TAXIBOT

February 2015

Technical Partner

Agenda

The need
TaxiBot concept
TaxiBot technological design and
required performance
TaxiBot program status
TaxiBot economic benefits
Conclusion

Technical Partner

The need

Reduction in Fuel consumption

Emissions reduction CO2 & other noxious gasses
Noise reduction

FOD reduction
Improve safety & engine blast
Certified
and Operational
in FRA
Improve
gates congestion
& throughput
Fast & Easy
implementation:
with
commercial flights
No modification to airplane systems
Pilot training by CBT no need for simulator
No extra weight & no impact on Cargo space
Minimal or no modifications to airports infrastructure
Minimal adaptations to existing procedures

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TaxiBot Concept
The TaxiBot (Taxiing Robot) concept a Pilot Controlled
semi-robotic airplane taxiing towbarless tractor
Retaining the principle Pilot in Command at all times
along the taxiing process, using the same airplane controls
as in normal taxi (transparent to the pilot)
Reducing loads on NLG Pilot braking by Main Landing
Gear system as opposed to tractor braking
Engines off Engines will be turned on at taxi end, only
shortly before take-off to enable warm-up and checks
Immediate taxi by the end of the Pushback no need to
wait for engines startup
Safety driver For pushback, emergency disconection and
return phase

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Airplane taxi-out
Runway
Legend Taxi-out
Taxi way

TaxiBot pushback
& driving back
Airplane Pushback
(APU on) Driver control

TaxiBot
return
way

Airplane Taxiboting
(APU on) Pilot control
Airplane taxiing on
its jet engines (APU off)
Other airplane
taxiing on jet power

Tower C4

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Taxi-out Operations comparison

Disconnection Area

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TaxiBot Intermediate Technical Status n3

18th of November 2011

Charles De Gaulle

Operational Concept Simulation

Study Results
15 NB and 6 WB TaxiBot dispatch 304 departure aircraft
40% of the departure traffic
55% of the TaxiBot compatible aircraft
TaxiBot operations
Are compatible with current CDG infrastructure
Do not impact the airport capacity
Do not induce perturbations in aircraft flows
No impact on daily average taxi times (10s taxi-out time reduction)
Fluctuating effect on taxi-out times through the day
Slight increase of taxi-out times for aircraft using TaxiBot (+2.6%)
Slight reduction for conventional aircraft (-1.7%)

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TaxiBot Technological Description

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TaxiBot models
Two TaxiBot models:
Narrow Body for single

aisle airplanes:
A318 to A321
B737 to B757
Wide Body for twin
aisle airplanes:
A330 to A380
B767 to B747

Subsystems communality
between TaxiBot models
and modules in each tractor

Hybrid Diesel-electric drive

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TaxiBot NB structure

Extensive redundancy
Designed life 15 years

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TaxiBot system description

The TaxiBot system includes the following major elements:
Unique NLG interface clamping mechanism mounted on a rotating

turret for :
Load alleviation during pushback, acceleration and braking
Transferring pilot tiller steering commands to the tug wheels via
a steering control system.
For some Airbus A/C additional cable connection

No additional weight carried by the airplane

Clamping mechanism
and Rotating Turret

Platform and supports

Technical Partner

Speed control in Pilot mode

Speed performance and control:

The TaxiBot speed control is similar to an automatic

car in Drive gear when the pilot release the brake
the TaxiBot start to move
The difference is that the TaxiBot moves and
accelerates to the max allowed speed according to
the taxiway definition
The pilot reduces the speed by the airplane pedals to
the required taxiing speed according to traffic
An adaptive traction algorithm learns pilot braking and
provides any taxiing speed lower than the maximum
to allow maintaining comfortable speed at queues

Technical Partner

Why Dispatch Towing

is not allowed today?
Thehigher
most critical
NLGspeed
limitation
the fatigue
limitcritical
which
The
the taxiing
the is
problem
is more
affectthe
themomentum
NLG life limitation
since
is linear to the speed
Momentum

M*V=F*T
F*T=400ton*V

F*T=40ton*V
F*T=400ton*V

All the Forces to stop

the airplane 400 ton are
transmitted thru the NLG
All the kinetic energy is
absorbed by the tractor

Technical Partner

Why Dispatch Towing could

be possible by TaxiBot?

Dramatic reduction in NLG loads

Momentum

M*V=F*T
F*T=400ton*V
to
F*T=400

F*T=40ton*V
Coordinated tractor braking
create no loads on the NLG

n*V

All the Airplane kinetic

energy is absorbed by
the airplane braking sys.

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Month 200X

TaxiBot WB structure

Siemens PEM motors in

each of the 12 wheels

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Feb 2010

TaxiBot WB Cradle

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Wide Body Size comparison

Goldhoffer AST-1X 6x6

TLD TPX-500-S
Douglas TBL-600

TLD TPX-500-MTS

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Maneuverability in tight areas

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TaxiBot Crew
The TaxiBot is design for one man operation
In line steering provides excellent filed of view of both wing tips during
pushback, provides full over torque protection and immunity to
Jackknife
Conventional
Pushback

TaxiBot In-line
Pushback

Technical Partner

Main Technical Advantages vs. On Board Solutions

TaxiBot is a solution for NB & WB airplanes, for ALL ranges of flight

No modification to airplanes systems
No extra weight and no reduction in cargo space
Insignificant pilot training based on CBT same cockpit controls and
pilot feeling as normal taxiing
Same concept for all NB and WB airplanes, same procedures
The TaxiBot is not using APU power to move the airplane, its carrying
all required energy for the convoy (TaxiBot & airplane)
The TaxiBot provides major safety improvements:

