Hi,

Anyone on here have experience in towing off Airbridges ? Where I work if a bridge completely fails ( whilst docked ) we have to tow it off using a winch and vehicles as anchor points. I'm intrigued as to what methods / equipment are used at other airports across the world ?

Do you not tow or “pushback” regardless? Or do you move the bridge out of the way and make hard turn and taxi out? (Rare in the USA)

Hi , sorry maybe our terminolgy is slightly different. The aircraft are always pushed back. I am asking about towing or dragging a failed bridge off of the plane.

Thrusty69 wrote:

Do you not tow or “pushback” regardless? Or do you move the bridge out of the way and make hard turn and taxi out? (Rare in the USA)

You have to move the bridge off the aircraft first. No way you'd push back with it still in place. Too much risk of damage.

Starlionblue wrote:

Thrusty69 wrote:

Do you not tow or “pushback” regardless? Or do you move the bridge out of the way and make hard turn and taxi out? (Rare in the USA)

You have to move the bridge off the aircraft first. No way you'd push back with it still in place. Too much risk of damage.

If you can pull the canopy back, it’s possible though be it not a great option. I’ve done it a few times. As soon as you start the push you angle towards (pushing nose away) from the jetbridge, and then once you’re clear just ease it back into a straight push.

One of those things the jetbridge maintenance and port authority folks would tell us is possible, but they aren’t liable.

FGITD wrote:

Starlionblue wrote:

Thrusty69 wrote:

Do you not tow or “pushback” regardless? Or do you move the bridge out of the way and make hard turn and taxi out? (Rare in the USA)

You have to move the bridge off the aircraft first. No way you'd push back with it still in place. Too much risk of damage.

If you can pull the canopy back, it’s possible though be it not a great option. I’ve done it a few times. As soon as you start the push you angle towards (pushing nose away) from the jetbridge, and then once you’re clear just ease it back into a straight push.

One of those things the jetbridge maintenance and port authority folks would tell us is possible, but they aren’t liable.

So what would their approved method be.

AirKevin wrote:

FGITD wrote:

Starlionblue wrote:

You have to move the bridge off the aircraft first. No way you'd push back with it still in place. Too much risk of damage.

If you can pull the canopy back, it’s possible though be it not a great option. I’ve done it a few times. As soon as you start the push you angle towards (pushing nose away) from the jetbridge, and then once you’re clear just ease it back into a straight push.

One of those things the jetbridge maintenance and port authority folks would tell us is possible, but they aren’t liable.

So what would their approved method be.

Their solution is to wait until the bridge is fixed and can be moved away on its own power. Which is fine, except when you’ve got a schedule to keep

We work hard to repair the bridges but sometimes towing back is the only option. Airlines won't push back without the bridge off.
I'm really curious if anyone has come up with a quick method ( preferably manual ) to move a bridge ?

Hosdog wrote:

We work hard to repair the bridges but sometimes towing back is the only option. Airlines won't push back without the bridge off.
I'm really curious if anyone has come up with a quick method ( preferably manual ) to move a bridge ?

Pick it up with a SuperTUG?

FGITD wrote:

AirKevin wrote:

FGITD wrote:

If you can pull the canopy back, it’s possible though be it not a great option. I’ve done it a few times. As soon as you start the push you angle towards (pushing nose away) from the jetbridge, and then once you’re clear just ease it back into a straight push.

One of those things the jetbridge maintenance and port authority folks would tell us is possible, but they aren’t liable.

So what would their approved method be.

Their solution is to wait until the bridge is fixed and can be moved away on its own power. Which is fine, except when you’ve got a schedule to keep

And how long can that take.

AirKevin wrote:

FGITD wrote:

AirKevin wrote:

So what would their approved method be.

Their solution is to wait until the bridge is fixed and can be moved away on its own power. Which is fine, except when you’ve got a schedule to keep

And how long can that take.

Vendor is going to ship those parts in 3 weeks, if everything works as planned.

kalvado wrote:

AirKevin wrote:

FGITD wrote:

Their solution is to wait until the bridge is fixed and can be moved away on its own power. Which is fine, except when you’ve got a schedule to keep

And how long can that take.

