On the subject of Training and together with a Report just released by the UK CAA, and then putting it in the context of this threads latest line of quoted incidents:
During a Pushback at a UK Airport, the Crew reported a problem to the Towing Crew who were then asked to pull the aircraft back to its Stand. During the Tow the aircraft became detached and rolled into the Tractor sustaining substantial damage to the aircraft.
Subsequesnt investigation found that the Towing Crew were not trained in TOWING the aircraft - just trained for Pushbacks!
There were other factors involved too but....
This sounds just like a LEAN action in cutting maintenance/training costs. If we don't do many Towing actions should we be teaching Towing as opposed to Pushing an aircraft? ...and towing a 100-ton monster on a double-jointed link is easier that pushing one? isn't it?