Are you referring to something in the frame at the end of the above video?

mjb

You're right, Dave, and as he was about 20 feet off the lead-in line, the math works out just about right.

A4 Are you suggesting that the aircraft stop on the taxiway to have these clamped on sensor installed then taxi or tow to the terminal. Not a practical solution. Some one had the proper idea with a wing walker and eyes on task.

Yes, because an aircraft is just like a car and at IKEA you can buy rubber thingies to put on the tip of things so you wont bump in to them.

Although I have to agree that this 'should not happen' if people are paying attention the fact that they still do suggests that additional tech might be useful.

I don't believe additional sensors are needed, just think "ground ops collision avoidance" with each aircraft transmitting it's current (GPS assisted) speed, location and orientation.
A central computer could then issue alerts for AC to AC or AC to fixed obstacle proximity using a static map of the facility.
For towing tugs would also need to transmit/receive warnings.
The tug can probably determine (powered down) aircraft orientation using angle sensors at both ends of tow bar, that would still leave open someone entering incorrect AC type.

Of course unless every baggage cart and boarding ramp was active things could (and would) still go wrong.

Ironically, the aircraft in question would in fact have been doing exactly that.

bnt
Should the tow driver follow the pair of white lines painted on the ground in front of the airplane?!?

Maybe they're there for a reason...

Looking at the image from the car park, which shows the alignment of the towing vehicle pretty clearly, I'm wondering whether the driver / wing walkers understood the phenomenon of 'swept wing growth'?

When the VC10 entered RAF service, there were a lot of educational posters showing the hazards associated with towing swept wing aircraft....

Training?

How much training do these subcontractors of subcontractors get?

Yes, the white lines are there for a reason - they delineate the airside roadway that runs along the back of the Golf stands. Following those when towing an aircraft would have had an even worse outcome. :O

As a general rule, white lines are for landlubbers, yellow ones are for aircraft.

Here's G91, courtesy of GE:

Crikey! Going to need no. 1 man ( oops, or woman or in-between ) driving the tug to get a wide-body out of there unscathed.

Or maybe someone who wasn't flipping burgers last week.

DavidReidUK

Thank you for the explanation.

I stand corrected.

I thought possibly a semi autonomous quadcopter. It hovers 100 feet above the aircraft and acts as a remote camera platform for manoevours in tight spaces.

Best perhaps to mount sensors or cameras directly to the buildings in question. No need to operate a drone or modify / add sensors to aircraft.

That centreline track for the stand has to be the daftest one i have seen - not surprised that they have accidents. If you want to put in zigzag lines like that then best you restrict the stand to narrowbodies.

I assume it has been moved?

If so, how did they do it?

Carefully ? :O

Aircraft returned to Dublin on the day following the incident.

Maybe winglets are a MEL Item

It's a CDL item - you can have one removed and just tape up the holes.