Corvette-Size Electric Motor Seen Changing How Jets Taxi
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Seattle
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As for a tug that carries the aircraft, son, that has already been done and you should know that this only reduces the life of the landing gear due to the fact that each time you tow an aircraft in that method it counts as a cycle.
What you all should realize is that it is not just attaching some dinky motor to the airplane, it is a complete redesign of the wheels themselves! The APU has more power on most aircraft than you would ever believe and that is a fact and as far as I am going to say publicly!
Also, routing that much electrical capacity to the nosewheel would be a significant wiring feat, further adding to the weight and complexity of the nosegear assembly.
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Oxfordshire
Age: 54
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The APU has more power on most aircraft than you would ever believe
At some point in every aircraft towing operation I was in control of, the pilot would say "aircraft is yours". This is because I was outside and able to see backwards, with direct comms to the tug driver, and they were upstairs with limited vision and no way of talking or signalling the tuggy, save for jamming the brakes on and shearing the tow pin.
When I finished, I gave control back to the pilot.
When I have control, I'm responsible for not crashing the plane into something - a fact the pilot is pretty glad about on the ground!