Nosewheel motor to cut airport noise and running costs

Electric motors embedded in aircraft nosewheels could cut airport noise and emissions by reducing the need for planes to run their engines on the ground.

Tests by Boeing and Gibraltar-based engineering company Chorus have shown that a motor attached to the nosewheel can provide a viable way to move aircraft to and from gates, the two companies said. The technology would also remove the need for tow tugs, cutting airlines’ operating costs.

As planes would no longer have to wait to be towed and could be under complete control by the pilot from gate to gate, the system could also reduce flight turnaround times.

According to calculations by Chorus, the motor would require 20 times less energy than a normal aircraft engine to carry out ground operations.

Researchers at Boeing’s Phantom Works facility worked with motor development engineers from Chorus to design and build a prototype on-board electric drive system that could provide high torque at start-up speeds. The prototype was installed on an Air Canada 767 and tested under a variety of conditions.