Engines
WheelTug, Safran-Honeywell and IAI Offer Three Rival Solutions for Airline Engine-off Taxiing
Taxibot plans to have its almost-autonomous tug in service this year.
Taxibot plans to have its almost-autonomous tug in service this year.

Three companies are competing to offer airlines a fuel-saving way to have their aircraft taxi with engines shut down. WheelTug, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI, Booth P39) and EGTS International–a joint venture between Safran (Booth G16) and Honeywell (Booth Q23)–are developing systems that are either on-board or external and that aim to make the aircraft autonomous on the ground, without using its turbofans. Entry into service should take place between this year and 2016.