American Airlines deployed a Mototok Spacer 8600 NG remote-controlled aircraft tug at Charlotte to move planes around the airport. The operator walks beside the plane holding an industrial radio remote while the machine captures the nose wheels in a hydraulic cradle and lifts them off the ground, moving the aircraft without a traditional tractor and towbar connection. The device has a capacity of 105 metric tons and allows the operator to position themselves with a better view of the aircraft and nearby obstacles.
This technology is not new. British Airways started using these units in 2017 and by August 2019 had completed 100,000 pushbacks with 25 units at Heathrow, including equipment at each short haul stand in Terminal 5. All Nippon Airways introduced the equipment in 2019 and by spring 2024 reported eight units across four airports, with four at Osaka Itami.
Mototok now reports more than 3 million pushbacks worldwide, including 1.2 million by 28 units at Heathrow Terminal 5A. The equipment operates in Charlotte, New York, Madrid, Barcelona, Hong Kong, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
The remote control design removes the risk of driver accidents like the incident at LaGuardia where a tug was caught underneath a Boeing 737, sending the driver to the hospital. Operating the tug and communicating with the cockpit remain jobs, though one person can now do both roles. Wing walkers are still required at some airports.