Vendor is going to ship those parts in 3 weeks, if everything works as planned.

Oh, dear. That sounds like quite the kerfuffle. I don't know that the airlines would like having a plane stuck there for that long, and depending on the airport, I'm guessing the airport authorities won't like that, either.

AirKevin wrote:

kalvado wrote:

AirKevin wrote:

And how long can that take.

Vendor is going to ship those parts in 3 weeks, if everything works as planned.

Oh, dear. That sounds like quite the kerfuffle. I don't know that the airlines would like having a plane stuck there for that long, and depending on the airport, I'm guessing the airport authorities won't like that, either.

Probably everyone who is involved in repairs had such "wut ze..." situations- on lead time or availability or pricing, aviation or not.
That's when we need Joe Patroni....

Starlionblue wrote:

Thrusty69 wrote:

Do you not tow or “pushback” regardless? Or do you move the bridge out of the way and make hard turn and taxi out? (Rare in the USA)

You have to move the bridge off the aircraft first. No way you'd push back with it still in place. Too much risk of damage.

you can move the airplane with the jetway disabled as long as you can safely close the main cabin door. you woud then have to turn the nose wheels in the direction of the jetway and push in the opposite direction making sure you straighten the nose wheel when you're 2-3 ft away from the jetway so as not to damage any airplane on an adjacent gate. I've done it an supervised it at least 3 times in my 33 years at United,

strfyr51 wrote:

Starlionblue wrote:

Thrusty69 wrote:

Do you not tow or “pushback” regardless? Or do you move the bridge out of the way and make hard turn and taxi out? (Rare in the USA)

You have to move the bridge off the aircraft first. No way you'd push back with it still in place. Too much risk of damage.

you can move the airplane with the jetway disabled as long as you can safely close the main cabin door. you woud then have to turn the nose wheels in the direction of the jetway and push in the opposite direction making sure you straighten the nose wheel when you're 2-3 ft away from the jetway so as not to damage any airplane on an adjacent gate. I've done it an supervised it at least 3 times in my 33 years at United,

How do you turn the nose wheel with the plane at the gate. I guess with the tiller?

AirKevin wrote:

strfyr51 wrote:

Starlionblue wrote:

You have to move the bridge off the aircraft first. No way you'd push back with it still in place. Too much risk of damage.

you can move the airplane with the jetway disabled as long as you can safely close the main cabin door. you woud then have to turn the nose wheels in the direction of the jetway and push in the opposite direction making sure you straighten the nose wheel when you're 2-3 ft away from the jetway so as not to damage any airplane on an adjacent gate. I've done it an supervised it at least 3 times in my 33 years at United,

How do you turn the nose wheel with the plane at the gate. I guess with the tiller?

You turn using the pushback, not the aircraft nose wheel.

AirKevin wrote:

strfyr51 wrote:

Starlionblue wrote:

You have to move the bridge off the aircraft first. No way you'd push back with it still in place. Too much risk of damage.

you can move the airplane with the jetway disabled as long as you can safely close the main cabin door. you woud then have to turn the nose wheels in the direction of the jetway and push in the opposite direction making sure you straighten the nose wheel when you're 2-3 ft away from the jetway so as not to damage any airplane on an adjacent gate. I've done it an supervised it at least 3 times in my 33 years at United,

How do you turn the nose wheel with the plane at the gate. I guess with the tiller?

You could. Or the pedals. But as FGITD says it would have to be done by the tug. The steering lockout pin would be inserted so that the steering is disabled, just like with any pushback.

I see a problem though. The nose gear would be in the neutral position when connecting the tug. The tug needs to move before the nosewheel can be turned. By then, you've already scraped the fuselage alone the jetbridge.

Starlionblue wrote:

AirKevin wrote:

strfyr51 wrote:

you can move the airplane with the jetway disabled as long as you can safely close the main cabin door. you woud then have to turn the nose wheels in the direction of the jetway and push in the opposite direction making sure you straighten the nose wheel when you're 2-3 ft away from the jetway so as not to damage any airplane on an adjacent gate. I've done it an supervised it at least 3 times in my 33 years at United,

How do you turn the nose wheel with the plane at the gate. I guess with the tiller?

