Originally Posted by
Hank Kingsley
Single engine taxi has always been a dubious practice. Save a little fuel and pour the coals on a cold engine. Delta owns a refinery, we make jet fuel.
And not just on takeoff. Back when we started taxiing 757's on one engine, in and out, there was one in LGA that was taxiing into the gate using only the left engine.
As he got close to the gate, but not quite there yet...he had to push the power up on the L engine to get those last 3 feet and...
WHOMPF!
Sucked in the yellow AC hose laying on the ramp by the jetway and trashed the engine!
I was sitting reserve in BOS and was called out to DH to LGA, to fly that 757 a couple days later, with the new L engine, back to ATL.
The mechanic in LGA told me it cost about $10 Million for the engine.
But think of all the fuel they saved taxiing in on one engine for 5 minutes!
