The ultimate in airline cost-cutting measures:
- Thread starter Teller1900
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RMCN172RG
Pattern Altitude
You want cheaper fares
Fly you push air.
It beats paying for your luggage to get lost
There's a new company at O'Hare using the new push tractors, eventually to do tows the runway as their business model.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/chi-plane-towtruck-19-sep19,0,7386299.story
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Hmmmm.... what does that do to the trailing edges?
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Teller1900
En-Route
I see those super tugs in use a lot around a handful of airports. I can't imagine too many airports are going to let them use tugs out to the runway, though...can you even imagine the added congestion on taxiways (and the radio) from all those tugs trying to cross runways and taxiways to get back to the gates!
RMCN172RG
Pattern Altitude
Your using common sense again
He's not allowing for factors like Duh Mare's son owning a piece of the tow company. Where that to happen factors like taxiway congestion will not be considered any more than any complications in bulldozing an airport
gprellwitz
Touchdown! Greaser!
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Grant Prellwitz
Yeah, but there are plenty of small service roads intersecting the taxiways that these could be diverted onto after they unhook from the plane.
Teller1900
En-Route
Maybe in Chicago (I've never flown there), but not every where. Boston has spare taxiways they could use, but the tugs would still have to bounce between tower and ground to cross runways to and from the normal departure runways (or drive about 9 miles out of the way to stay on the service road alllllll the way around). Places like Newark and La Garbage...once you leave the non-movement area, ATC owns everything. I could see the plan for using the tugs to runways working at some airports, but a lot of the older/smaller airports it would be nothing but trouble! Not to mention the fact that those tugs completely disappear to pilots of Boeing and Airbusii when they get close to the plane...how long until something really bad happens to one of them as they're scooting around the movement area?
Or perhaps I'm just thinking wayyyyy too much into it
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I don't know, there's usually a perimeter road that runs by the end of the runway, tow them out, turn them loose and run em back down the perimeter road. Makes plenty of sense to me considering how much fuel a big jet uses on taxi, especially when they have those long lines going, not to mention the pollution.
steingar
Taxi to Parking
Tugs will be the norm eventually. You and I will likely foot the bill for put all those tug roads in at the major airports so they can move back and forth.
Trapper John
Ejection Handle Pulled
Hmmm...how do the FARs weigh on in this? Who's PIC, the Captain or the tug driver?
A little push back from the gate is one thing, but having Leroy take the plane all the way to the runway?
Trapper John
Everskyward
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Everskyward
Tugs, who needs tugs? All you need is a big conveyor belt... 
Teller1900
En-Route
The article says pax
. Henning said:
I'm not saying it's completely impossible, but I do think it would be a lot tougher at some places than others.
I'd guess it'd be the same as during a normal push back (onto an active taxiway) or when they tow us to and from a gate/mx hanger/remote parking...either the plane's crew talks to ATC and relays to the tug driver, or the tug drivers themselves talk directly to ATC and are responsible for getting and obeying all directions and hold-shorts. It's not uncommon to hear the callsign "super-tug" around the airport...they're responsible to ATC just as the rest of us are in the movement area. That's not to say they won't find some pretty impressive ways to bring metal together on the taxiway...
Cap'n Jack
Final Approach
Maybe the battery was dead and they are trying to get it moving fast enough to get the turbines spinning to start 'er up. Kind of like pushing a stick shift are & poping the cluch to turn the engne over to start it up.
Missa
En-Route
I think that artical has some problems with the fact checking. The article I read a couple of days ago said that the passengers were told they were not allowed to get out and help. Plus how would that have gotten the passengers out? Does that model have built in stairs? Looks a bit big to me.
t0r0nad0
Pattern Altitude
Actually, tugging to the runways makes some sense. You bring 3 or 4 planes out there at a time, then you hook the tugs together for the drive around the perimeter road to save even more gas, then it's just the lead tug using the gas to get back to the gates.
Even at the larger airports, you still have tugs bringing planes between maintenance hangars or parking areas and the gates, so they're already moving planes along taxiways and in the movement area. So, why not save the gas by towing them all the way to the lineup for the runway?
Even at the larger airports, you still have tugs bringing planes between maintenance hangars or parking areas and the gates, so they're already moving planes along taxiways and in the movement area. So, why not save the gas by towing them all the way to the lineup for the runway?
Trapper John
Ejection Handle Pulled
My thought, too.
Have a powered chain or cable loop in the middle of the taxiway like on a roller coaster.
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gkainz
Final Approach
combine the airplane mover conveyor belt with catapult assisted takeoffs for more fuel savings, perhaps?
Teller1900
En-Route
Ya, it's just a CRJ 700. They have airstairs.