Some Planes can POWERBACK on their own!! Here an MD80
Why Aviation Stack Exchange recommends it
Aviation Stack Exchange answerers and askers point people to it as a concrete example of an MD-80 backing away from the gate with thrust reversers.
Recommended by 0 people across 0 different months, 2014 to 2018.
What it is
A short 2013 clip from the Just Planes channel showing an American Airlines Douglas MD-80 leaving the gate under its own power, using reverse thrust instead of a pushback tug. It is raw footage of the maneuver known as a powerback, with no narration beyond the title.
What people said
Cites DeltaLima · 2014-08 · Aviation Stack Exchange · on “Is it possible to use thrust reversers to taxi backwards?”
It can be done, in fact the DC-9 and MD-80 aircraft are approved for backing up using reverse thrust. It is called "powerback". It is rarely used since it is quite fuel consuming, noisy and increases the risk of sucking up debris near the gate area causing damage to the engines. Here's a video [this video] of an MD-80 backing up.
Cites Ygor Montenegro · 2015-03 · Aviation Stack Exchange · on “Is a powerback allowed by airlines as a safe maneuver?”
I watched some videos on YouTube where the pilot used the thrust-reverser for push-back instead of the push-back tug. Some examples: MD80 Powerback [this video] DC9 Ground Reverser Powerback [LINK] Is this procedure currently in use? Would an airline today certify a 737, or even turboprop, like a Beechcraft 1900D [LINK] , to execute such a maneuver? I've also seen a Boeing 727 video. 727s and MD80s have the engines attached directly to the fuselage, not in the wings. Would that be one of the reasons?
Cites user02020202 · 2018-01 · Aviation Stack Exchange · on “Why don't passenger planes move back by their own means before taxiing?”
I’m not exactly sure, but it sounds like you’re asking why planes need a tug on pushback. Some jet and prop planes such as the 727 and MD-80 can perform a power back where they start at the gate and use reverse thrust to exit it. This procedure was more common in the 70s and 80s but seems to have died out in the 2000s. According to wikipedia [LINK] the practice was stopped to save fuel. Additionally, there was a high risk of foreign object debris entering the engines from the ramps. Thus, the procedure was even less common on low engine aircraft such as the 737. The C-17 performs powerbacks still for the armed forces, so size is not a limiting factor. You can check out a video here [this video] o