Towbar Disconnection

[Confirmed Must Ride]

Hey guys can anyone assist me with the following question?

What is your companies policy when it comes to removing towbar from aircraft nose gear after pushback? Do you remove from tractor or nose gear first? I am having a few problems in finding out the safest way, seems to depend what country you are in.

Thanks

[Black_Dawn]

There aren't any special regulations in my company about the handling of the towbar.. .when i receive the "Brakes set" is up to the man on the ground how to "unplug" the towbar.

B_D

[Willit Run]

I think the safest way would be to have the pilot set the brakes, then disconnect the towbar from the tug, and then disconnect the towbar from the plane. Now, with that said. Keeping the towbar hooked to the tug is perfectly fine as long as the towbar has a jack on it to keep the bar from falling on someones toes or hitting the nose wheels when disconnected, also if the tug is inline with the towbar and can pull the bar straight off the plane, thats ok, but if the tractor is cocked one way or the other to the tow bar, disconnect the bar from from the tug before trying to pull the bar off the nosewheel.

this is my humble opinion derived from being a lineboy, mechanic and flight crewmember.

Good luck, don't make a mountain out of a molehill

[whatbolt]

Willitrun-hi is it still fine in Boise? you are correct in your rundown about towbar disconnect however it can make a big differance if someone does try to take the bar off from the a/c end first and damages what on some a/c is also the uplock bar-NLG have been known to not want to come back down again ????

[keithmachperson]

If the plane is small enough, you could try setting the parking brake on the tug and then wiggling the aeroplane to disconnect it.

[daytrader]

Chock in front of nose wheel before disconnect. <img src="eek.gif" border="0">

[Pentac]

It's going to depend somewhat on the airplane type.

In general, the tug should be lined up with the aircraft when pushback is complete. The headset operator should call for "brakes set" and receive a compliant "brakes are set." It is usually necessary for the tug to set gear into neutral and let off the brakes to "unload" the weight of the aircraft pushing on the bar (hard to impossible to pull the pin out).

At this point the headset guy may pull the pin (if on some airplanes the NWS was not in bypass, and the tug is misaligned with the aircraft, if the pin puller manages to pull the pin and is standing on the wrong side of the bar...ouch!).

After that you disconnect the bar from the aircraft, pull it out, reconnect to the tug, and have him drive off. Then disengage NWS ground bypass, show the pin if necessary, and carry on.

How it works in real life varies widely.