Numerical Investigation on the Structural Stability of an Aircraft Tow Bar

Abstract

Mainly an aircraft tow bar is used for the operation and maintenance of an aircraft on the ground. Failure problems such as tow bar bending and fracture frequently occur owing to the influences of overload conditions, man-made destruction, and environmental factors. These problems may even affect the normal flight mission of the aircraft during the operation. Although this type of problem does not occur during flight, owing to the high occurrence frequency of this problem, the structural stability of the tow bar in the design stage is of importance to the aerospace industry. In this study, a series of modeling and numerical analyses were carried out to investigate the optimal design method with a high structural stability based on a tow bar for small military helicopters. A structural strength evaluation, ultimate buckling load analysis, and design of the breakaway pin were performed for tubular and solid bar-type tow rods with specific characteristics by considering the actual extreme working conditions and different characteristics of the tubular and solid tow bars. The method used in this study is applicable under various working conditions and for tow bar model development. It provides an important design theory reference to ensure the safety of the towing operation of the aircraft.