License To Taxi?

Hello All,
Perhaps someone hereabouts can settle a discussion I had with a fellow
passenger on an airliner the other day: Suppose there's a 747 parked
at a gate and they need to taxi it over to a maintenance area. Does it
require a licensed pilot to taxi a plane that large (or any plane, for
that matter) on the ground? We are stipulating that the plane is not
going to take off -- merely drive from one part of the airport to
another. Also, if pilots do NOT usually perform this task, then who
usually does?
Thanks for any info to settle this!

From what I have read, some of the mechanics have a sign-off that permits
them to taxi aircraft...


"SteveT" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hello All,
Perhaps someone hereabouts can settle a discussion I had with a fellow
passenger on an airliner the other day: Suppose there's a 747 parked
at a gate and they need to taxi it over to a maintenance area. Does it
require a licensed pilot to taxi a plane that large (or any plane, for
that matter) on the ground? We are stipulating that the plane is not
going to take off -- merely drive from one part of the airport to
another. Also, if pilots do NOT usually perform this task, then who
usually does?
Thanks for any info to settle this!

Airline mechanics may need such endorsement from their employer from a
liability and operations standpoint... ordinary A&P's operating GA
planes on the ground don't have any such restrictions or endorsements to
contend with (again, unless their employer requires it)

Dave

Lakeview Bill wrote:
From what I have read, some of the mechanics have a sign-off that permits
them to taxi aircraft...


"SteveT" wrote in message
oups.com...

Hello All,
Perhaps someone hereabouts can settle a discussion I had with a fellow
passenger on an airliner the other day: Suppose there's a 747 parked
at a gate and they need to taxi it over to a maintenance area. Does it
require a licensed pilot to taxi a plane that large (or any plane, for
that matter) on the ground? We are stipulating that the plane is not
going to take off -- merely drive from one part of the airport to
another. Also, if pilots do NOT usually perform this task, then who
usually does?
Thanks for any info to settle this!

As one who trained mechanics to taxi jets.......
No license required but a "run card" is required. Classroom, Simulator
and practical. Basically an authorization from the company to perform
the operation specified.
Michelle

SteveT wrote:

Hello All,
Perhaps someone hereabouts can settle a discussion I had with a fellow
passenger on an airliner the other day: Suppose there's a 747 parked
at a gate and they need to taxi it over to a maintenance area. Does it
require a licensed pilot to taxi a plane that large (or any plane, for
that matter) on the ground? We are stipulating that the plane is not
going to take off -- merely drive from one part of the airport to
another. Also, if pilots do NOT usually perform this task, then who
usually does?
Thanks for any info to settle this!

In article .net,
says...


As one who trained mechanics to taxi jets.......
No license required but a "run card" is required. Classroom, Simulator
and practical. Basically an authorization from the company to perform
the operation specified.
Michelle



This famous incident comes to mind :-)
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/050163/M/

I don't know what the final cause was determined to be, but at the time
there was some consternation expressed about the fact that the mechanic
was operating the plane (on the ground). Of course, this was not in the
US - and I only said there was concern expressed, not thta this was
determined to be causal or contributing to the result . . .

G Faris

There was an accident at Newark a few years ago where mechanics were testing
a plane (MD-80?) and it jumped its chocks and ran into the terminal. They
were not intending to taxi it but did. I can't find in in the NTSB reports.

--
Bob (Chief Pilot, White Knuckle Airways)


"Greg Farris" wrote in message
...
In article .net,
says...


As one who trained mechanics to taxi jets.......
No license required but a "run card" is required. Classroom, Simulator
and practical. Basically an authorization from the company to perform
the operation specified.
Michelle



This famous incident comes to mind :-)
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/050163/M/

I don't know what the final cause was determined to be, but at the time
there was some consternation expressed about the fact that the mechanic
was operating the plane (on the ground). Of course, this was not in the
US - and I only said there was concern expressed, not thta this was
determined to be causal or contributing to the result . . .

