265:
257:
this manner the tow bar acts as a large lever to rotate the nose landing gear. Each aircraft type has a unique tow fitting so the towbar also acts as an adapter between the standard-sized tow pin on the tug and the type-specific fitting on the aircraft's landing gear. The tow bar must be long enough to place the tug far away enough to avoid hitting the aircraft and to provide sufficient leverage to facilitate turns. On heavy tow bars for large aircraft the towbar rides on its own wheels when not connected to an aircraft. The wheels are attached to a hydraulic jacking mechanism which can lift the towbar to the correct height to mate to both the airplane and the tug, and once this is accomplished the same mechanism is used in reverse to raise the tow bar wheels from the ground during the pushback process. The tow bar can be connected at the front or the rear of the tractor, depending on whether the aircraft will be pushed or pulled. The towbar has a
495:
541:
442:
476:
400:
514:
526:
174:
215:
291:
particularly massive - the aircraft's nosewheel weight provides the necessary downward force. Lastly, a TBL tug is much shorter (compared to a tug+towbar system) and has only a single pivot point instead of one at either end of the towbar, so it has much simpler and precise control of the aircraft. This is very useful in general aviation settings with a wider variety of aircraft in more confined spaces than their airline counterparts.
223:
460:
412:
388:
424:
283:
20:
295:
the movement of many unique aircraft. The majority of aircraft do not require adapters and can be moved without any special adjustments to the tug. This is in contrast to conventional tugs which often use so-called "universal" towbars which must be adjustable to suit many aircraft types. Electric TBL tugs are gaining popularity among general aviation operators and
376:. As cited before, the "tractor" needs to be heavy to aid traction. The Touareg carried 4.3 tons worth of cement bags, and the tires were inflated to twice the normal pressure to handle the extra weight. Tractor tires have high sidewall ratios for that reason. This is the world record for the heaviest load towed by a production car.
353:
to provide electrical and pneumatic power to run lighting, environmental and communications systems, unless the tug itself provides these sources of power, which some do. This method also places a larger workload on ground crews and equipment, especially if the aircraft and tow tractor ends up having
294:
Manufacturers of electric TBL tugs offer models capable of moving any aircraft from the smallest single-engine type to narrow-body airliners, military cargo and airline-sized business jets. Just as specialized towbars are required for a wide range of aircraft, many TBL tugs use adapters which enable
256:
Conventional tugs use a tow bar to connect the tug to the nose landing gear of the aircraft. The tow bar is fixed laterally at the nose landing gear, but may move slightly vertically for height adjustment. At the end that attaches to the tug, the tow bar may pivot freely laterally and vertically. In
91:
would cause increased noise, damage to the terminal building or equipment, and can cause injury to airport staff due to flying debris. This debris would also be sucked into the engine, as it is in normal use, and cause excessive wear - a major cause of wear on aircraft engines is during ground use. A
205:
construction which allows them to be carried on board the airplane. Other small tow bars have a powered wheel to help move the airplane, with power sources as diverse as lawnmower engines or battery-operated electric drills. However, powered tow bars are usually too large and heavy to be practically
200:
off the ground, then rotate the airplane by hand. A less cumbersome method involves attaching a short tow bar to either the nose wheel or tail wheel, which provides a solid handhold and leverage to steer with, as well as eliminates the danger of handling the propeller. These tow bars are usually a
316:
that can tow an aircraft from the terminal gate to the take-off point (taxi-out phase) and return it to the gate after landing (taxi-in phase). The TaxiBot eliminates the use of airplane engines during taxi-in and until immediately prior to take-off during taxi-out potentially saving airlines
290:
Towbarless (TBL) tractors do not use a towbar; they scoop up the nose landing gear and lift it off the ground. This avoids the time penalty of connecting/disconnecting a towbar, and entirely removes the cost/complexity of maintaining towbars on the ramp. The tug itself does not need to be
299:
as an alternative to gas or diesel-powered conventional tugs. Being electric rather than internal combustion-powered, electric tugs are low-emission which is a major advantage for environmentally-conscious operators; this also enables the tug to be safely operated inside a closed hangar.
159:
Once the pushback is completed, the towbar is disconnected, and any bypass pin removed. The ground handler will show the bypass pin to the pilots to make it clear that it has been removed. The pushback is then complete, and the aircraft can taxi forward under its own power.
