In which situation is a main-gear tow preferred over a nose-wheel tow?

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Multiple Choice

In which situation is a main-gear tow preferred over a nose-wheel tow?

When you need to move an airplane without relying on the nose-wheel steering system, you use a main-gear tow. This approach is chosen when the nose gear steering is not available—either it’s inoperable, or you’re dealing with an obstruction that the nose gear can’t clear. Why this is best: with a main-gear tow, the tug pulls from the aircraft’s main landing gear, so the nose gear isn’t required to steer or be loaded. This protects the nose gear from damage and allows you to maneuver the airplane safely around obstructions or tight spaces by using the tug’s guidance and the aircraft’s other directional controls as needed. If nose-wheel steering were operable and there were no obstructions, a nose-wheel tow would usually be the simpler choice.

When you need to move an airplane without relying on the nose-wheel steering system, you use a main-gear tow. This approach is chosen when the nose gear steering is not available—either it’s inoperable, or you’re dealing with an obstruction that the nose gear can’t clear.

Why this is best: with a main-gear tow, the tug pulls from the aircraft’s main landing gear, so the nose gear isn’t required to steer or be loaded. This protects the nose gear from damage and allows you to maneuver the airplane safely around obstructions or tight spaces by using the tug’s guidance and the aircraft’s other directional controls as needed.

If nose-wheel steering were operable and there were no obstructions, a nose-wheel tow would usually be the simpler choice.

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