What Tug to Get

[Boatguy]

I have been very happy with my AC Air Technology robot tug. It has a wireless remote with joystick and speed control. You can walk around aircraft when in motion to check clearance. Also, the bright LED lights make hook up at night easy.
http://acairtechnology.com/

How do you get the nose wheel onto and off the tug?

[Don]

I have been very happy with my AC Air Technology robot tug. It has a wireless remote with joystick and speed control. You can walk around aircraft when in motion to check clearance. Also, the bright LED lights make hook up at night easy.
http://acairtechnology.com/
TingNEW TUG.JPG

Interesting. There are several models on their site. Which one are you using?

This Model. http://acairtechnology.com/product/ac-tracktech-t1v2-2/
You can see in the description it is recommended for DA40's. BTW, my Diamond Star was the first DA 40 they had built a tug for. They are located near Chino Airport, (KCNO) which is about a 20 minute flight from my base airport. I flew out there and they took measurements of the nose wheel and nose pant. A week later I returned to Chino and they tested the DA40 prototype on my plane which is the one shown in earlier photo. I also had them add LED lights which is not shown in photo. A week or so later they shipped me the tug.

[Don]

I have been very happy with my AC Air Technology robot tug. It has a wireless remote with joystick and speed control. You can walk around aircraft when in motion to check clearance. Also, the bright LED lights make hook up at night easy.
http://acairtechnology.com/

How do you get the nose wheel onto and off the tug?

You push a button on the remote and on the very back of the robot a gate opens and lowers creating a ramp. Then you slowly back the robot and it lifts the nose wheel up. That said, it is best to set parking brake first. The robot is so powerful it will push the aircraft back if parking brake is not set. Once wheel is positioned properly on the robot, you release gate button on the remote and the gate and ramp goes up automatically. Then insert side stabilizes into nose pants, release parking brake and you are ready to go.
Here is a video when factory was testing DA40 prototype on my plane.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xE0_Zw2XanM