DeadHead

Never really looked into it, but had a few guys tell me something about the newer 787 (I know we're not planning to get them now) having mechanized landing gear or something like that. Basically you could taxi out on APU power only, then start up by the runway. If that is where the technology is going, I'm sure there is a good amount of fuel savings so I'm sure we will all get a good pay bump out of that. I think the only problem will be trying to teach the captains something new.

alfaromeo

Actually there is a company that is trying to retrofit current airplanes for that. They put an electric motor on the nose gear and the plane can taxi up to 20 K with the electrics alone. Airplane could push itself back from the gate and then taxi all day with only the APU providing electric power. They demoed a fully loaded 767 taxiing with it up in Canada. Delta bought into the company and was supposed to be testing 737-800's by now. We had some rights to market and install the kits. This whole venture just dropped off the radar and we haven't heard about it for a long time. Maybe when fuel is $100+ a barrel again it will resurface. Maybe someone with an inside track into flight ops can let us know what's up with that project.

nwaf16dude

sadly, no...
YouTube - New Frontier Hotel Implosion Las Vegas

satchip

Thank God I've finished my coffee or I would have ruined my new Ipad!

Ferd149

What? Where? I don't recall ever going there Senator

Our low point was Circus Circus....we didn't get anyone assaulted, but only by the grace of God. I like Balley's but we went to The Royal with the bankruptcy, at least it was close to The Peppermill for breakfast.

But.........the dives were along Paradise. Got to stay in a bunch of those wonderful places for Red Flags and other school support out at Nellis...yikes, just had a flashback.

satchip

Circus was an air force contract hotel. Stayed there a few times. Not as bad as some of the short time hotels in Angeles City we were put up in but close.

Ferd149

Come on you guys, don't kid kidders. You guys single engine taxi just to get your butts outta the alleys in ATL faster. Unless you're headed for a long line up, your approaching the end of the runway and you still need your engine warm up time. Also, if your headed up the hill in SEA, take a look at the fuel flows. You'll see that you're actually burning more gas one one engine getting up the hill than in idle on two.....or so I'm told. Now, taxi in.......whole nudder matter, we do that some time, think NRT and the B runway or DTW.

APU, usage.......did it before the merger. The battle is with the rampers where you're always reinventing the wheel. NRT, in fact all of Japan, again whole nudder matter......you're plugged in before the engine shuts down.

Seriously, it's going to take a mixing of the cultures somewhat. On the 757 we didn't have a procedure for SSE taxi out (did on the -9 and I think the Airbus did too) but we also had that bad accident in MSP where the -9 ran into the A320. Lots of guys just believe nothing good can come of it for the small amount of gas saved unless it's an obvious situation.

I agree it does probably save gas. But, then I see the other ways we pi$$ it away with poor gate planning, ramper buffonery etc etc. It'll change I'm sure.

Ferd

satchip

Buzz, Ferd, remember when mx, atoc, And ops all worked for different colonels? We were constantly fighting over who took the delay. Maybe we Delta should follow the AF and put the whole flying operation under one boss, Flight Ops. Everyone responsible for the execution of the mission would be accountable to the SVP of FO. Do you think that would help to eliminate some of our problems?

Ferd149

Heheheheh a few stories you need to confess to your Uncle Ferd? I'll be in the corner at the reunion hearing you're stories and handing out absolution

Ferd149

Couldn't hurt. Different station managers in different cities give much different results, that's for sure. I remember one manager we had at DFW (premerger) had just come over from Chili's. You can run a restaurant so I guess you can run a midsized station