Todos
← Back to Squawk list
FAA’s New Software Could Reduce Taxi Wait Times And Delays
The software is designed to optimize airport operations and allow planes to push back from the gate, taxi to the runway, and take off without delay. (simpleflying.com) Más...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
It will be interesting to see how efficient it is at a place like O'Hare where they cram flight slots in like sardines.
They did something similar at JFK. It really didn't work that well. You not only have to control the push, but the exact landing of the next aircraft into that gate. The crew would have to call for a push time based upon when they thought they would be ready. What if there is a delay in boarding? Maybe a carry on PAX, the fueler is late or miss loads. Or you reach you a;;owed push time but the ramp is blocked. Some airports you have to de-ice at or just off the gate. ATC gives a push time that is 16 minutes late. Who eats the DOT delay time? Plus the delay for the aircraft on the ground for that gate. There are a lot of moving pieces to make this work.
at o'hare there is often many more than 30 t.o's and landings in a half hour period, so what is the clog point of the software? Same at JFK, charlotte, dallas houston..... One smart idea to reduce fuel taxi burn is to tow all aircraft to a point close to "position and hold". taxi times and delays will happen beyond a magic number that the software is capable to serve.
The tow vehicles will burn fuel.
Nowhere near as much as flight capable turbines.
If this software can handle the peak travel times during the day at the airports listed, it will help. With a line of 10 aircraft or more waiting for the runways at Atlanta early in the morning, and is never ending, or so it seems, anything that can reduce wait time will be a boon to both passengers and the airlines. Let's hope it works well for those airports.