How Easy-to-Use Electric Aircraft Tugs Can Decrease GSE Training Costs

Qualified, licensed drivers can be expensive. But easy-to-use, electric towbarless aircraft tugs can eliminate training costs while increasing overall productivity. We're exploring how electric tow tugs can help decrease costs and improve efficiency and maneuverability.

Why Moving an Aircraft May Require Special Training

Transporting and taxiing an airplane requires the use of aircraft tugs or other types of ground support equipment (GSE). But it also requires adequate ground support equipment training to ensure the aircraft is transported safely. This is especially true when operating a towbar, as a keen sense of spatial orientation and logical thought is necessary to maneuver and park the aircraft properly. Is there enough space so that the wings won't touch the walls? What angle is required in order to make the turn? Is there adequate clearance to maneuver around these obstacles?

The experience and know-how needed to operate a tow truck often come with time and a lot of specialized training in order to understand the right aircraft towing procedures. While this is all well and good, it also requires a large investment of both time and money.

How Great GSE Operators Can Cost You Big

The hiring and ongoing training process for traditional pushback tug and tow truck operators can be long and expensive. But there's sufficient reasoning behind why highly qualified drivers are needed.

• - They need to be able to estimate distances while sitting on an aircraft tractor.
• - Technical know-how and physical strength are often required to operate airport tugs.
• - Traditional towbar tugs have limited mobility, so the ability to maneuver GSE intelligently is key.

The following are just a few factors that play into the costly process that is hiring and training GSE operators.

Expensive Licenses and Training Courses

The job of a GSE operator requires a driver's license and often a specific truck driver's license, which can cost up to several thousand dollars. On top of this, the right permissions are required to use the license commercially.

As we've touched on, special training is also required to operate airplane tugs. Typically, airports do offer qualification courses to teach prospective aircraft tug drivers. But they're not cheap. And while professional development is a good thing for employees, it can eat up a lot of valuable time. Advanced training can often decrease productivity and hurt the bottom line.

Tight Competition and Rising Rates

While training is great, it can only get you so far. Aircraft tug operators need to have a certain talent and predisposition for the job. Finding good, qualified drivers can be incredibly difficult. In fact, the competition to find talented tug operators is often extremely cutthroat. Because fixed-base operators (FBOs) and airports are on a near-constant search for the best of the best, starting salaries for these positions skyrocket in order to remain competitive. What does that mean for you? It means initial and running costs are also going to skyrocket.

How Easy-to-Use Electric Aircraft Tugs Can Help

While towbar tugs have their rightful place in any GSE fleet, costs needed to train and hire specialized operators can be offset by also utilizing electric towbarless aircraft tugs. Electric GSE provides maximum mobility and is very simple to operate.

Electric towbarless aircraft tugs don't use a towbar, so they have full use of their entire range of motion. This means the operator can easily perform 90-degree turns to precisely and naturally maneuver the airplane. Plus, with no towbar, an electric aircraft tug has virtually no blind spots. So, operators have near-perfect visibility during aircraft pickup and transport. All of this means operators can more efficiently transport and park aircraft, maximizing the use of the hangar by minimizing the space between aircraft and equipment.

In addition to increased maneuverability and ease of use, operating towbarless electric airport tugs typically doesn't require a driver's license or much extensive training. This can instantly save you a huge amount of time and money. Plus, you'll reap higher profits and be able to broaden your search during the hiring process. Learn more about how incorporating electric aircraft tugs into your GSE fleet can save you money over time in our Guide to Electric Aircraft Tug Costs.

Save When You Make the Switch to Tronair

Learning how to operate a conventional aircraft tug and finding the right employee to operate it can cost your company a lot of time, effort and money. So, make the switch to electric airport tugs that don't require a lot of ground support equipment training or specialized licenses. At Tronair, we're known for our diverse and unparalleled range of high-quality GSE and airplane tugs. Our selection of aircraft tugs for sale provides you with the precision and productivity you need from a GSE fleet. Have a question about our range of ground support equipment? Contact us today and we'll help find a custom towbarless solution for your needs.