評論
打印
Science and technology
科學技術
Air travel
空中旅行
Preparing for take-off
起飛準備
A cheaper, cleaner way for the long taxi to the runway
一種更便宜更清潔的飛機跑道滑行方式
ENGINES on airliners are highly efficient when they are in flight, but not when operating on the ground.
飛機上的發動機在飛行過程中效率是很高的，但是在地面上的時候卻不是這樣。
When a plane is taxiing under its own power, the engines burn vast amounts of fuel.
飛機依靠自身動力滑行時，發動機燃燒掉大量的燃料。
A Boeing 747 can consume a tonne of fuel and emit several tonnes of carbon dioxide during an average 17-minute taxi to take-off.
一架波音747起飛一般需要滑行17分鐘，要消耗1噸燃料并且釋放出幾噸二氧化碳。
And when the aircraft lands there is likely to be another long drive to the passenger gate.
飛機著陸時，也要滑行很長一段才能到達乘客出口。
Which is why there are various methods being developed for aircraft to use other means of propulsion while moving around an airport.
這就是為什么要研究不同的方法讓飛機在機場運行時使用其他的動力方式。
Towing aircraft with a tug, similar to how they are pushed back from the gate, is one way.
用飛機拖拉車牽引就是一種辦法，類似于發動機的推力。
But constantly pulling on the front landing gear can lead to mechanical problems.
但是經常拉拽前起落架可能會導致機械故障。
Many pilots would also prefer to be in control of the driving once their aircraft is on the taxiway.
許多駕駛員在飛機滑行的時候也喜歡自己來控制操作。
One method that addresses both concerns is a semi-robotic tug called TaxiBot, developed by Israel Aerospace Industries.
能同時解決這兩方面問題的一種方法是一種半機器人化的牽引車:牽引機器人。
Instead of using a tow bar attached to the aircraft's nose wheel, TaxiBot employs a mechanism which automatically scoops the wheel up into a rotating turret.
它是由以色列航空工業公司研發的。牽引機器人運用一種機械裝置可以自動托起飛機前起落架與旋轉塔臺連接。
The TaxiBot also avoids having any complicated links to connect to the cockpit, yet still gives the pilots driving control.
牽引機器人連接駕駛艙也不需任何復雜的元件，駕駛員卻可以控制操作。
It does this by accelerating to the speed set for the taxiway, using its inbuilt GPS map system.
牽引機器人利用內置的GPS地圖系統給跑道速度控制裝置加速即可。
The pilots then use their usual controls to steer with the nose wheel and to brake with the main landing gear.
駕駛員用通常的控制器完成頭部機輪的控制和主起落架的制動。
A safety driver remains in the TaxiBot, and he also drives the vehicle to and from the aircraft.
牽引機器人里也有一位司機，負責將其開到地方和駛離。
With the high price of aviation fuel—a tonne can cost more than $1,000—the savings at a busy airport could be large.
航空燃料的價格很高，一噸價值1000多美元，一個業務繁忙的機場因此可以節省大批資金。
At some airports the passenger gates can be several miles from the runway.
一些機場登機門和跑道之間相距好幾英里。
All told, the world's airlines spend $7 billion-8 billion a year taxiing between passenger gates and the runway, says Yehoshua Eldar, who is in charge of business development at IAI.
以色列航空工業公司業務發展部負責人約書亞.埃爾達說：全世界的機場每年在跑道和登機門之間滑行上的花費合計達70-80億美元。
The TaxiBot, though, uses just 20-30 litres of fuel for a typical trip.
可是牽引機器人一次標準的旅行卻僅用20-30升燃料。
It also reduces the risk of debris being ingested by the engines and causing damage.
而且牽引機器人還可以降低飛機發動機吸入碎片造成破壞的風險。
Germany's Lufthansa will trial the system at Frankfurt Airport from May 2013.
德國漢莎航空公司將從2013年5月開始試行這個系統。
In the future some airliners may be driven to and from the runway with electric power.
將來飛機可能會利用電力在跑道上滑行。
The German Aerospace Centre has tested this idea in an aircraft using a fuel cell to power two electric motors built into the hub of an aircraft nose wheel.
德國宇航中心已經就此進行了實驗：在一架飛機上用燃料電池給裝在飛機頭部機輪輪轂里的兩臺電動機提供動力。
The centre reckons that up to 19% of current airport emissions could be saved using such a system.
該中心測算出應用這一系統最多可以減少19%的飛機排放物。
And it would also please the neighbours: there would be hardly any noise during taxiing.
而且機場周圍的鄰居也會高興：飛機滑行過程中幾乎沒有任何噪音。
