Tow truck on fire
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Has such an event ever happened with a loaded aircraft with the crew in the flight deck?
Secondly I was surprised to hear that there was nobody on board. I thought that there had to be someone to set and release the brakes, how does the tug driver get it on and off?
Secondly I was surprised to hear that there was nobody on board. I thought that there had to be someone to set and release the brakes, how does the tug driver get it on and off?
Join Date: Jul 2005
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Same thing happened to me few years ago (funnily enough while towing an A340) and it was a high pressure hydraulic leak spraying on to the hot engine. As it was a towbar and not towbarless tug we were able to disconnect the towbar and let the aircraft roll back under control of the brake rider (luckily the ramp had a slight slope backwards). We couldn't put the fire out either despite best efforts, but luckily no damage to the airframe at all. Believe the tugs (Bliss Fox) were modified after that to have a fire suppression/extinguisher system installed.
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Has such an event ever happened with a loaded aircraft with the crew in the flight deck?
Secondly I was surprised to hear that there was nobody on board. I thought that there had to be someone to set and release the brakes, how does the tug driver get it on and off?
Secondly I was surprised to hear that there was nobody on board. I thought that there had to be someone to set and release the brakes, how does the tug driver get it on and off?
In reply to your PM as well Stan.
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You learn something every day. Thanks Tom.
I found this an interesting if tricky scenario from a pilots pov. If the driver bails out when he’s on headset too, the crew are blind to what’s happening. I realise it may be the same when an engine catches fire, but this just seems to me more sinister.
I found this an interesting if tricky scenario from a pilots pov. If the driver bails out when he’s on headset too, the crew are blind to what’s happening. I realise it may be the same when an engine catches fire, but this just seems to me more sinister.
Has such an event ever happened with a loaded aircraft with the crew in the flight deck?
Secondly I was surprised to hear that there was nobody on board. I thought that there had to be someone to set and release the brakes, how does the tug driver get it on and off?
Secondly I was surprised to hear that there was nobody on board. I thought that there had to be someone to set and release the brakes, how does the tug driver get it on and off?
Join Date: May 2018
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What model of Airbus has a remote parking brake selector switch on the nose gear?. I am Licenced on A320 series, A330 and A340 and have never come across anything as described. The only components on the Nose gear are the Nose Wheel Steering bypass selector and the indicator light showing whether brakes are applied or not.
Is this a customer option on something like the A318 biz jet?
Is this a customer option on something like the A318 biz jet?
The same thing happened 6 months ago with an SQ B777.
Considering the age of the aircraft involved and it's unpopularity on the used market it will likely have to be written off as repaires will cost more than its worth.
Considering the age of the aircraft involved and it's unpopularity on the used market it will likely have to be written off as repaires will cost more than its worth.
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What model of Airbus has a remote parking brake selector switch on the nose gear?. I am Licenced on A320 series, A330 and A340 and have never come across anything as described. The only components on the Nose gear are the Nose Wheel Steering bypass selector and the indicator light showing whether brakes are applied or not.
Is this a customer option on something like the A318 biz jet?
Is this a customer option on something like the A318 biz jet?
You maybe right that it is an option. Just been through the AMM for a couple of the Airbuses I work on for different operators and can find no reference or procedure for towing with a "remote" parking brake operation. Pretty sure it was discussed on my various type courses (A320/330/340/380) and SMT seems to have a similar idea to me. Time to get the course notes out if I can find them.
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I'm struggling to see how a remote brake selector would work. If you are going to use reservoir pressure then you will have to get on the flt deck to check the gauges and possibly top up the pressure before you set off so you may as well use the parking brake switch that is on the flt deck.
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Ok so this is probably a really dumb question:
With a supertug that lifts the front wheels can't you just use chocks only?
Why would you even need the parking brake that is released when the aircraft is parked?
With a supertug that lifts the front wheels can't you just use chocks only?
Why would you even need the parking brake that is released when the aircraft is parked?
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I'm with BAEngineer-never seen that system installed on any Airbus. This could have easily been a live pushback with hundreds of pax aboard. I had heard years ago that LH was towing departures almost to the runway threshhold- is this still the case? I have a hard time trusting the towbarless tractors, but they do move an aircraft in a hurry.
Thread Starter
Folks,
Re. a "Hull Loss", if this is written off, it will be a hull loss in the statistics.
Almost every year, there are hull losses that are not the result of an "accident" as defined, or an act of war. The insurance market is quite smart enough to differentiate between a hull loss as the result of an accident, and one the result of some other misadventure --- several cases of cleaners managing to set fire to aircraft comes to mind.
Tootle pip!!
Re. a "Hull Loss", if this is written off, it will be a hull loss in the statistics.
Almost every year, there are hull losses that are not the result of an "accident" as defined, or an act of war. The insurance market is quite smart enough to differentiate between a hull loss as the result of an accident, and one the result of some other misadventure --- several cases of cleaners managing to set fire to aircraft comes to mind.
Tootle pip!!
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No, there is a lot more behind it.
There is a project called "TaxiBot" that is certified to use a special tug controlled by the cockpit crew to bring a loaded airplane to the runway. It is certified for B737 and A320 and has been used for LH passenger flights departing FRA.
Marcus
There is a project called "TaxiBot" that is certified to use a special tug controlled by the cockpit crew to bring a loaded airplane to the runway. It is certified for B737 and A320 and has been used for LH passenger flights departing FRA.
Marcus
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Its an interesting concept but I am struggling to see the point. This system still has tug drivers in the cab so why go to all the expense of fitting extra steering systems in the aircraft for the pilot to steer when the tug drivers can just tow the aircraft to the departure point and drop it off.
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Its an interesting concept but I am struggling to see the point. This system still has tug drivers in the cab so why go to all the expense of fitting extra steering systems in the aircraft for the pilot to steer when the tug drivers can just tow the aircraft to the departure point and drop it off.
Marcus