116:
494:
346:, advocated towing aircraft to the holding point of the runway to save fuel and reduce environmental impact. However, the practice was discontinued after landing gear maintenance costs increased due to the stress put on the landing gear during the towing process.
252:
pull of 334 kN (75,000 lbf). Often the driver's cabin can be raised for increased visibility when reversing and lowered to fit under aircraft. There are two types of pushback tractors: conventional and towbarless (TBL).
121:
120:
117:
122:
264:
540:
475:
261:
which prevents the aircraft from being mishandled by the tug; when overstressed the shear pin will snap, disconnecting the bar from the nose gear to prevent damage to the aircraft and tug.
145:. Once clearance is obtained, the pilot will communicate with the tractor driver (or a ground handler walking alongside the aircraft in some cases) to start the pushback. To communicate, a
196:
since they're known to be strong enough to drag the airplane through the air. To allow for turns, a person may either pick up or push down on the tail to raise either the nose wheel or
152:
Since the pilots cannot see what is behind the aircraft, steering is done by the pushback tractor driver and not by the pilots. Depending on the aircraft type and airline procedure, a
119:
513:
682:
This effect is inherent in the take-off and landing stages when sand and dust are lifted from the runway by an air stream, which greatly affects the durability of PCM parts.
441:
599:
240:
Large aircraft cannot be moved by hand and must have a tractor or tug. Pushback tractors use a low profile design to fit under the aircraft nose. For sufficient
118:
335:, it is also used to tow aircraft in areas where taxiing the aircraft is not practical or is unsafe, such as moving aircraft in and out of maintenance
525:
100:
867:
634:
399:
722:
706:
882:
317:
billions of dollars in fuel that is used. The TaxiBot is controlled by the pilot from the cockpit using the regular pilot controls.
486:
459:
779:
248:
added. A typical tractor for large aircraft weighs up to 54 tonnes (59.5 short tons; 53.1 long tons; 119,000 pounds) and has a
411:
103:
defines aircraft pushback as "rearward moving of an aircraft from a parking position to a taxi position by use of specialized
574:
504:
818:
387:
234:
31:
309:
751:
423:
156:
may be temporarily installed into the nose gear to disconnect it from the aircraft's normal steering mechanism.
569:
564:
104:
173:
241:
500:
663:
433:
350:
296:
181:
138:
214:
839:
756:
369:
188:
Very small airplanes may be moved by human power alone. The airplane may be pushed or pulled by
652:"Criterion for evaluation of erosion of aviation engine parts from polymer composite materials"
887:
702:
630:
551:
269:
249:
671:
667:
547:
230:
430:
343:
320:
276:
227:
222:
676:
202:
177:
73:
55:
72:
Although many aircraft are capable of moving themselves backwards on the ground using
876:
723:"Doc 4444 Procedures for Air Navigation Services — Air Traffic Management (PANS-ATM)"
651:
58:
by external power. Pushbacks are carried out by special, low-profile vehicles called
189:
793:
451:
282:
245:
193:
126:
519:
An
Indonesia Batik air A320 on pushback at Soekarno–Hatta International Airport
19:
835:
373:
364:
197:
146:
27:
482:
273:
258:
134:
88:
84:
78:
92:
pushback is therefore the preferred method when ground-handling aircraft.
54:
is pushed backwards away from its parking position, usually at an airport
51:
39:
448:
313:
142:
61:
47:
466:
336:
362:
In an advertising campaign, also documented on the television show
780:"Remotely controlled aircraft tugs: The future of ground handling"
531:
281:
263:
221:
213:
172:
114:
18:
606:. Montreal—Geneva: International Air Transport Association. 2021
24:
600:"IATA Reference Manual (IRM) for Audit Programs 11th edition"
16:
Removal of an aircraft from an airport gate by external power
625:
Kumar, Bharat; DeRemer, Dale; Marshall, Douglas M. (2004).
244:
the tractor must be heavy, and most models can have extra
794:"BBC NEWS - Business - Virgin Atlantic move to save fuel"
339:, or moving aircraft that are not under their own power.
312:
has developed a semi-robotic towbarless tractor it calls
286:
Towbars are used to connect the tractor to the aircraft.
