According to a german newspaper the turbocharger of the towtruck exploded...

skadi

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.

Certainly with some Airbuses there is a connection point on the Nose Leg that can give the tug driver control of the aircraft brakes as they are electrically controlled, hydraulically actuated system, so with power connected from the tug, the appropriate control system in the tug and sufficient accumulator pressure, the brakes can be released/set. Can't remember full details of the system (just the basics from my various Airbus type courses) as never used, or seen the system used anywhere but appears LH tugs may use the system. All my experience is based around tug driver/headset operator/brake rider operations both towbar and towbarless tugs.

In reply to your PM as well Stan.

As Tom kindly explained, some 'busses have a toggle switch on the NLG to set/release brakes. On other types, or where the system is installed but not used, the driver will connect the tractor (usually, if not exclusively, a TBL type) and set its brakes. Then he'll enter the aircraft, release parking brakes, exit aircraft whilst closing the door and remove the jetty/stairs. Opposite procedure when towing has been completed. This is, at some airports, performed as a single-man operation - both push-back and towing.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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?

Not a dumb question at all. Some operators do exactly what you suggest.

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.

NO.
It was a trial, during fuel crisis.

NEVER EVER SOP.

Gearlever, thanks for clearing that up for me.

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!!

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

Here is a video about the A320 certification in Tolouse:

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.