Taxibot is for planes

Following approval by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), Lufthansa LEOS, a subsidiary of Lufthansa Technik AG, has commenced operations with the innovative TaxiBot aircraft tractor controlled by the pilot.  This has been developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) with extensive support and cooperation of Lufthansa LEOS.  After extensive testing, the TaxiBot is now being used in real flight operations at Frankfurt Airport.

It is seen as a competitor to the “Wheeltug” system (see BTN 29 September) being developed by a Gibraltar-based company, but not yet certificated.

TaxiBot is a towbar-less 800-hp strong hybrid-electric aircraft tractor, controlled by the pilot and intended for towing aircraft between the gate and the runway with the aircraft's engines turned-off.

A memorandum of understanding between Lufthansa LEOS and IAI for wide-body aircraft certification testing using a Boeing 747-400.  This is expected to be completed by the end of 2015.

A special nose wheel cradle in the TaxiBot registers all the steering movements and transfers these to navigate the tractor's eight wheels.  This enables the pilot to steer the tractor from the cockpit using "Pilot Control Mode" after pushing back from the gate, until it is released at the runway holding point.  The aircraft engines are not required to start up until the TaxiBot is separated from the aircraft.  www.lufthansa-leos.com  www.iai.co.il

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