Reinventing the (airplane) wheel

[SINGAPORE] Airplanes have progressed from wooden propellers to supersonic jets in the last century. But over the years, surprisingly little has changed in their efficiency on land.

Jet engines burn some 200,000 litres of fuel - in a single Boeing 737 - annually taxiing forward, while tugs are still needed to help planes reverse.

A 50:50 joint venture between aviation giants Honeywell and Safran hopes to change that.

The companies are developing an electric taxi (e-taxi) system, called EGTS (electric green taxiing system), which installs motors on the aircraft's main landing gear, allowing it to push back from the gate and taxi using its own electrical power rather than the main engines.

If the system takes off, airlines - faced with high oil prices and thinning profit margins - can save on fuel, engine maintenance and towing costs. Jet blast and delays will also be reduced, say the company. It claims these savings could range from US$200,000 to US$450,000 per aircraft every year, depending on operations p…