FAA vs. AA Round 2: Saving Fuel by Not Turning on Lights

[Matt Molnar]

AA Fuel Saving Method Raises Concerns

POSTED: 7:31 pm CDT May 14, 2008

DALLAS --Some air traffic controllers say they believe American Airlines is attempting to save fuel at the expense of safety, and risking the possibility of a runway collision, NBC 5 reported.

The concerns stem from a near miss on a runway at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in early April that is under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration.

It happened as American Airlines mechanics were towing a Boeing 777 to a maintenance hangar using a high-speed tug. Air traffic controllers told the mechanics to stop short of a runway, but they did not stop in time and pulled the jumbo jet into the path of another plane coming in for landing, NBC 5 reported.

The pilot pulled up narrowly and avoided a collision, said Ric Loewen of The National Air Traffic Controllers Association. [Full Article]

[T-Bird76]

Can't the lights run on the planes battery? How much of a drain can it be?

[njgtr82]

Can't the lights run on the planes battery? How much of a drain can it be?

Tom I believe they have to power up the APU to turn the lights on

[LGA777]

Even with a supertug don't you still need a mechanic in the cockpit riding the brakes and working the radio like with a regular tug ? And to work the radio's the aircraft needs power, I would assume from the APU ?

LGA777

[engine46]

Items such as radios and lights should be able to run from a DC service bus designed for that purpose. Not sure about specifics on the 777 but I'd imagine it has something similar to avoid unnecessary running of the APU and the associated fuel consumption.

[PHL Approach]

I think on average the Battery and Buses can supply power without an APU operating for about 20 minutes.

Ron, yes you always need someone brake riding be it an A&P or a Ramp Agent.

Also the only light reqeuired to be on during a Tow is the Red Anti Collision light. Some Flight Ops departments have policies to turn on the White Anti Collision lights when even just crossing active runways.