Towing Planes to Gates

One question i do have is about the balance of efficiency. Currently the aircraft taxi's out with four engines running at idle power & on completion of engine start the APU is shut down. The new way will involve just the APU with the tug taking all the strain of moving the aircraft. These are tugs have large diesel engines & don't have the same kind of exhaust particle filtration that is now a legal requirement at German airports. It would be interesting to see a true comparison.

hmmm[:?] Interesting point you've made there - I wonder if anyone has thought about that? Maybe they have but would rather have the media kudos;)

VS.

[ChuckC]

I saw a BBC interview recently, apparently where the article Sarah refers to was generated. SRB certainly sounded committed to this project and through his celebrity wanted to encourage others to look at ways to reduce greenhouse emissions.

Sure hope that the cockpit crew knows that the engines will in fact engage, and all the other checklist items that occur once the engines are running will not reveal any issues once the aircraft reaches the runway. Otherwise, that diesel-spewing tug will have to haul the birds back to the gate. Overall though it's an idea, at least, to help the planet and it will be interesting to learn whether it will spur other carriers to think about this issue.

Chuck-