Aircraft Towbar Types: How to Choose the Best Aircraft Towbar for Your Applications

When it comes to towing aircraft, powered aircraft tugs are an airport's No. 1 ground support equipment (GSE) solution. However, choosing between the different types of towbars for towing and pushback procedures is extremely important to the continued safety and security of your ground personnel, aircraft and equipment.

Every aircraft has its own particular type of connection point, and all aircraft towbars have their own towing capacity. Ground personnel needs to understand the difference between aircraft towbar types, as not every towbar will work with every type of plane. There are four different types of towbars for aircraft, and each has its own distinct benefits for pushback and towing procedures. But how do you choose? It all depends on the aircraft and the facility's needs.

This article will discuss the most common aircraft towbar types used by airports and airlines worldwide. The following aircraft towbar designs are perfect for both light single-engine and massive commercial aircraft. Whatever your needs, there's a dependable Tronair towbar for you.

Commercial Aircraft Towbars

Commercial aircraft towbars are designed for towing and taxiing a specific set of large commercial aircraft. Airports and airlines use these towbar types worldwide to tow everything from the Airbus A320 to the Boeing 737-300 – passenger jets that can seat anywhere from 150 to 170 passengers at a time.

Different types of towbars for commercial aircraft are available right here at Tronair, each of which features a hydraulic, retractable undercarriage for improved ease of use. Our commercial aircraft towbar designs also feature a steel towbar tube for unmatched durability that will last for years.

To find the towbar that's right for your commercial aircraft, you can navigate to your specific aircraft model in the Tool & Equipment section of the Tronair website.

Non-Commercial Aircraft Towbars

As the name implies, non-commercial aircraft towbars are designed for use with non-commercial aircraft. That means these aircraft towbar designs are engineered specifically for certain military aircraft, helicopters, business jets and small private planes.

Multi-Head Aircraft Towbars

Multi-head towbar types allow heads to be swapped out depending on what kind of aircraft is being towed. Tronair offers two types of multi-head towbars to choose from: standard and heavy duty.

Made of non-corrosive aluminum, multi-head Tronair towbars are purchased separately from the heads. That means you'll only need to purchase the specific heads ground personnel will use for each aircraft, saving airports both money and valuable hangar space.

Tronair towbars for aircraft are categorized by the maximum weight they can tow and by which head series they accept. As we've mentioned, multi-head towbars are classified as either standard or heavy-duty.

Standard: The standard multi-head towbar has the functionality and versatility to keep costs down and efficiency up. Ground personnel can easily change attachment heads and connect to aircraft towbars within seconds. Thanks to the multi-head towbar design, these aircraft towbars are perfect for saving valuable space and money. With its durable, welded aluminum construction, a standard multi-head aircraft towbar can accommodate over 60 different aircraft towing head attachments, with towing capacities of up to 75,000 lbs.
Heavy Duty: With all the functionality and versatility of the standard towbar, the heavy-duty, multi-head towbar's shock assembly also includes a spring for nose landing gear protection during towing operation. A heavy-duty, multi-head towbar has a movable truck assembly and 10-inch pneumatic wheels with steel bearings, giving it the sturdiness to tow up to 125,000 lbs.

Application-Specific Aircraft Towbars

Application-specific towbar types are typically designed for use with specific aircraft. These types of towbars include both the towbar and the head. Tronair's application-specific aircraft towbars feature a positive locking mechanism for the aircraft tow point and handles to lift the towbar into position with ease.

In addition to our variety of application-specific towbars for non-commercial aircraft, application-specific towbars for commercial aircraft are also available.

Snap-Bak Aircraft Towbars

The Snap-Bak towbar's patented design and self-centering spring make it unique in that it allows the towbar to flex even when exceeding the typical safe turning radius. This towbar type is constructed from welded steel and reduces the potential for aircraft damage by minimizing the amount of stress put on the landing gear. Here at Tronair, we also offer a portable Snap-Bak option.

Portable Aircraft Towbars

A compact, portable aircraft towbar is the perfect lightweight option that ground personnel can easily transport for away-from-home towing capacity. Along with its portability, a compact aircraft towbar provides the reliability you expect from Tronair.

How to Find the Perfect Aircraft Towbar for Your Needs

It's easy to find the perfect aircraft towbars for sale for your specific aircraft with Tronair.

Simply visit the Tool & Equipment section of tronair.com and select your aircraft make and model to find an aircraft towbar that's compatible with your needs. Then, go to the Sales tab and click on "Request for Information" to receive a quote. Fill in your name, company, email, phone number and a detailed explanation regarding your request.

You can also receive a quote by adding products to your cart and clicking "Request for Quote" within your cart. Quotes are typically provided within 24 hours. And as always, you can call us at (855) 429-6493 or (419) 740-4381, or email us at sales@tronair.com, and we'll be able to give you a detailed quote.

Once you've decided on your towbar, all you have to do is log in to your account and fax or email us your order.

Find Your Perfect Aircraft Towbar With Help From Tronair

Now that you know everything about the different types of towbars available to you, you're going to need the equipment to begin your towing and pushback operations. Browse Tronair's full selection of aircraft towbars for sale today. We want to help you find the best towbar or taxiing equipment for your aircraft and hangar needs. With over 100 years of experience with Tronair towbars, we're confident we can help you find the best aircraft towbars for your desired applications. Have a question or need more information? Feel free to reach out to our customer service team.

Request A Quote Today