Patent ID: 7802757

Claim:
An apparatus for propelling an aircraft during taxiing on a ground surface by generating thrust using a gas turbine engine without burning fuel in the engine, the engine having an engine core defined radially inward of a gas path, having an axis of rotation and having a propulsor mechanically connected to at least one low pressure turbine rotating on a low pressure turbine shaft about the axis, the propulsor being configured and disposed to receive power from the turbine during take-off and in flight, the apparatus comprising: an electrical motor sufficiently powerful to taxi the aircraft on the low pressure turbine shaft, the low pressure turbine shaft having the propulsor of the engine mounted thereto, the electrical motor and low pressure turbine shaft being disposed in the engine core, the electrical motor having a rotor mounted on the low pressure turbine shaft and rotating co-axially about the axis of rotation of the engine; and an electrical power source in communication with the electrical motor to supply sufficient electric power to the electrical motor so as to rotate the propulsor and move the aircraft during taxiing on the ground surface using thrust generated by the electric power driving the electric motor without burning fuel in the engine.