You could. Or the pedals. But as FGITD says it would have to be done by the tug. The steering lockout pin would be inserted so that the steering is disabled, just like with any pushback.

I see a problem though. The nose gear would be in the neutral position when connecting the tug. The tug needs to move before the nosewheel can be turned. By then, you've already scraped the fuselage alone the jetbridge.

Yeah, hence my befuddlement. I wasn't seeing how the tug would be able to turn the nose wheel in that position.

I see what you mean now. I’ve never seen a disabled jet bridge forcibly moved away from the aircraft. It’s usually fixed by the airport authority relatively quickly or like others have said, you can always easily push back with the jet way on- just have to be careful.

Narrowbody you can put the tow bar on and physically move the nose gear by hand to as far as you got room to hook the tug up. Than the pushback will be away and back from the broken jet bridge. It gets done from time to time. Widebody you could still do if you got a couple strong folks…

AirKevin wrote:

Starlionblue wrote:

AirKevin wrote:

How do you turn the nose wheel with the plane at the gate. I guess with the tiller?

You could. Or the pedals. But as FGITD says it would have to be done by the tug. The steering lockout pin would be inserted so that the steering is disabled, just like with any pushback.

I see a problem though. The nose gear would be in the neutral position when connecting the tug. The tug needs to move before the nosewheel can be turned. By then, you've already scraped the fuselage alone the jetbridge.

Yeah, hence my befuddlement. I wasn't seeing how the tug would be able to turn the nose wheel in that position.

You angle the pushback. The towbar of course has to be attached straight to the aircraft, but you can angle the pushback when you attach it to the towbar. That way, at the first push you already have the nose gear and towbar turning in the direction you need. It’s definitely a slower, more delicate process but a halfway decent tug driver with some guidance can do it relatively easily.

FGITD wrote:

AirKevin wrote:

Starlionblue wrote:

You could. Or the pedals. But as FGITD says it would have to be done by the tug. The steering lockout pin would be inserted so that the steering is disabled, just like with any pushback.

I see a problem though. The nose gear would be in the neutral position when connecting the tug. The tug needs to move before the nosewheel can be turned. By then, you've already scraped the fuselage alone the jetbridge.

Yeah, hence my befuddlement. I wasn't seeing how the tug would be able to turn the nose wheel in that position.

You angle the pushback. The towbar of course has to be attached straight to the aircraft, but you can angle the pushback when you attach it to the towbar. That way, at the first push you already have the nose gear and towbar turning in the direction you need. It’s definitely a slower, more delicate process but a halfway decent tug driver with some guidance can do it relatively easily.

Cool. I guess I see what you mean now.

An interesting topic. One thing is for sure - here in the U.S., airlines will be insistent on using a jetway even if it is not functioning properly. Power to the jetway lost as the plane pulls into the gate for arrival? Passengers remain on the plane as the jetway is fixed instead of bringing out airstairs to connect to the rear of the plane.

phatfarmlines wrote:

An interesting topic. One thing is for sure - here in the U.S., airlines will be insistent on using a jetway even if it is not functioning properly. Power to the jetway lost as the plane pulls into the gate for arrival? Passengers remain on the plane as the jetway is fixed instead of bringing out airstairs to connect to the rear of the plane.

Hopefully it doesn't take weeks to fix it, then.

Hosdog wrote:

We work hard to repair the bridges but sometimes towing back is the only option. Airlines won't push back without the bridge off.
I'm really curious if anyone has come up with a quick method ( preferably manual ) to move a bridge ?

Not that I know of. I've seen chains connected to a pushback tug used to pull the bridge off, but it still takes time for the chains to be found, tug placed in position, connected etc etc. I know on some older jet bridges if the power is lost, the wheels will lock as a safety measure, but this means that the bridge cant be moved until the wheel brakes are manually released.