WheelTug Backlog Adds Additional 10 Boeing 737NG Aircraft


GIBRALTAR--(Marketwire - Mar 14, 2013) - WheelTug plc announced today the execution of a Slot Purchase Agreement with Corendon Airlines. With 10 new reservations the backlog of WheelTug® aircraft drive systems grows to 439 delivery slots reserved by nine airlines.

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: removal of the time and safety costs of the use of ground tugs, 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 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.

About Corendon Airlines

Corendon Airlines, headquartered in Antalya Turkey, and Corendon Dutch Airlines are both owned by Corendon Group. Founded in 2004, and presently operating 30 routes from Antalya Airport, Corendon Airlines is a leisure airline that also operates seasonal and charter flights to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece and Kosovo. The Corendon Group has a close co-operation relationship with the Turkish state-owned travel agency Detur and with many tour operators which serve within the tourism sector.

forward-looking statement

Contact Information:

For more information:

Jan Vana
Director
WheelTug plc
+44 207 993 4293
+1 410 419 0082
exec@wheeltug.com
www.wheeltug.com