Better traction and grip in contaminated taxiways (with Ice & snow)
Better driver visual contact with airplane wing tips during pushback
Intuitive maneuverability during pushback

Immediate taxi after pushback increase efficiency in the gate area

Available NOW (STC granted) In-service A/C and New-orders

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TaxiBot Program Status

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TaxiBot Master Plan

NB x 3 delivered to Frankfurt June 2013 - March 2014
NB Certification for B737 Classic Granted by CAAI & EASA Oct 2014
after extensive testing campaign of all failure & emergency cases

NB NTO for A/C A320 Expected Soon by Airbus

NB In Service Evaluation (ISE) 4Q/2014 2Q/2015 Frankfurt
Begun Nov 25th LH140

ISE Product & Procedures improvement

WB prototype started dynamic testing
WB prototype testing with WB
airplane: 3Q/2014 - 4Q/2015

WB Certification 1Q 2016
WB deliveries starting 1Q/2016

Technical Partner

Supplemental Type Certificate & Patents

STC process:
Compliance with FAR/CS 25 regulations as an airplane for the

TaxiBoting phase (Pilot Control Mode)

All normal and abnormal (emergency) procedures were checked,
tested and analyzed by the certification authorities
Technical support information from both OEMs Boeing and Airbus
Provide the same taxiing speed as the airplane 22-23knots
Similar braking performance as A/C without TaxiBot
Less Brakes wear comparing to normal Taxi

Patents:
The TaxiBot concept and systems are protected by 14 inventions,
in 7 patent families, which include 96 patents, 38 of them already
granted worldwide

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TaxiBot Production & After Sales support

Month
200X

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TLDs TaxiBot Plant Sorigny France

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Fleet Management & Maintenance

Maintenance:
Based on BIT and system status report

on driver screen
Failure codes and indication of faulty
system / LRU (Line Replaceable Unit)
Easy access for LRU replacement
(20 30 minutes) + BIT

LEGOS real time Command & Control:

Mission programming and task assignment

Vehicles status (fuel, failures, performance)
Schedule Maintenance activities
Failure and repair records (history, statistics)
Real time Position and mission status
Mission data & Load record per each A/C tail number (overload alert,
archive)

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TaxiBot Production & Support

Production:
A new final assembly line inaugurated
at Sorigny France November 2014

Designed for fast production ramp-up

with extension capabilities

Other production facilities worldwide

Support:
TaxiBot after-sales support through
TLD network. 33 sites at 5 continents

TaxiBot module in TLD internet

support system

Spare parts via TLDs global network

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7 Spare Parts Hub

CUSTOMER Support

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A total of
5 Sales
33 TLD
& Sales
Service
& Services
Partners Offices

CUSTOMER Support

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TaxiBot Customers

Attractive Benefits & business case to stakeholders:

Airlines Direct savings of fuel & reduction of emissions & FOD
Ground handlers (possible pooling in airports) Sharing of airline
savings

Leasing companies Flexible schemes for customers

Airports Noise and CO2 reduction Implementation alike deice
equipment (possible pooling)

Main target locations:

TaxiBot focus in the coming years
is on the 50 -100 leading airports in
the world, mainly in Europe, US,
Asia/Pacific & Middle East

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Taxibot Economic Benefits

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SH&E Study Results Fuel Savings

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SH&E Study Results CO2 Savings

Air pollution:
Every Gallon of fuel burn emits 9.57 Kg of CO2

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Summary of TaxiBot benefits

Reduction in Fuel consumption 85%

Emissions reduction CO2 & other noxious gasses 85%
Noise reduction 50%
FOD reduction 50%
Improved safety No engine blast better grip on contaminated taxiway
Improves gates congestion & throughput significant reduction of time
wasted at cul-de-sacs
No need for extra fuel for Taxi that is taken to flight
Fast & Easy implementation:

No modification to airplane systems Achieved

Pilot training by CBT no need for simulator Approved & Working
No extra weight & no impact on Cargo space Achieved
Minimal or no modifications to airports infrastructure Achieved
Minimal adaptations to existing procedures Achieved

Same concept for NB & WB airplanes, long and short flight, existing and
future ordered airplanes

Technical Partner

Airplane taxiing time

Taxi-Out Time is a function of numerous parameters

Average taxi-out time today is in the range of 22 minutes
A specific Taxi-out time could reach more than 30 minutes
Taxi-out time can reach 3 hours during traffic jams
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%

1995
0-15

2000
16-30

2007
31+

Taxi-out times as % of flights in US (minutes)

Current average Taxi-out time is estimated to be 22 minutes and average Taxi-in time 9 minutes
Source: IAI study, FAA website and FAA projections and historical data

Page 35
Technical Partner

FOD during taxi

TaxiBot will reduce FOD cost by

50%, since 50% of FOD events
are during Ramp and Taxi
operations

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Conclusions

The TaxiBot Opportunity

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Conclusions
The only certified and operational taxiing system with
engines stopped:

Compatible to 100 seats or more (Boeing and Airbus)

Immediate solution

Introducing revolution to a conservative business:

Maintain the pilots responsibility (while being transparent)
Safety driver

Working closely with airlines, airports and aircraft

manufactures
Minor or no adaptations for system implementation
(airport, airplane)
No additional weight to any airplane

The TaxiBot, a Green taxiing solution now

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Thank you
TaxiBot Team

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