list is...

Test Quote. The Phantom Works/Chorus Motors team, in cooperation with Air Canada, installed an electric motor drive on an Air Canada 767 and conducted a series of successful tests. Air Canada pilots performed ground manoeuvres on slopes and terrains typical of those at airports around the world, including driving in reverse from a gate and taxiing forward to a runway. Tests also were performed at ramp temperatures exceeding 120 degrees Fahrenheit and at loads of up to 94 percent of the maximum takeoff weight for the airplane.

It should be noted that aircraft so fitted retain their previous mode of operation.
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The technology is ideally suited to replace hydraulics. The 'all electric' aircraft is yet another topic!