Method for adding value to operation of long haul aircraft
A method is provided for adding available takeoff and landing slots when aircraft designed for long haul flight are moved quietly and efficiently on the ground without operation of aircraft engines at airports with slot controls and airports that are constrained from operation at certain times by curfews that limit operating hours for these long haul aircraft. Long haul aircraft are powered and driven by onboard non-engine drive means or moved manually or automatically by tugs, tow vehicles, or other transfer apparatus to arrive at a runway before expiration of a morning curfew and to be ready for takeoff as soon as curfew is lifted. Long haul aircraft may land immediately before an evening curfew starts and to move without engines to an airport arrival location after evening curfew starts, effectively expanding and increasing the number of available takeoff and landing slots for long haul aircraft.
1. A method that increases takeoff and landing slots allocated to an airline for operating long haul and long haul widebody aircraft by an airport where demand exceeds infrastructure capacity for increasing long haul takeoffs and landings and an airport curfew period limits the airline's operation time for long haul and long haul widebody aircraft, comprising:
a. allocating slots by an airport where demand exceeds infrastructure capacity to increase long haul and long haul wide body aircraft takeoffs and landings and an airport curfew period limits operation time to an airline for routine takeoffs and landings of the airline's long haul and long haul widebody aircraft flying flights of more than 6 hours in length at the airport;
b. equipping long haul and long haul widebody aircraft for which the airline desires to add takeoff and landing slots to the airport-allocated slots for routine takeoffs and landings to move on the ground without operating engines during the airport curfew period before takeoff and after landing with landing gear wheel-mounted drive motors selected from the group comprising electric motors, hydraulic pump/motor assemblies, and pneumatic motors capable of moving the long haul and long haul widebody aircraft at a desired speed and torque without operating aircraft engines retrofitted within each wheel in a pair of nose landing gear wheels on each long haul and long haul widebody aircraft, and moving the equipped long haul and long haul widebody aircraft on the ground with the landing gear wheel-mounted motors during the airport curfew period when aircraft ground movement, departures, and landings are not permitted at the airport;
c. moving each arriving equipped long haul and long haul widebody aircraft from a landing location to an airport parking location during the airport curfew period and adding an arrival slot to the routine arrival slots allocated to the airline for each equipped long haul and long haul widebody aircraft landing before the airport curfew period and moving from the arrival location to the parking location without operating engines during the airport curfew period; and
d. moving each departing equipped long haul and long haul widebody aircraft from a parking location to a takeoff location during the airport curfew period and adding a departure slot to the routine departure slots allocated to the airline for each equipped long haul and long haul widebody aircraft moving from the parking location to the takeoff location without operating engines during the airport curfew period and taking off after the airport curfew period.