Aircraft Towing

There are many hazardous areas of aviation. While most of the hazards associated with aviation are during flight, there are areas of ground operations that can cause much damage as well. One of the common hazards in aviation ground operations is the repositioning of aircraft on the airfield. This is a very common practice used by all aviation installations. To properly tow an aircraft you need to have a regulation in place to ensure personal and property safety. Below is a risk management program that I have used many times throughout my aviation career.
First you need to identify the risk associated with towing an aircraft. The main risk include: aircraft and property damage and personal injury. Now that we have identified the risk we need to set in place some mitigator to aide in the prevention of mishaps.
Some of the risk mitigation efforts I have used are: Establishing a minimum number of personnel to execute the job (usually for Blackhawk it is six. One person in the aircraft with access to the aircraft brakes, one on each blade tip (4), and one person with the proper license to operate the towing equipment.) Ensure the proper equipment is available and properly maintained. Establish a standard operating procedure for towing aircraft that personnel can reference if needed. Note: your standard operating procedure you must have emphasis on towing in confined areas and towing in extreme weather conditions. Ensure all towing personnel are properly trained and maintain a high level of readiness. Establish a procedure to use in the event of a mishap to include notification procedures.
This is just a standard that I have used since my first days as an aviator. There are many other risk management procedures out there. Some are better, and some are worse. It is the responsibility of every aviator to ensure that standards are met and regulations are followed. Many times aircraft ground operation mishaps are preventable.