Why did they stop? I have been on a few flights out of DTW where they did power backs. I agree, it is cool.I was on a Delta Connection erj a couple weeks ago (not sure who operates those these days) out of DTW and they did taxi with one engine.

Power backs are expensive, both in engine wear and plain cost of fuel.The 747 doesn't do starts while taxying as the engines are low to the ground and may well ingest fod, whereas the aircraft that have fuselage-mounted engines, i.e. the MD 80's and DC9's, etc., do this as SOP. An (MD-80) APU uses 175lbs/hr, whereas taxy fuel runs at 40 lbs/minute. .http://www.iata.org/whatwedo/economics/fue...development.htm

I can think of a couple of reasons although I'm guessing. 1) Fuel cost/consumption. Why spend money when a pushback is cheaper.2) Saftey. No rear view mirror. Safer to have someone looking ahead than looking back and able to respond quickly.3) Engine wear?Jim D.

I don't know Delta Connection SOPs for that ERJ but the main reason they don't do power backs is engine wear. The Dc-9 is an aging fleet and NWA beats the hell out of them. Fuel comes second but the cost of doing the power back is minimal compared to daily operation costs but if the plane has 3 flights at an airports that allow them it could get expensive along with alot of unecessary wear and tear.

How much throttle is required on the power back ups?RH