Think All Towbars Are The Same? Read On...

AERO Specialties recently completed a year-long towbar and head redesign project. The project introduced many new and improved features to its already well-received line of business & regional aircraft heads and towbars, and was accomplished without significant price increases... or by sacrificing the interchangeability of its entire system with other manufacturers' products.

AERO designed and introduced two entirely new towbars to its line, and improved the security and ergonomics of all its towbar products.

The new "Scorpion" Multi-Use towbar fits most aircraft up to 15,600 lbs, and is the only "universal" towbar featuring shear protection and dedicated aircraft attachment pins backed up with a secondary, "release-proof" latch.

"We acquired an old favorite universal towbar design and made it even better," said Matt Sheehan, President of AERO Specialties. "The Scorpion attachment pins are the same pins we use in our larger multi-heads, which provide the same precise fit but offer a more flexible towing solution to certain types of operators."

The Scorpion is also the only universal-type towbar that incorporates shear protection, offering an additional level of safety to moving aircraft. The unique secondary latching mechanism all but guarantees the Scorpion will not detach from aircraft during towing, something that other popular universal towbars do not offer.

AERO's new TB125 aluminum towbar joins the well-established steel TB3 in its 125,000-pound capacity multi-head towbar selection, but drastically reduces the weight in this class of towbar system: TB125 weighs 90 lbs, while the TB3 (intended primarily for regional airline service) weighs 155 lbs.

The TB125 was the guinea pig for AERO's new elastomer-based shock-absorbing hitch design, which has been incorporated in the TB3, TB2.5, and TB1 as well. Unlike other manufacturers' hitches, AERO's elastomer-based (as opposed to steel spring type) hitches combine unprecedented and maintenance-free, progressive shock absorption with linear shear protection. The elastomer inserts will not permanently compress, eliminating the maintenance required in spring-type hitches, which compress over time and require dis-assembly and shim insertion.

The linear shear protection in AERO's TB125 (and the TB2.5 and TB3 as well) is also unique among its competitors. No other business or regional aircraft multi-head towbars offer linear shear protection as a standard feature. AERO's drop-through shear pins add another layer of protection against aircraft nose gear damage, and if a shear pin breaks it can be replaced without tools immediately (spare shear pins are secured in the handle mechanism near the hitch).

Combined with the linear/radial shear protection in most of its attachment heads, the new elastomer hitch design makes AERO's towbar system the safest and most durable, user-friendly system in the industry.

FMI: www.aerospecialties.com