Ever wonder how many men it takes to push back a plane? The answer is 8 - here's a vid on youtube of a manual pushback of the Sukhoj Superjet at Bodø airport (BOO).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTN4FhlvwX8
Since this is a relatively new aircraft type the airport didn't have the necessary equipment to do the push back... in comes the ground crew to save the day! Easy peasy!
Moderators: richierich, ua900, PanAm_DC10, hOMSaR
Re: Sukhoj Superjet 100 needs 8 manpower for pushback
I'm impressed at how easily it moved... I wouldn't have expected 8 people to provide the necessary force to move such an object - how heavy would it have been? 60-70,000 pounds?
That said, I remember Top Gear towing a 747-200 (minus engines) with a Volkswagen Toureag (not spelled right I'm sure) V10 Diesel, roughly 500HP if I remember right... so, it must not be that difficult...
That said, I remember Top Gear towing a 747-200 (minus engines) with a Volkswagen Toureag (not spelled right I'm sure) V10 Diesel, roughly 500HP if I remember right... so, it must not be that difficult...
Re: Sukhoj Superjet 100 needs 8 manpower for pushback
Cool video! Thanks for sharing! 
Re: Sukhoj Superjet 100 needs 8 manpower for pushback
Was it empty ? No passengers or luggage ?
Re: Sukhoj Superjet 100 needs 8 manpower for pushback
Siren wrote:I'm impressed at how easily it moved... I wouldn't have expected 8 people to provide the necessary force to move such an object - how heavy would it have been? 60-70,000 pounds?
That said, I remember Top Gear towing a 747-200 (minus engines) with a Volkswagen Toureag (not spelled right I'm sure) V10 Diesel, roughly 500HP if I remember right... so, it must not be that difficult...
The trick is getting it off the flat spot on the wheels ... once you have it moving, mass/momentum is going to go a long way towards keeping it moving ...
As an example, you can move a loaded 270,000 lb freight car (or even a 480,000 lb locomotive) with a crowbar/prybar, presuming it's sitting stationary on flat track w/no brakes applied.
Re: Sukhoj Superjet 100 needs 8 manpower for pushback
We have a UPS hub in CAE. For many years, we used to have Tug-A-Plane fund raisers for the United Way. Different corporate groups would send eight or so folks to the hub to compete in towing a UPS plane a specified distance. The team to get it there in the shortest time won. They attached a rope to the nose gear and used a tug to push the plane back to the starting point. For a long time the aircraft of choice was a 727-200F. There was a maximum weight for each team and we were weighed on the cargo scale. I can say that it wasn't easy.
Re: Sukhoj Superjet 100 needs 8 manpower for pushback
I love how the pilots are giving thumbs up after the push-back.. 
It's not that difficult apparantly, I read somewhere one guy had pushed back a 737-800 1 meter by himself at Tromsø airport. The aircraft had rolled too far towards the gate when parking. There were a lot of surprised asian tourists in the windows of the terminal waving and pointing. The tarmac is slightly slanted away from the terminal building though, so he had some help by gravity.
It's not that difficult apparantly, I read somewhere one guy had pushed back a 737-800 1 meter by himself at Tromsø airport. The aircraft had rolled too far towards the gate when parking. There were a lot of surprised asian tourists in the windows of the terminal waving and pointing. The tarmac is slightly slanted away from the terminal building though, so he had some help by gravity.Re: Sukhoj Superjet 100 needs 8 manpower for pushback
Many years ago I've pushed a BAe146 off stand with the team effort of three cabin crew, a couple of cleaners and the dispatcher on a snowy Christmas Eve in Madrid. We got home for Christmas while the national carriers poked derision at us as a LCC - we got home for Christmas while they stayed stranded in Madrid airport!
Re: Sukhoj Superjet 100 needs 8 manpower for pushback
Does the Superjet require a special towbar?
Re: Sukhoj Superjet 100 needs 8 manpower for pushback
garynor wrote:Ever wonder how many men it takes to push back a plane?
I take it you mean an airliner. If it's just any plane, the answer is any number from one upwards.
For an ultralight, even a preteen child can push it along easily.
For a small regional jet of about 50 pax, I am guessing four or so guys can do it.
