what’s the use of the cart that pushes back the airplane? Can planes not reverse without it?
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Major airline pilot here. We don’t have backup cameras or mirrors, which in a safety-minded industry introduces a lot of potential risks if we were asked to just backup on our own. We also can’t see much of the plane from the cockpit… All the pointy sticking-out bits are behind us. Plus, there’s a lot of coordination that goes into backing off the gate that’s best conducted with a team. Wing walkers are great for alerting other vehicles to our movement, helping to avoid hitting ground equipment or fixed obstructions, and directing us to our specific spots on the ramp before being released for movement under our own power. Even if I had motors in my wheels, I wouldn’t want to move a machine over 100ft long in every dimension without someone making sure I wasn’t going to break it.
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