The Ground Handling Blog

The Mototok Spacer 8600 NG pushback tug is the state-of-the-art solution for aircraft pushback, with several advantages compared to other pushback tugs in the industry. In order to take full advantage of your new Spacer, it is essential that you ensure its smooth and seamless integration into your workflows. So, what does the successful implementation into your airline’s pushback operations look like? Learn more in our brief step-by-step guide.

In our blog post “A Guide to Choosing the Right Aircraft Towing Tools”, we have already discussed key criteria worth considering before the acquisition of a new aircraft tug. Here, we will only give a brief overview of the main advantages that make a Mototok Spacer pushback tug a viable business case. We will then focus on its successful implementation, once the important decision for a new pushback tug has already been made.

Why Choose a Mototok Pushback Tug for Your Airline’s Pushback Operations?

Are you ready to take the next step towards the future of aircraft pushback? The Mototok Spacer 8600 NG is the state-of-the-art solution for terminal pushback operations in the aviation industry, redefining aircraft pushback with significantly enhanced efficiency. Fully-electric, towbarless, and remote-controlled, it outperforms other pushback tugs in terms of technology, simplicity of use, safety, as well as sustainability.

The Main Advantages of Mototok Pushback Tugs

With their towbarless design and remote-controlled precision, Mototok pushback tugs simplify pushback operations, with easy push button automation and joystick controls on the remote. In enabling circumferential view, the remote control reduces the need for ground handling personnel down to a single person operation – a crucial advantage in times of staff shortages and higher employee turnover rates. Additionally, operating a Mototok pushback tug requires no special license and only minimum training, empowering training staff to more quickly certify personnel to push back aircraft.

Loading and unloading the nose gear is quick, easy, and safe as well with a Mototok pushback tug, thanks to an automatic and sensor-controlled system that is virtually fail-safe. The entire process takes only 10 to 15 seconds, thus optimizing time efficiency.

Moreover, as electric ground support equipment (eGSE), fully-electric Mototok pushback tugs with zero emissions help airports electrify their ground handling operations, thereby contributing to airports’ sustainability goals.

Tip: There are different electrification program grants available that support the acquisition of environmentally-friendly airport infrastructure, including fully-electric aircraft tugs and charging infrastructure.

Significantly Reduce the Average Waiting Time for Aircraft Pushback

Mototok pushback tugs help airlines minimize the average waiting time for pushing back the aircraft, drastically reducing delays and saving airlines significant costs. In reducing waiting times, they also help airlines reduce carbon emissions.

One Spacer pushback tug is able to manage up to 3 to 5 boarding bridges and can, thanks to its compact design and low space requirement, be parked in the immediate vicinity of the gate without becoming an obstruction. This makes it possible to get access to a pushback tug immediately when needed. British Airways, for instance, has been able to achieve a 54 percent reduction in delays at Heathrow Airport T5 by using Mototok Spacer 8600 MA pushback tugs to maneuver its fleet of short-haul aircraft out on the ramp for departure. This was accomplished by moving away from specialized pushback teams to training a majority of their ground handling crews to do pushbacks with the Mototoks on their own.

Aircraft Compatibility of Mototok Spacer Pushback Tugs

Mototok’s flagship pushback tug, the Spacer 8600 NG, is compatible with the most narrow-body aircraft with a tow capacity of up to 105 tonnes or 231,485 lbs. In addition, the Mototok Spacer series includes the Spacer 8600 MA tug which is ideally suited for pushback of narrow-body aircraft up to 80 tonnes or 176,400 lbs. In our blog post “What Mototok Tugs are Compatible with what Aircraft?”, we have discussed aircraft compatibility in more detail.

What Does the Implementation of the New Spacer Pushback Tug into Your Airline’s Pushback Operations Look Like?

