Sir - The idea of a powered landing gear, or reverse gear for aircraft, is receiving the consideration of the Italian Office of Intellectual Property (file RM95A00318 0f 17 May, 1995, for the granting of a patent) to try to save the fees for pushback.
Airbus Industrie says that, if the balance between extra weight and pushback fees is positive, it might envisage a more positive and more detailed analysis.
If, however, an aircraft can be pushed back, it can also be moved forward. If the powered landing gear can deliver enough speed, taxi fuel could be saved. At Leonardo da Vinci Airport in Rome, Italy, for instance, an Airbus A300 burns 1,000litres of kerosene into the atmosphere for landing and take-off taxiing - which seems to be interesting from an environmental point of view. To that, of course, can be added the original pushback fees.
GIORGIO CIARALLI-PARENZI
Rome, Italy
Source: Flight International