180:
can usually be moved by human power alone. Here, this
864:
Operations Manual Bucher aircraft tractor Kp20FlApt13
819:Ellie Zolfagharifard, "Reducing runway emissions",
656:
IOP Conf. Series: Materials
Science and Engineering
701:(10th ed.). Manchester: Crécy. p. 127.
836:"VW Touareg Towing a 747 Jumbo Jet - Fifth Gear"
349:Some fuel must still be burned to operate the
752:"New IAI "taxibot" to save airlines billions"
8:
323:has been using a similar sort of tug too.
184:is being pulled into position for refueling
141:clearance to facilitate ground movement on
675:
692:
690:
586:
417:Towbarless tractor for smaller aircraft
383:
218:Pushback tug with a towbar on the apron
629:. New York: McGraw-Hill. p. 514.
594:
592:
590:
575:Visual Guidance Docking Systems (VGDS)
485:being towed by a small tow tractor at
331:While the vehicle is referred to as a
226:A conventional tractor hooked up to a
627:An Illustrated Dictionary of Aviation
149:may be connected near the nose gear.
7:
503:manually ground handled at the 2016
354:to wait in a long line of aircraft.
393:Pushback tug with the towbar behind
14:
868:Schweizerische Militärmuseum Full
534:74271 airport tug with double cab
30:being pushed back from a gate at
539:
524:
512:
493:
474:
469:being used as a pushback tractor
458:
440:
422:
410:
398:
386:
842:from the original on 2021-12-21
677:10.1088/1757-899X/868/1/012026
505:Royal International Air Tattoo
76:(a procedure referred to as a
1:
834:Fifth Gear (21 August 2014).
487:Ă„ngelholm-Helsingborg Airport
699:Air Traffic Control Handbook
546:Towbarless tug (NadHaf) for
447:A tug ready to push back an
327:Other equipment applications
235:Denver International Airport
206:carried on small airplanes.
32:Narita International Airport
680:– via Research Gate.
310:Israel Aerospace Industries
182:Aerotechnik EV-97A Eurostar
904:
50:procedure during which an
760:. Globes. 3 February 2011
883:Aircraft ground handling
732:. 2016. p. 12.3.4.4
570:Ground support equipment
565:Aircraft ground handling
105:ground support equipment
668:2020MS&E..868a2026R
342:Some airlines, notably
137:are usually subject to
650:Ravikovich, A (2020).
308:The Lahav Division of
287:
279:
237:
219:
185:
130:
35:
697:Smith, David (2015).
501:de Havilland Chipmunk
285:
267:
225:
217:
176:
169:Moving light aircraft
125:
22:
850:– via YouTube.
434:T813 6x6 Airport tug
351:auxiliary power unit
268:A towbarless tug at
210:Tractors and towbars
823:, December 7, 2009.
372:was used to pull a
304:Robotic tractor/tug
405:Towbarless tractor
370:Volkswagen Touareg
288:
280:
238:
220:
186:
133:Pushbacks at busy
131:
36:
800:. 3 December 2006
636:978-0-07-139606-6
552:Israeli Air Force
270:Frankfurt Airport
123:
895:
852:
851:
849:
847:
831:
825:
816:
810:
809:
807:
805:
790:
784:
783:
776:
770:
769:
767:
765:
748:
742:
741:
739:
737:
727:
719:
713:
712:
694:
685:
684:
679:
647:
641:
640:
622:
616:
615:
613:
611:
596:
548:fighter aircraft
543:
528:
516:
497:
478:
462:
444:
426:
414:
402:
390:
231:Boeing 777-200ER
124:
903:
902:
898:
897:
896:
894:
893:
892:
873:
872:
861:
856:
855:
845:
843:
833:
832:
828:
817:
813:
803:
801:
792:
791:
787:
778:
777:
773:
763:
761:
750:
749:
745:
735:
733:
725:
721:
720:
716:
709:
708:978-08597-91830
696:
695:
688:
649:
648:
644:
637:
624:
623:
619:
609:
607:
598:
