Ikramerica From United States, joined May 2005, 14685 posts, RR: 43 Reply 1, posted (3 months 3 weeks 6 days 2 hours ago) and read 6975 times:
Quoting AA388 (Thread starter): i remember reading on here that SRB couldn't do the tow the plane to the runway thing because it would mess up the landing gear
Honestly, did you even bother to read the thread? It was thoroughly (and overly) discussed. This plane shown is NOT at MTOW, it is being towed to the gate to be loaded and boarded.
Of all the things to worry about... the Wookie has no pants.
Azncsa4qf744er From United States, joined Oct 2003, 325 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (3 months 3 weeks 6 days 1 hour ago) and read 6929 times:
Quoting AA388 (Thread starter): i remember reading on here that SRB couldn't do the tow the plane to the runway thing because it would mess up the landing gear.
I believed that was with full cargo and passengers. In this case, the aircraft (VH-OJK) is being towed from the MX hanger to the international gate without any cargo or passenger. This is nothing new as long as there is no cargo or passenger on board. The concern from Boeing was it can damaged the noise gear that would also limited the liability of the warranty. At LAX after arrivals and before departure MX would tow the aircrafts either from TBIT or T4 gates to the QF MX hanger and vise-versa for the departures. UA does the same system wide with their aircrafts either going off line from a gate to the hanger or the other way around.
To be fair Ikramerica, I did point out in that thread that aircraft are towed around at MTOW at SYD. It is usually not for extended distances, but nonetheless, it happens every day. Sometimes if an aircraft has some sort of failure at start up, it will need to be towed off to a bay for rectification of the defect. Again, this will occur even if the plane is at MTOW.
There is nothing to actually prevent you towing at MTOW. There is certainly enough static strength in the nose gear to do so. However, it is the long term consequences of repeating such manoeuvres that is of concern. If every once in a while you need to tow at MTOW for whatever operational reason, you will do it without too much thought.
Regards, JetMech
The universe revolves around engineers as we choose the co-ordinate system!
KPHXFlyer From United States, joined Mar 2008, 108 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (3 months 3 weeks 5 days 3 hours ago) and read 1927 times:
Also at LAX, Southwest will tow a recently landed aircraft into the Gates closest to the World Way N roadway (Gate 1 maybe?). I know because they towed us in the last 150 feet or so on a recent flight.
Max, Boeing said that the gear can be damaged due to the excess stress on the gear. There could be a thousand reasons why this particular 747 is being towed as mentioned above.
AA388 From Puerto Rico, joined Sep 2007, 145 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (3 months 3 weeks 5 days 2 hours ago) and read 1075 times:
thanks all of you for clarifying. as for the towing a plane at MTOW wouldnt you think that you could put a pin into the landing gear to make it not fold up. i'm not a techie so maybe its not as simple as that.
-max
flown on a319, a320, a330-200,a340-300,737-3,7,8, 747-400,757-200, 767-300,777-200
JetMech From Australia, joined Mar 2006, 1697 posts, RR: 25 Reply 9, posted (3 months 3 weeks 5 days 1 hour ago) and read 990 times:
Quoting AA388 (Reply 8): thanks all of you for clarifying. as for the towing a plane at MTOW wouldnt you think that you could put a pin into the landing gear to make it not fold up. i'm not a techie so maybe its not as simple as that.
There are pins that you can put in all the landing gears to prevent retraction, and if you knew beforehand that you were going to tow an appreciable distance, you would fit them. For the departure tow, these pins are not fitted, as it would take too much time to remove them, and they could easily be forgotten. However, these pins will not prevent the gear from collapsing in the case of a structural failure.
Regards, JetMech
The universe revolves around engineers as we choose the co-ordinate system!
Ferret From United States, joined Jun 2000, 118 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (3 months 3 weeks 5 days 1 hour ago) and read 941 times:
So based on all the above...and I honestly haven't read the other discussion threads on this lately...what is the status of Virgin's plan to tow out to the runway to "save the planet?"
