MEMPHIS, TN --(Marketwired - April 28, 2015) - Total Air Group, LLC, announced today that it has signed a partnership agreement with WheelTug plc to develop and be the exclusive worldwide supplier of the racks and trays for the forthcoming WheelTug® E-Taxi system. The WheelTug system uses high-performance electric motors, installed in the nose gear wheels of an aircraft, to provide full mobility while on the ground, without the use of the aircraft's jet engines or tugs for both pushback and taxi operations.
"When Total Air Group first encountered the WheelTug concept, we were amazed by the opportunities to help streamline airline operations and reduce wear and tear on aircraft and engines," said Michael Silvius, TAG's CEO. "We have been enthusiastically working with WheelTug for several years now, and are delighted to have acquired a formal relationship and role in the project. We look forward to leveraging our expertise in aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul work to design and produce the racks and trays for the WheelTug avionics suite."
"I am delighted that TAG has formally joined our team," noted Isaiah Cox, WheelTug's CEO. "Their in-depth, hands-on knowledge of commercial aircraft, as well as their 'can-do' attitude toward problem solving has already proven invaluable to the WheelTug development effort."
About Total Air Group
TAG is a privately owned and operated certified aircraft repair station, with airframe capabilities for virtually all in-service commercial aircraft.
About WheelTug plc
WheelTug plc is developing the WheelTug® aircraft electric drive system which enables aircraft to be electrically driven from the terminal gate to the takeoff runway, and upon landing from runway exit to the gate. This allows improvements in efficiency, flexibility, fuel savings, reduced engine wear, reduce foreign object damage (FOD), as well as substantial reductions in CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions.
The WheelTug system can be seen in action at http://media.wheeltug.com The greatest benefit of WheelTug-enabled ground operations is the time that can be saved parking and unloading the aircraft and cooling its brakes before the next flight. Because the system is in the nose gear, there is no interference with cooling of the brakes on the main landing gear, allowing aircraft to reduce turnaround time by as much as 15 to 20 minutes per flight. This can lead to a dramatic increase in fleet utilization, as well as passenger satisfaction. WheelTug estimates the total savings from use of its system at well over US$1 million per aircraft per year. WheelTug's systems are being offered to the airlines entirely on a lease, or power-by-the-hour basis, permitting installation on aircraft and operation without any airline capital expenditure.
WheelTug plc is based in Gibraltar. A full listing of WheelTug plc partner companies and airline customers is on the company's website at http://www.wheeltug.gi .
Forward-looking statement at http://www.wheeltug.gi/fls.shtml .
For more information: Michael Silvius Phone: (901) 396-9707 http://www.totalairgroup.com Jan Vana Director WheelTug plc +420 724 276 506 +1 410 419 0082 exec@wheeltug.gi www.wheeltug.gi