When I was in the airforce, we pushed back the A4 Skyhawk regularly, with as little as two men; empty weight being only a fifth of the SSJ.
Pushing forward will require more manpower.
Re: Sukhoj Superjet 100 needs 8 manpower for pushback
Someone83 wrote:Does the Superjet require a special towbar?
Likely so.This one is specifically for the SSJ
Some towbars can be used for multiple airliners. This is good for the following; DC-10, KC-10 Extender, L-1011 Tristar, A330, A342, A343, A350 XWB, 767, 777 (must change shear bolts), 787, MD-11, C-17 & IL-96
These are as for as stated on the items:
-
- terrificturk
- Posts: 133
- Joined:
Re: Sukhoj Superjet 100 needs 8 manpower for pushback
.... nice display of towbars... however, most airports in Europe push towbarless these days...
Re: Sukhoj Superjet 100 needs 8 manpower for pushback
I don't know if this applies to commercial aviation, but in the GA world, most mid and large size aircraft have their own set of towbars (mostly stored at the back, near the APU).
In that case, when the MRO I work with handles an aircraft at out stations or in comes a unique aircraft type at home base, we ask the pilot to remove that tow bar to provide pushback
I guess in comav, this would add weight to the aircraft, but may not be a bad idea that each SSJ has a portable tow bar stored somewhere on the aircraft to avoid situations such as this one
In that case, when the MRO I work with handles an aircraft at out stations or in comes a unique aircraft type at home base, we ask the pilot to remove that tow bar to provide pushback
I guess in comav, this would add weight to the aircraft, but may not be a bad idea that each SSJ has a portable tow bar stored somewhere on the aircraft to avoid situations such as this one
Re: Sukhoj Superjet 100 needs 8 manpower for pushback
terrificturk wrote:.... nice display of towbars... however, most airports in Europe push towbarless these days...
Yeah, like these:
And this is kind of cute:
But I'm digressing.
Re: Sukhoj Superjet 100 needs 8 manpower for pushback
Meanwhile in Edinburgh....
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scott ... 18-8507390
FURIOUS air passengers suffered an 18-hour flight delay as a towbar needed to move their plane didn’t fit.
The flight from Edinburgh to Abu Dhabi eventually took off after the correct equipment was driven from Heathrow airport. Etihad Airways had used a larger Airbus 340-600 for the service instead of the usual Airbus 330.
The airline’s handling agent, Menzies Aviation, only realised they weren’t able to tow the plane as passengers were boarding. It’s understood Etihad told Menzies on Saturday evening they may be sending a different aircraft than normal. Menzies told them they didn’t have a suitable towbar and Etihad pledged to put one on the flight to Scotland. But the wrong type was flown over and Menzies workers only discovered the error when they tried to connect it.
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scott ... 18-8507390
Re: Sukhoj Superjet 100 needs 8 manpower for pushback
We pushed a fully loaded 733F with about 8 or 9 guys to ensure a timely departure after the pushbacktruck broke down in front of it . once it actually started rolling, it really was not difficult.
Re: Sukhoj Superjet 100 needs 8 manpower for pushback
I believe there were some additional flights into Bodø that day, so all the pushback equipment was in use, except one. But they couldn't find it. So instead of delaying the departure they pushed it back manually.
Re: Sukhoj Superjet 100 needs 8 manpower for pushback
Done this 3 times. Two CRJ-200's and a Brasilia. Easy if the ramp slope is in your favor.
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: 346NEO, Alias1024, ArcticDog, aristoenigma, ausinTex, balboeing737800, beerbus, camdawg, CJMAviation, Devilfish, DFW17L, F9Animal, FlyingHonu001, FlyingRocks, FlyingSicilian, Gemuser, hummingbird, hyd09l27r, Kno, LaunchDetected, Lennundus, lhristebest, MAH4546, Majestic-12 [Bot], MavyWavyATR, Mike31, MileHFL400, NolaMD88fan, NZ516, ordpark, PERA346, Rudenko, SJL, skyymarc, stlgph, SurfandSnow, TheFlyGuy, Tolbs, United857, WassbiKhalifa and 250 guests