Single eng taxi in - cooling down period
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I don’t believe in being a pig when it comes to fuel. However, worrying about saving 20 or 30 Kg of fuel on taxi in? Next to flight crews, fuel is the cheapest commodity that goes into a jet now-a-days. What is the prestigious award does your company gives you for counting the fuel molecules that go into your motors?
You have much better symmetrical and safe control of the aircraft when you taxi in on both motors… especially on slippery surfaces. Think safety first before economy.
You have much better symmetrical and safe control of the aircraft when you taxi in on both motors… especially on slippery surfaces. Think safety first before economy.
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If, however, the conditions (weather, gradients, weight, etc) are condusive, then I will. At my home base, we frequently have to wait for a parking position to become available, 30 minutes is not unheard of. In that time, my 4 engine aircraft can burn over 1000 kgs of fuel at about £600/$1000 per ton(ne). A saving of 25% is not insignificant when multiplied by the number of flights etc and any PROFESSIONAL pilot should at the very least consider it, even if they have to restart an engine later to taxi onto stand (a lot of our stands require all engines operating at idle to taxi on). [Personally I would prefer to shut down all 4 to wait and be towed on after 30 minutes, but we cannot reliably resource that!].
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Capt, no-one is saying that you shut down an engine without due regard to the conditions etc.
A saving of 25% is not insignificant when multiplied by the number of flights etc and any PROFESSIONAL pilot should at the very least consider it, even if they have to restart an engine later to taxi onto stand (a lot of our stands require all engines operating at idle to taxi on).
A saving of 25% is not insignificant when multiplied by the number of flights etc and any PROFESSIONAL pilot should at the very least consider it, even if they have to restart an engine later to taxi onto stand (a lot of our stands require all engines operating at idle to taxi on).
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Capt
I did not say it was unprofessional not to shut down an engine ...... I said a professional pilot should consider it; to not consider it is UNprofessional.
Re JFK .... departing in the evening one frequently sees US pilots shutting down BOTH engines before departure and then occasionally delaying others. Is that professional? PS I do not do that as my employer does not have a 3 engine taxi out procedure (unfortunately).
I did not say it was unprofessional not to shut down an engine ...... I said a professional pilot should consider it; to not consider it is UNprofessional.
Re JFK .... departing in the evening one frequently sees US pilots shutting down BOTH engines before departure and then occasionally delaying others. Is that professional? PS I do not do that as my employer does not have a 3 engine taxi out procedure (unfortunately).
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Capt
I did not say it was unprofessional not to shut down an engine ...... I said a professional pilot should consider it; to not consider it is UNprofessional.
Re JFK .... departing in the evening one frequently sees US pilots shutting down BOTH engines before departure and then occasionally delaying others. Is that professional? PS I do not do that as my employer does not have a 3 engine taxi out procedure (unfortunately).
I did not say it was unprofessional not to shut down an engine ...... I said a professional pilot should consider it; to not consider it is UNprofessional.
Re JFK .... departing in the evening one frequently sees US pilots shutting down BOTH engines before departure and then occasionally delaying others. Is that professional? PS I do not do that as my employer does not have a 3 engine taxi out procedure (unfortunately).
Upon landing if we were under 150,000 lbs. we could shut down 2 engines for prolonged waits for the gate. In that respect pilots DO need to be aware of the cost of fuel.
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Guys, there's nothing unprofessional in single-engine taxy in (or out for that matter). Just make sure that whatever type you're operating you have your normal brakes powered and that the shut down is doen in accordance with the manual recommendations. Obviously, the ramp conditions make a difference as in contaminated etc but simply being wet is not a reason for not shutting one down. I suggest that you all look at the fuel flow at idle thrust on your engines and compare that with the hourly burn from the APU (if you need to start it as in the Airbus types). Even over 5 mins per taxy in, it adds up to a lot of fuel over the year. To the muppet who said fuel was cheap! On which particular planet have you been for the past couple of years. Typically, fuel accounts for about one-third of costs for most airlines - probably more for the LCCs with their overall lower cost structures.
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As an observer (sometimes on a check and sometimes just as a line pilot) I have noticed in the past some pilots really get too anxious to shut an engine down without the proper engine cool down time. When asked about cool down many of that group thought they honestly had the cooldown time satisfied when in fact it sometimes only in the order of only half way there. It might seem trivial but trying to do things with attention to detail is all good and well as long as there aren't a few out there making waste to every one else's efforts.