597:
588:
583:
561:
554:
544:
535:
529:
520:
517:
508:
498:
489:
479:
470:
463:
454:
445:
436:
427:
418:
415:
406:
403:
394:
391:
382:
360:
344:Virgin Atlantic
329:
321:British Airways
306:
277:Airbus A340-300
272:transporting a
228:United Airlines
212:
171:
166:
115:
113:
98:
17:
12:
11:
5:
901:
899:
891:
890:
885:
875:
874:
871:
870:
865:
860:
857:
854:
853:
826:
811:
785:
771:
743:
714:
707:
686:
642:
635:
617:
585:
584:
582:
579:
578:
577:
572:
567:
560:
557:
556:
555:
545:
538:
536:
530:
523:
521:
518:
511:
509:
499:
492:
490:
480:
473:
471:
464:
457:
455:
446:
439:
437:
428:
421:
419:
416:
409:
407:
404:
397:
395:
392:
385:
381:
378:
359:
356:
328:
325:
305:
302:
211:
208:
203:aluminum alloy
178:Light aircraft
170:
167:
165:
162:
139:ground control
112:
109:
97:
94:
83:the resulting
74:reverse thrust
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
900:
889:
886:
884:
881:
880:
878:
869:
866:
863:
862:
858:
841:
837:
830:
827:
824:
822:
815:
812:
799:
795:
789:
786:
781:
775:
772:
759:
758:
753:
747:
744:
731:
724:
718:
715:
710:
704:
700:
693:
691:
687:
683:
678:
673:
669:
665:
661:
657:
653:
646:
643:
638:
632:
628:
621:
618:
605:
601:
595:
593:
591:
587:
580:
576:
573:
571:
568:
566:
563:
562:
558:
553:
549:
542:
537:
533:
527:
522:
515:
510:
506:
502:
496:
491:
488:
484:
477:
472:
468:
461:
456:
453:
450:
443:
438:
435:
432:
425:
420:
413:
408:
401:
396:
389:
384:
379:
377:
375:
371:
367:
366:
357:
355:
352:
347:
345:
340:
338:
334:
326:
324:
322:
318:
315:
311:
303:
301:
298:
292:
284:
278:
275:
271:
266:
262:
260:
254:
251:
247:
243:
236:
232:
229:
224:
216:
209:
207:
204:
199:
195:
191:
183:
179:
175:
168:
163:
161:
157:
155:
150:
148:
144:
140:
136:
128:
110:
108:
106:
102:
95:
93:
90:
86:
82:
80:
75:
70:
68:
64:
63:
57:
53:
49:
45:
41:
33:
29:
26:
21:
844:. Retrieved
829:
821:The Engineer
820:
814:
802:. Retrieved
797:
788:
774:
762:. Retrieved
755:
746:
734:. Retrieved
729:
717:
698:
681:
659:
655:
645:
626:
620:
608:. Retrieved
603:
363:
361:
348:
341:
333:pushback tug
332:
330:
319:
307:
293:
289:
255:
239:
201:lightweight
190:landing gear
187:
158:
153:
151:
132:
99:
77:
71:
66:
59:
43:
37:
452:Airbus A319
194:wing struts
127:Airbus A380
877:Categories
581:References
374:Boeing 747
365:Fifth Gear
198:tail wheel
154:bypass pin
135:aerodromes
96:Definition
28:Boeing 777
798:BBC.co.uk
730:OPS Group
507:, England
483:Saab 2000
274:Lufthansa
259:shear pin
164:Equipment
111:Procedure
89:prop wash
85:jet blast
79:powerback
60:pushback
34:in Japan.
888:Tractors
846:17 March
840:Archived
804:17 March
662:(1): 1.
604:IATA.org
559:See also
358:In media
242:traction
143:taxiways
129:pushback
62:tractors
52:aircraft
44:pushback
40:aviation
859:Sources
664:Bibcode
449:EasyJet
380:Gallery
337:hangars
314:TaxiBot
250:drawbar
246:ballast
147:headset
48:airport
764:9 July
757:Globes
705:
633:
467:Unimog
46:is an
736:2 May
726:(PDF)
610:2 May
532:BelAZ
431:Tatra
848:2017
806:2017
766:2012
738:2021
703:ISBN
631:ISBN
612:2021
368:, a
297:FBOs
101:IATA
67:tugs
56:gate
672:doi
660:868
550:in
233:at
192:or
107:."
87:or
65:or
38:In
25:KLM
879::
838:.
796:.
754:.
728:.
689:^
670:.
658:.
654:.
602:.
589:^
481:A
465:A
429:A
81:),
69:.
42:,
23:A
808:.
782:.
768:.
740:.
711:.
674::
666::
639:.
614:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