G Faris

"SteveT" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hello All,
Perhaps someone hereabouts can settle a discussion I had with a fellow
passenger on an airliner the other day: Suppose there's a 747 parked
at a gate and they need to taxi it over to a maintenance area. Does it
require a licensed pilot to taxi a plane that large (or any plane, for
that matter) on the ground? We are stipulating that the plane is not
going to take off -- merely drive from one part of the airport to
another. Also, if pilots do NOT usually perform this task, then who
usually does?
Thanks for any info to settle this!


No "license" needed to taxi, but when I worked at a small airport, we never
started a plane to move it. We used a tug or towbar.

Many GA airports use tugs to move the small ones around or simply use a tow
bar.As a service,
employees of the airport/FBO regularly retrive aircraft from hangers for
pilots. They will often refuel and park the aircraft for the pilots upon
their return.

My guess with airliners it comes down to economics. Just can't see any
reason to spool up an airliner just to taxi when there is plenty of tugs and
wing walkers around.

Starting engines just to taxi an aircraft seems like opening a liability
can-o-worms.

"Marty" wrote in message
...

"SteveT" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hello All,
Perhaps someone hereabouts can settle a discussion I had with a fellow
passenger on an airliner the other day: Suppose there's a 747 parked
at a gate and they need to taxi it over to a maintenance area. Does it
require a licensed pilot to taxi a plane that large (or any plane, for
that matter) on the ground? We are stipulating that the plane is not
going to take off -- merely drive from one part of the airport to
another. Also, if pilots do NOT usually perform this task, then who
usually does?
Thanks for any info to settle this!


No "license" needed to taxi, but when I worked at a small airport, we
never
started a plane to move it. We used a tug or towbar.

Many GA airports use tugs to move the small ones around or simply use a
tow
bar.As a service,
employees of the airport/FBO regularly retrive aircraft from hangers for
pilots. They will often refuel and park the aircraft for the pilots upon
their return.

My guess with airliners it comes down to economics. Just can't see any
reason to spool up an airliner just to taxi when there is plenty of tugs
and
wing walkers around.

Starting engines just to taxi an aircraft seems like opening a liability
can-o-worms.




I have never seen them start up and taxi around seen a few at KPDX moved
from place to place with a TUG


Steven Rhine
CP-ASEL-IA

NW_PILOT wrote:





I have never seen them start up and taxi around seen a few at KPDX moved
from place to place with a TUG

Depends on the layout of the airport. An airline based here at BIL has
the mechanics start one engine of their Beech 1900's to taxi from the
gate to the hangar. We would never let them do that amount of
repositioning on a taxiway with a tug.

Marty,
The controllers at IAD hate it when the Ramp crew tows an airplane from
one gate to another. It is just too slow. If you try this during a push
period forget it you will wait until the push is over. This could be 1-2
hours. Usually the decision comes down to who is available and what does
the ground traffic look like at the time of movement and how quickly
does it need to be moved. If for some reason we had to tow an airplane
from the gates to the Hangar, a distance of about 2 Miles, it was done
in the middle of the night. This operation would take about 40 minutes.

Michelle

Marty wrote:

"SteveT" wrote in message
roups.com...


Hello All,
Perhaps someone hereabouts can settle a discussion I had with a fellow
passenger on an airliner the other day: Suppose there's a 747 parked
at a gate and they need to taxi it over to a maintenance area. Does it
require a licensed pilot to taxi a plane that large (or any plane, for
that matter) on the ground? We are stipulating that the plane is not
going to take off -- merely drive from one part of the airport to
another. Also, if pilots do NOT usually perform this task, then who
usually does?
Thanks for any info to settle this!




No "license" needed to taxi, but when I worked at a small airport, we never
started a plane to move it. We used a tug or towbar.

Many GA airports use tugs to move the small ones around or simply use a tow
bar.As a service,
employees of the airport/FBO regularly retrive aircraft from hangers for
pilots. They will often refuel and park the aircraft for the pilots upon
their return.

My guess with airliners it comes down to economics. Just can't see any
reason to spool up an airliner just to taxi when there is plenty of tugs and
wing walkers around.

Starting engines just to taxi an aircraft seems like opening a liability
can-o-worms.