A system for lifting and transporting an aircraft comprising a trailer, a lower and an upper inflatable airbag system and a plurality of ties. The trailer can comprise a rigid frame having an upper surface and a lower surface and a plurality of hook ups for attaching ties to the aircraft, at least one pair of wheels. The lower inflatable airbag system is configured for placement below the lower surface of the trailer and the upper inflatable airbag system is configured for placement above the upper surface of the trailer. A method of using the system comprises placing the system underneath the aircraft, inflating the airbag systems, attaching the wheels to the frame of the trailer, securing the aircraft to the trailer, deflating the lower inflatable airbag system, and transporting the aircraft.

An aircraft system with assisted taxi, take-off and climbing, comprising: a main air vehicle capable of performing autonomously the cruising and landing phases of a flight, an auxiliary air vehicle lighter than the main air vehicle and configured to assist the main air vehicle during the taxing and take-off phases of a flight. Main and auxiliary air vehicles are adapted to be detachably connectable, so that the auxiliary air vehicle can assist the main air vehicle when both are attached to each other during taxing, take-off and climbing. The auxiliary air vehicle is an unmanned air vehicle and it is further configured to fly and land when it is detached from the main air vehicle. Aircraft operations cost and aircraft production cost are reduced, by optimizing the design (sizing) and capabilities of some systems of an aircraft.

An aircraft tow vehicle and methods of towing an aircraft are disclosed. An aircraft tow vehicle comprises an aircraft structural interface configured to couple to a wheel assembly of a main landing gear of an aircraft; and an aircraft towing propulsive force system configured to propel the aircraft forward when the aircraft structural interface is coupled to the wheel assembly.

A towing vehicle for aircraft and method for towing an aircraft. The towing vehicle has a chassis, running gear that carries the chassis, and drive, which drives the running gear for moving the chassis. A support wheel receiving device is mounted on the chassis so that it can rotate around a vertical compensation axis of rotation, in particular within a 360 degree rotational range, relative to the chassis. A rotary drive drives the support wheel receiving device. A sensor array with alignment sensors senses alignment of the aircraft relative to the alignment sensors. The towing vehicle has a digital control unit to regulate rotational position of the support wheel receiving device as a function of the sensed alignment of the aircraft relative to the alignment sensors by the rotary drive to keep alignment of the support wheel receiving device relative to the aircraft within a prescribed range.

The application relates to an aircraft towing system for an airport (1) having at least one towing zone (10) for said aircraft (15). The towing system includes: at least one tow-tractor (21) configured to be operated remotely by means of a wireless connection; a control device intended to be connected to the tow-tractor (21) using the wireless connection and able to control said tow-tractor; and a first sensor (23) intended to equip the towing zone (10) and suitable for supplying information about elements (11A, 11B, 11C) likely to be encountered by the aircraft (15) and/or the tow-tractor (21). The control device is further configured to collect the information supplied by the at least one first sensor (23) and exploit it in controlling the tow-tractor (21) to tow the aircraft (15).

A machine with a cleaning system and a tugging system. The cleaning system can include a floor cleaning feature configured to dispense a cleaning solution onto a floor surface, agitate the cleaning solution, and remove the cleaning solution from the floor surface. The cleaning system can include an onboard cleaning solution tank, an onboard recovery tank, and an onboard vacuum. The tugging system can include a hitch coupled to a front end of the machine and can be configured to tow an airplane.

An aircraft is presented. The aircraft comprises a tow point positioned on a body of the aircraft and forward of main landing gear of the aircraft, wherein the tow point is connected to an airframe of the aircraft to accept and distribute forces forward, aft, and normal to the aircraft.

An assistance vehicle designed for supplying electrical energy to an electric taxiing device of an aircraft landing gear when the aircraft is moving over the ground. The assistance vehicle includes an autonomous energy source, a connector enabling it to be coupled to the aircraft and to electrically power the electric taxiing device. When an assistance instruction comprising the aircraft position is received, the assistance vehicle moves in an autonomous manner so as to reach the position of the aircraft, is automatically connected to the electric taxiing device when the assistance vehicle reaches the position of the aircraft and switches into freewheeling mode. When the assisted move has finished, the assistance vehicle is separated from the electric taxiing device and switches back into tractor mode. Thus, the electrical power supply system of the aircraft is simplified by externalizing the electrical supply of the electric taxiing device.

The invention relates to a towing vehicle (100) for maneuvering aeroplanes without using tow bars, comprising a braking device (130) having a first fluidically actuable braking circuit (148) which acts on the front wheels (106) and a second fluidically actuable braking circuit (150) which acts on the rear wheels (110). According to the invention, the braking device (130) further comprises a third fluidically actuable braking circuit (152), which likewise acts on the front wheels (106).

The invention relates to a towing vehicle (100) for manoeuvring aeroplanes without using tow bars, the towing vehicle (100) comprising a coupling device (122/124) for gripping and lifting the nose wheel of the aeroplane to be manoeuvred. According to the invention, the towing vehicle (100) comprises a pressure store (176), in which operating fluid is stored under pressure, a release initiation device (178), which can be actuated manually by an operator and which in a release initiation position connects the pressure store (176) to a release device (180), and the release device (180), which is configured and intended, upon manual transfer of the release initiation means (178) into the release initiation position by the operator, initially to lower the nose wheel of the aeroplane automatically until it stands on the travel surface, simply by means of the pressure energy stored in the pressure store (176) and the potential energy of the nose wheel load, and only subsequently to release the nose wheel.