WheelTug Backlog Adds Additional 135 Boeing 737NG Aircraft

GIBRALTAR--(Marketwire - Mar 13, 2013) - WheelTug plc announced today the execution of another Slot Purchase Agreement with an undisclosed Boeing 737NG operator. With 135 new reservations the backlog of WheelTug® Aircraft Drive Systems system grows to nearly four hundred fifty delivery slots already reserved by eight airlines with many others currently under discussions.

The WheelTug electric drive 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.

Current commercial aviation practice utilizes a tug for aircraft gate pushback, while forward taxi is powered by the aircraft's engines. Typically, a taxiing Airbus A320 or Boeing 737NG aircraft burns 24 to 27 pounds of fuel per minute. The electric WheelTug unit needs only four pounds of fuel per minute by using the aircraft's auxiliary power unit (APU), representing an 80% reduction in ground operation fuel consumption.

In addition to lower ground operation fuel consumption, other intended benefits of the WheelTug Aircraft Drive Systems include: substantially reduced carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions, increased safety and flexibility of operations, faster turnaround times, reduced engine wear and repair costs, and decreased noise pollution. WheelTug estimates the total savings at over US$700,000 per aircraft per year. WheelTug Systems will be offered to the airlines entirely on a lease, or power-by-the-hour basis, so that the systems can be installed and operated on aircraft without any capital expenditure on the part of the airline whatsoever.

WheelTug plc successfully installed and tested the first in-wheel WheelTug system in Prague in June 2012. Video from the tests is available at: http://media.wheeltug.com.

About WheelTug plc
WheelTug plc is a Gibraltar Corporation. A full listing of WheelTug partner companies and airline customers is on the company's website at www.wheeltug.gi

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