Expensive but underwhelming，What's so special about the tractor?

Partners who often appear by plane will definitely find that there are not only planes, but also various vehicles with "different looks" on the tarmac. Among them, there is such a vehicle that can easily tow the plane away. How does it do it? of? Why do planes have to be towed by cars? Can't you step back and turn?

What does an aircraft tractor do?

As the name suggests, an aircraft tractor is a kind of support equipment for aircraft towing on the ground at the airport. There are generally two types of tractors. One is a rod-type tractor. Its advantage is that it is widely used, as long as the load-bearing allows, any type of aircraft can be pulled.

However, since the towbars are several meters long and occupy a lot of space, a rodless tractor appeared later. Its working method is simple and rude. It directly uses the jack to "hold up" the front wheel of the aircraft. Although the work efficiency is high, But the price is also very expensive.

Why can a small tractor tow a few hundred tons of aircraft?

But no matter how big the tractor is, it only weighs a few tons to dozens of tons. How can it drag a plane with hundreds of tons? This is actually the special feature of aircraft tractors, which are much stronger than ordinary tractors in terms of stability and traction.

The vast majority of tractors use hydraulic transmission technology, because this technology is not only powerful, but also reduces the damage to parts caused by the taxiing of the aircraft.

In addition to power, there must be enough gravity to stabilize itself, otherwise the body will not be able to withstand the huge pulling force and collapse. Of course, this kind of tractor will only appear inside the airport.

Why can an unremarkable aircraft tractor sell for a high price of 11 million?

Although this kind of vehicle is very niche, I still found some relevant information. In 2008, Air China introduced an imported tractor for the A380. The tractor was a rodless type produced in Germany. It cost 11 million yuan, which is more expensive than Rolls-Royce.

You must know that the weight of the A380 is not something that an ordinary tractor can handle. This also indirectly shows that the tractor is not ordinary. It is understood that the tractor is 11 meters long and has a dead weight of up to 39 tons, and it can also add counterweight.

What is this concept? This trailer "holds up" a fully loaded A380 with a load of more than 500 tons, and the speed can reach 25 kilometers per hour. In addition, its internal details are also considered a lot of effort. There are a total of 11 computers in the whole vehicle to assist the driver in operation. And many parts are purely handmade, so the price is reasonable.

Can't reverse the plane after landing? Why tow it with a tractor?

But since the plane has its own wheels, why doesn't it move on its own? Do you have to tow it with a tractor? In fact, the planes we see fly forward for most of their flight, with little or no reverse gear.

And the aircraft is on the ground, and it is completely realized by the use of air reverse thrust by the jet engine, which consumes a lot of fuel.

Therefore, in order to save the fuel consumption of the aircraft, people have thought of using a tractor to move the aircraft on the ground, which not only saves fuel, but also has higher flexibility than the aircraft itself.

Last personal opinion:

Although the aircraft tractor looks very common, its role in the airport is very important. Before each aircraft takes off and after landing, the tractor will appear. It can be said that it is an indispensable component in the normal operation of the airport. part, what do you think about this?

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