Quote:
Originally Posted by Piotrsko
Only downside to robotic tugs is wing tip rash in crowded airports taxiways if someone didn't park in the correct bay. Talk about ruining your day because everything gets parked until the Feds reapprove the movement.
A lot of time waiting is for tower/ground approval to start. Heck, I even had to have permission at some airports.
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I was thinking in terms of large/busy airports. There'd be no rash if everything was automated. The tugs would know the dimensions of their aircraft, and know how to shuffle them around without collisions. Perhaps the tugs would do the taxi in too. That might be better than returning to the gate empty handed anyhow, as it reduces ground traffic.
The John Deere I drove had GPS steering. I had to make the figure-8 turns at the end of the rows, get within 18" of the upcoming row, then push a button to give control back over to the automation. Similar principles would apply. Tug needs the plane to be within a defined space, or it is going to refuse to play.