Towing vehicle for aircraft

摘要

In the case of a towing vehicle for aircraft having a chassis which is cut out in the form of forks between the rear wheels and having a retaining device, which is arranged in the cut out, for the nose wheel of the aircraft, it is intended to be ensured that, while the aircraft is being manoeuvred, the maximum steering angle permitted by the aircraft manufacturer for the nose wheel leg between the aircraft and the towing vehicle is not exceeded. For this purpose, it is proposed to use one or more transmitter/receiving devices to irradiate the aircraft fuselage, these transmitter/receiving devices being arranged on the towing vehicle at a defined angle alpha D with respect to the lateral axis of the towing vehicle, a maximum amount of reflected radiation energy being recorded by the receiver device, and a measurement signal being produced, at a specific steering angle alpha L at which the beams of the transmitter device strike the aircraft fuselage at right angles, this measurement signal being converted in an evaluation device into a control signal by means of which signal transmitters, recording devices and/or switching devices can be controlled in order to act on the drive and/or braking device. The steering angle alpha L which is set when the reflection maximum is triggered represents the signal angle alpha S which in turn corresponds with the defined angle alpha D.