Patent ID: 8109464
Filing Date: 2012-02-07
Classification: B64C,B64D,Y02T

Abstract:
1. A method of efficiently operating an aircraft comprising the steps of: providing said aircraft with one or more wing-mounted main engines each having a rated thrust wherein all main engines together provide a total rated thrust sufficient for takeoff in a takeoff thrust direction, and providing said aircraft with a taxi engine positioned in or on the fuselage of said aircraft; said taxi engine having a maximum rated thrust which is less than 15% of the combined total rated thrust of the one or more main engines and wherein the rated thrust of the taxi engine is less than 33% of the total rated thrust of one of the one or more main engines, the thrust of the taxi engine not being required to provide thrust in takeoff or flight; providing ground movement of said aircraft using only the taxi engine by directing the thrust of the taxi engine in a taxi thrust direction that is substantially the same as said flight thrust direction to thereby taxi said aircraft along a taxi path, powering said aircraft through takeoff from a runway with the thrust of said main engines limited to between 90 and 97% of said rated thrust and the thrust of said taxi engine operated substantially at or less than said taxi engine rated thrust, such combined powering of the one or more main engines and the taxi engine thereby reducing emissions, extending engine life, reducing maintenance cost, and reducing total fuel consumption of said aircraft when compared with said main engines operated without the taxi engine.