Israir Airlines Announces a Letter of Intent on Option to Equip Its A320 Fleet With WheelTug Aircraft Drive System

TEL AVIV, ISRAEL--(Marketwire - Mar 26, 2012) - Israir Airlines and WheelTug plc today announce their execution of a Letter of Intent to enter an agreement under which Israir will deploy WheelTug Aircraft Drive Systems for its Airbus A320 fleet, subject to financial and operational feasibility checks and regulatory approvals. The deal makes Israir WheelTug's first launch customer for A320, and reserves 10 WheelTug System delivery slots for Israir.

Israir Airlines & Tourism flies about 700,000 passengers per annum in Israel and abroad, using ATR-72-500s ATR-42 and Airbus A320 aircraft. Israir's overseas flight destinations include Rome, Berlin, Moscow, Nice and Milan. In addition, Israir Airlines operates charter flights for leading wholesalers to a range of destinations in Europe and Mediterranean.

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.

WheelTug enables aircraft to be electrically driven from the terminal gate to the takeoff runway, and upon landing from runway exit to the gate. The resulting improvements in efficiency, flexibility, fuel savings, and reduced engine foreign object damage (FOD) yield projected savings a substantial operating expenses per aircraft per year, plus substantial reductions in CO₂ and other greenhouse gas emissions.

The WheelTug system is also being developed for the Boeing 737NG, one of the world's most widely flown aircraft.