SAE ARP5911A

The present Aerospace Recommended Practice specifies for airplane operator and tow vehicle manufacturers the basic testing requirements for towbarless tow vehicles to be used on the nose gear of conventional tricycle type landing gears of commercial civil transport aircraft with maximum ramp weight between 8600 kg (19 000 lb) and 50 000 kg (110 000 lb), commonly designated as “regional aircraft”.

Its purpose is to achieve testing results, or equivalent computer modeling, demonstrating that the loads induced by the tow vehicle will not exceed the design loads of the airplane’s nose landing gear and associated structure, reduce the certified safe life limit of the nose landing gear, or otherwise compromise the airplane’s structural integrity and airworthiness certification.

This document is intended to be applicable to all towbarless tow vehicles to be used for push-back and maintenance towing of commercial airplanes in the specified range. See Section 3 hereafter. It is not intended to apply to tow vehicles used for airplane operational (dispatch) towing.