Single engine taxi on A320, B737NG
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,197
Likes: 18
From: Various at the moment
Does the engine give off that much heat that it affects the brakes ?
In over 30 years of flying commercial airlines, I have never once encountered an aircraft taxy out to the runway on one engine.
In over 30 years of flying commercial airlines, I have never once encountered an aircraft taxy out to the runway on one engine.
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
From: bad boy country
Single engine taxi out is very common. On our fleet of just under 100 Airbus A320 type aircraft, with a long taxi out, single engine is the norm usually.
On a light A319, the aircraft can be quite over powered whilst taxiing with two engines, meaning you need to constantly let the speed build up, then slow down to around 10kts using the brakes (as per the official Airbus way of breaking). This can be both distracting, as sometimes you feel the aircraft is trying to run away with you, and can heat up the brakes rather quickly. One way to ease the problem is to taxi out single engine.
The fuel savings are enormous and are the main reason for single engine taxi, however. On an average taxi out, you can save 80-100kg of fuel, times by 100 aircraft doing 4 to 6 sectors a day..... You do the math.
It happens far more often than you might think.
On a light A319, the aircraft can be quite over powered whilst taxiing with two engines, meaning you need to constantly let the speed build up, then slow down to around 10kts using the brakes (as per the official Airbus way of breaking). This can be both distracting, as sometimes you feel the aircraft is trying to run away with you, and can heat up the brakes rather quickly. One way to ease the problem is to taxi out single engine.
The fuel savings are enormous and are the main reason for single engine taxi, however. On an average taxi out, you can save 80-100kg of fuel, times by 100 aircraft doing 4 to 6 sectors a day..... You do the math.
It happens far more often than you might think.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Prague
Do you experienced any issues with starting the second engine during taxi? IMO the savings of fuel/FOD - engines/brakes are so significant that the single engine taxi out will eventually become industry standard et least till the moment when e-taxi/no main engine taxi is available on the market, This is however going to happen pretty soon anyway. Our company/WheelTug plc is working hard on it.