-------------------------
To quote Homer Simpons: "DOH!"
Francoflier From France, joined Oct 2001, 1174 posts, RR: 3 Reply 12, posted (3 months 3 weeks 5 days 1 hour ago) and read 823 times:
Quoting KPHXFlyer (Reply 5): Also at LAX, Southwest will tow a recently landed aircraft into the Gates closest to the World Way N roadway (Gate 1 maybe?). I know because they towed us in the last 150 feet or so on a recent flight.
Don't know about Southwest, but at LAX, all heavies are towed into their gates when they park at the Tom Bradley inter'l Terminal. It's a narrow ramp and you'll see all the Jumbos and A346s from Asia stop short of their gate and being towed for the last 200 feet of their trip.
Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit posting...
UA772IAD From Australia, joined Jul 2004, 1236 posts, RR: 2 Reply 14, posted (3 months 3 weeks 5 days ago) and read 799 times:
Quoting Francoflier (Reply 12): Don't know about Southwest, but at LAX, all heavies are towed into their gates when they park at the Tom Bradley inter'l Terminal. It's a narrow ramp and you'll see all the Jumbos and A346s from Asia stop short of their gate and being towed for the last 200 feet of their trip.
Quite common at SFO's "corner" gates, such as 91 & 92 in the international terminal. Keep in mind though, as you most likely know, these aircraft have little fuel in them, so towing with the weight of passengers, cargo and leftover fuel is not an issue.
JetMech From Australia, joined Mar 2006, 1697 posts, RR: 25 Reply 15, posted (3 months 3 weeks 5 days ago) and read 774 times:
Quoting STLGph (Reply 13): i dont see any pilots in the cockpit ...
Judging from the photo, the aircraft is being towed from the QF jetbase over to the international terminal. There would most definitely be an engineer in the cockpit "riding the brakes" as we say. If the towbar should happen the break, it is this engineers job to apply the brakes and halt the aircraft if so directed by the second engineer riding on the back of the tug. I think that glare on the windshield prevents her / him from being visible.
Regards, JetMech
[Edited 2008-03-24 20:24:47]
The universe revolves around engineers as we choose the co-ordinate system!
AA 777 From United States, joined May 2002, 741 posts, RR: 11 Reply 16, posted (3 months 3 weeks 4 days 23 hours ago) and read 697 times:
In regards to being pulled into the gate by the tug it happens at many airports where the area is tight and its safer to be pulled in. With AA at LGA there are two gates that require a tow in for anything bigger than a ERJ. D2 and C3 are both tow in.
Im no tech guru (only a pilot), but I'd imagine theres a difference in towing in the last 50 feet verses towing across the airport at a heavy weight etc....
Yes, but exactly how will any self respecting engineer maintain a persona of cool, mildly detached nonchalance if he or she is forced to sit up and appear interested .
Regards, JetMech
The universe revolves around engineers as we choose the co-ordinate system!
UA772IAD From Australia, joined Jul 2004, 1236 posts, RR: 2 Reply 20, posted (3 months 3 weeks 4 days 19 hours ago) and read 491 times:
Quoting AA 777 (Reply 16): Im no tech guru (only a pilot), but I'd imagine theres a difference in towing in the last 50 feet verses towing across the airport at a heavy weight etc....
Indeed there are. The only tow equipment that I can think of that is capable of towing around aircraft long distances are the tractors that actually lift the nose gear off the ground, and the tug itself carriers the weight (as opposed to the standard push/pull with a tow bar). They're quite common in Europe, and UA has a few at SFO to tow aircraft between the terminals and the MOC way on the other side of the 10s. I don't know what the max weight limit for these tugs are though.
Forgive me for not searching in the old threads for this. Hopefully someone can answer?
How much fuel/money would be saved from towing to the aircrafts anyways? Those tugs certainly aren't fuel efficient themselves, and I can only imagine how much diesel they would burn pulling a 747 at MTOW 3/4 mile to the active.
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