Aircraft Handling & Storage
Taxiing and towing, jacking and chocking, refuelling, de-icing/anti-icing fluids, ground power, and parking and storage.
Handling & storage — summary notes
Free- Covers taxiing and towing, jacking and chocking, refuelling and defuelling, ground de-icing/anti-icing, ground power, and parking and storage.
- Towing: use the approved towbar and tug, a person in the cockpit for the brakes, observers at the extremities, and stay within the nosewheel steering limits — over-steering can damage the gear. Never tow with control locks removed in high wind.
- JACKING is high-risk: use the approved jacking points and jack type, work sheltered from wind on a level load-bearing floor, raise the jacks evenly and simultaneously, and fit locking collars plus safety stands/trestles as a secondary support. Keep clear beneath and never leave a jacked aircraft unsupported.
- De-icing removes contamination and anti-icing prevents it; fluids are Types I–IV (Type I unthickened/heated for removal, Types II and IV thickened for holdover, Type III intermediate). Work within holdover times and keep fluid out of intakes, probes and control gaps. The clean-aircraft concept requires critical surfaces free of contamination before flight.
- Ground power (electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic) must be the correct type and within limits, connected and disconnected in the correct sequence, and the aircraft protected from over-voltage or over-pressure.
- Refuelling: bond the aircraft, bowser and nozzle together to dissipate static, observe no-smoking/ignition rules, and keep the correct fuel grade — mis-fuelling is a serious hazard.
- Storage: protect against corrosion and environmental damage — blank openings, fit covers and control locks, preserve engines and systems, and carry out the scheduled storage maintenance.
- ⚠ Exam trap: jacking demands secondary supports (stands/trestles) and wind shelter; refuelling demands bonding of aircraft, bowser and nozzle.
- De-icing fluids
- Type I unthickened/remove · II & IV thickened/holdover · III intermediate
- Refuelling bonding
- aircraft ↔ bowser ↔ nozzle bonded to dissipate static
- Jacking
- even lift · secondary stands · wind shelter · keep clear beneath
State three precautions specific to aircraft refuelling.
Bond the aircraft, bowser and nozzle together so no static potential difference can spark; enforce the no-smoking and no-ignition-source rule around the fuelling zone; and confirm the correct fuel grade to prevent mis-fuelling. Fire extinguishers and an escape path should also be available.
Why must a de-icing operator avoid spraying fluid into pitot and static probes?
The fluid can block or contaminate the probes, corrupting the air-data information (airspeed and altitude) the crew relies on. Probes, sensors, static wicks and control-surface gaps are all kept clear during application for the same reason.
Handling & storage concept map
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Handling & storage quiz
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