March 2, 2011
Have airlines changed operating practices and procedures due to rising fuel cost?
I’ve heard that to save fuel, airplanes now taxi down for take-off on one engine. Also airlines have instituted procedures to reduce weight and drag. However, I don’t know if and what they have done to minimize idling time while waiting for take-off. I was in La Guardia (NY) one summer aboard a jet, one of over fifteen other aircraft lined up waiting to take-off. It took over thirty minutes before we had our turn. Obviously, all these jets were just slurping up fuel. I understand that this only involved major airports. What are the airlines doing to minimize taxi time?
Related Product:
PowerBar Energy Gel, Caffeinated, 1.44-Ounce Packets (Pack of 24)PowerBar packed its Energy Gels with the carbs and electrolytes of a high-end sports drink and added an extra dose of sodium to aid electrolyte recove... Read More >
Related Posts
Filed under Gas Conservation FAQ by on Mar 2nd, 2011. Comment. 
Leave a Comment
Comments on Have airlines changed operating practices and procedures due to rising fuel cost?
Airlines are really at the mercy of the Ground Control at the airport. I have heard of airlines using only one engine for taxiing. Other than that there is nothing you can do.
Airlines have started cruising at lower speeds than usual, usually making the flight 10-15 minutes longer.
Nothing really new. Airlines have been doing single engine taxis for years. And, in places like LGA, they often sit for a time and shut both engines down. Then, they still burn fuel, but only from the APU, a small engine in the tail we use for electrical power and air conditioning. Not much else you can do at La Guardia.
Airlines are beginning a practice that will reduce taxi time, although that is not the primary reason for it.
It’s called “capacity reduction”.