Once again, can you not use a towbarless tractor for this aircraft type? We do it on 747 and 777.

You mean like this ? :D

Not sure if it's ok to post that photo though ..
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Lufth...-642/3907725/L

Unless EY have very unique towbars (which I don't believe they woud have because it's not cost effective), then the normal A346 towbar is also used for the A345 as standard.It's a heavy weight towbar compared to others.
An A330/A343 towbar cannot be used for either aircraft due to the weight differential and the shear pin loading.
Are you sure that an A343 towbar was not loaded in error?

Jammed Stab:
Yes, you can use a towbar less tractor on this aircraft type.
Done it many times.

When I worked there a few years ago there was a total of ONE towbarless tug.

It may have been ditched by now. No idea why they are not used more in Scotland.

Thinking more about it, its because stations like EDI and GLA get the dregs of the equipment. Almost all second hand, ex MAN or ex LHR.

MAN doesn't even have an A346 capable TBL, so I'm doubting EDI has one.

A typical A346 bar is almost 12ft long (353cm) weighing 205kgs, not going inside any of the usual single aisles that grace EDI's ramp.

Plus, a station that has one probably has it for a reason, won't want to send it away for a day (or more).

On a related note, the new E190E2 family from Brazil has a different noseleg to
'classic' E190's, will need a different bar !

'ZG

Should they decide to do it (and given the A340-600) does not fly to great numbers maybe they could switch gates (or rather use a non-contact/remote stand) for the daily flight although by looking at the volume I doubt how easy is to organize fast ground transportation..

I doubt any ground handling agent would want to shoot themselves in the foot and cause extra issues for themselves to help out another station, due to a problem caused by the airlines own incompetence :ok:

When you have time to spare, go by air. More time yet, go by jet.

Had the old A300 vs A320 tow bar issue years ago. Enough difference that the tow bar wouldn't lock in place. Tape to hold handle close to locked position and gentle pushback was the answer. It still came off. Thank goodness it was far enough back so that we could taxi away.

We would never receive an aircraft onto a pushback bay if we didn't have the capability to push it back. That said, these guys obviously believed they had the proper equipment given the assumed correct tow bar was in the hold.
Probably easier all round to just put on to a power out bay in the first place.

There isn't many airports in the UK where you're going to find a 'power out' parking stand capable of taking the A346, I'd imagine a lot of the taxiways at EDI struggle to take it let alone a parking stand

...and when they landed, they thought they had a suitable bar onboard !

Exactly! and sometimes things go wrong and you can't just conjure up expensive, and comparatively rare, pieces of equipment.
It was a mistake and they occur from time to time; always have and always will.

The reason was obviously fatique. Or is that an excuse reserved for pilots? ;)

I believe something like this happened in Shannon a few years back. A Lufthansa A340 landed with an emergency. The captain asked the ground crew if they had the correct tow bar for the type as it is different to the A330 before he went on stand. Ground crew said yeh we have that type. Turns out they didn't; even after being told and one had to be flown out from Frankfurt. Was quite the delay.

Lesson to be learned here,for all of us.
If you ever have to divert,enroute...avoid parking on a finger,unless you can confirm,100%, that they have a tow bar for your aircraft type..
Its in my diversion checklist..

When I was about four years old (a VERY long time ago) I assumed that aircraft moved on the ground in the same manner as cars with the wheels being driven by the engine(s).

Jack

jackharr I think I had similar thoughts.

Just one question on the topic- where the flight bringing the tow-bar was parked the next day? And did they leave the tow-bar there?