Silent Saver
Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) has developed a system to tow commercial airplanes from the gateway onto the runway or back. The company calls it a “semi-robotic” system; it can be used to tug wide-bodied as well as aircraft with narrow bodies.
The idea may look like reinventing the wheel. Developers tried to “launch” airplanes using some kind of motive power. Trucks tow gliders and put them into flight. Within the hangars and maintenance plants, tractors like autos move planes are around. IAI is quick to concede the point.
However, what makes this new system unique is that pilot retains control of both the plane and the Taxibot. The pilot can taxi and steer with operating the tiller and the brake-pedals. “When designing Taxibot, IAI needed to recognize that pilots were not about to relinquish control over the taxiing process” Ran Braier explains. He mentored the project along with a team of 26 people mostly engineers.
Advantage Money and Green
The system saves lots of money; considering that an aircraft consumes about a ton of aviation fuel while taxing 17 minutes, the savings could be as much a $ six billion a year, according to the developers. It saves more than that. It may reduce carbon dioxide emission by a staggering 16 billion tons and noise pollution significantly.
The nose-wheel and landing gear are not damaged and aircrafts do not need any modifications to adopt the taxibot. Bernd Pfeffer, Lufthansa pilot says that the system handles well and is convenient. The company hopes to sell 1500 systems by 2020. Present estimated cost is $3 million each. Business model is flexible; airlines may buy or airports may franchise an agency to own the systems and operate for a fee.
Bottom-line
With better traction on even icy and slippery surfaces, the system, a joint venture with Airbus, is safe and a major saver for airlines and also passengers.
