Ethiopian airline, the leading African airline, wants to reduce its fuel consumption in order to improve its profitability. The company has decided to start using WheelTug Plc’s electric rolling devices for its Boeing 737. WheelTug develops and manufactures electric drive systems for aircraft. The technology consists in an in-wheel electric taxi system installed on the landing gear and which take care of taxiing on the tarmac airports, thus avoiding unnecessary uses of engines and therefore kerosene. This will reduce fuel consumption during these operations which often last between 10 and 15 minutes.
In addition to saving kerosene, the technology saves time by bypassing the need for a tow tractor.
“We are happy to partner with the world’s well-known aviation electric taxi innovator. Ethiopian Airlines has always been at the forefront of technology in Africa. As the largest airline in the continent, Ethiopian Airline now brings more people to Africa than any other carrier, and WheelTug will help our efforts to deliver the best possible travel experience to customers.” said Tewolde Gebremariam, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines.
WheelTug slots are installed on nearly 1,300 aircraft across more than 24 airlines across the globe.
John is a passionate traveler who has traveled to over 46 countries on more than 30 different airlines. He loves surfing, booking hotels and flights using his frequent flyers points, and exploring new cultures. John lives in London.