Once you’ve opted for a Mototok Spacer for your airline’s pushback operations. Here’s what the first steps should look like in order to successfully implement the new Spacer into your workflow:

First Step: Ensure Proper Charging Infrastructure Is Available for Your Mototok Spacer Pushback Tug

It goes without saying that the best tool won’t work without the right equipment. Thus, it is certainly great to have a Mototok Spacer pushback tug. However, since these pushback tugs are fully-electric, you will also need a proper charging infrastructure available at the gates.

We can either provide you with outdoor chargers or you can use three-phase Posi-chargers. The Mototok Spacer 8600 NG is equipped with an onboard charger with self-retracting cable and a universal CEE plug, so that it can be charged anywhere, as long as an industrial socket is available.

Mototok Spacer tugs recharge fast and are fully charged within 3 to 6 hours depending on their charge state. Between 30 and 50 pushback operations are possible on a single charge.

Second Step: Identify Pushbacks that Require Precision Movements

Mototok provides solutions not just pushback machines. To get the full value out of adding Mototoks to your operation, we recommend committing to multiple gates with a fleet of machines so you can harness the full return on investment available to you.

We recommend first selecting gates that require precision movements for the pushback. This could be for example corner gates that require more complex movements during pushback. This will allow your airline to take full advantage of the easy precision maneuverability of a Mototok tug. These are the gates that are the most difficult to safely handle with a towbar. Nearly every airport has them.

It is important that your airline commits to utilize the Mototok Spacer only for your selected gates, while you incorporate the new machines into your pushback operations. Otherwise, personnel tend to naturally gravitate towards what is familiar over what is unfamiliar. Avoid giving them an option on what equipment to use. Full commitment during the adoption process will help foster acceptance. And don’t worry: We are confident that your ground handling crew will be happy to use the new Mototok pushback tugs in no time.

Third Step: Training the Trainers First

One of the main advantages of a Mototok pushback tug is that it requires only a half day of training to safely operate it. This training is only on the operation of the Mototok. Airline pushback procedural training is separate. However, the first step when implementing the new Spacer pushback tug into your workflow, is to empower the ground handling crew chiefs and crew trainers with the knowledge they need to begin training their ground handling personnel. In order to enable a smooth start, Mototok offers operator training class with the purchase package of a Spacer 8600 NG or Spacer 8600 MA.

Fourth Step: Commissioning and Training of GSE Mechanics

A service technician from Mototok will be sent to unpack and commission your new Mototok Spacer pushback tugs when they arrive on location. The service technician will also work on training your GSE mechanics on how to maintain the machine.

In general, Mototok tugs are maintenance-free in daily operation, saving airports significant maintenance costs compared to conventional tugs with a combustion engine.

Ready for Efficient Pushback Operations

Once you have completed these four steps for the successful implementation, you are ready for more efficient safe pushback operations in the future. We hope you enjoy the benefits of your new Spacer pushback tug. If any issues should arise, just contact us. Mototok is committed to after sales support with a 12-month warranty.

Conclusion to the Successful Implementation of Your New Spacer Pushback Tug

The Mototok Spacer 8600 NG and Spacer 8600 MA are the cutting-edge solution for terminal pushback operations. Remote-controlled and towbarless, these tugs simplify pushback operations and help airlines significantly increase the efficiency of aircraft pushback.

These four steps will help you to successfully implement the new Mototok Spacer into your airline’s pushback operations:

• Ensuring proper charging infrastructure is available close to the gates.
• Identifying pushbacks that require precision movements and utilizing only the new Spacer tug for these select gates instead of switching between different pushback tugs. This achieves improved safety and proper adoption into your ground handling operations.
• Training the ground handling crew chiefs and crew trainers first.
• Commissioning of the new Spacer pushback tug and training of GSE mechanics with the help of a Mototok service technician.

If you have any further questions on how to make sure you take full advantage of your new Mototok pushback tug, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re happy to help.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions on the Implementation of the Mototok Spacer into an Airlines’ Pushback Operations