Ground support equipment is the equipment used by airports to service the area around the terminal. The equipment is very varied and is used mainly to offer assistance to aircraft while on the ground. The equipment is mainly used to service aircraft between flights.

Ground support equipment has many important roles – it provides electricity for aircraft, it helps with cargo and passenger loading operations and provides aircraft mobility. Essentially, this type of equipment helps with every aspect of ground handling, no matter the size or the type of aircraft.

Ground handling services, as well as ground support equipment, are often subcontracted by airlines to airports or handling agents. In some cases, larger airlines may subcontract this type of work to smaller airlines. Ground handling services typically focus on the entire services required by aircraft between the moment it arrives at a terminal gate and the moment it departs for the next flight. Obviously, this turnaround time should be as short as possible – efficiency, accuracy and speed of services are critical in the ground handling business.

Large airlines often have bases in multiple airports, reducing the ground handling costs enormously. These airlines are also able to provide ground support services to other airlines that don't have an independent maintenance and support base. Maintenance bases are critical in the aviation industry, especially for larger airlines. A maintenance base guarantees lower repair costs for airplanes, lower priced air start unit parts, tools and various related services. Maintenance is also far more efficient, with lower turnaround times. Having multiple bases also means that airlines can get better deals on tools, equipment and other types of services (for instance, suppliers and manufacturers often offer aircraft tugs for sale and other pieces of equipment at special prices).

Although airlines focus on flying aircraft, ground handling is rarely focused on this actual service. Instead, ground support services focus on various aspects related to aircraft operation. For instance, cabin services focus on passenger comfort and safety – they include cleaning services, food and beverage replenishment, hygiene products replenishment (soap, shampoo, towels and so on) and miscellaneous product replenishment (magazines, blankets or pillows). Security services are also considered a type of ground handling service. Other services include loading and unloading cargo, passenger loading and unloading, aircraft refueling, lavatory waste tank drainage and potable water storage. Another important service is aircraft maintenance – these services also provide tools, supplies and replacement parts for various types of repairs (such as engine parts and air start unit parts).

So what types of ground support equipment can you find at an airport? How can an airline find the best aircraft tugs for sale? Let's try to answer these questions in this short guide:

Non-powered equipment

#1 – Dollies

Dollies are the most common types of ground support equipment. They are ideal for several roles, such as handling loose baggage and cargo pallets.

Dollies for loose baggage are designed to transport oversized bags, loose baggage, mail bags and various types of boxes between the terminal and the aircraft or the sorting facility. These types of dollies are not powered, but they have a simple breaking mechanism. Dollies can be either enclosed or open.

Dollies for cargo pallets or for unit load device (ULD) are standardized dollies. They feature many wheels, roller bars and ball bearings in order to accommodate ULD and cargo pallets. The dollies are equipped with hinges and locks in order to secure the load. These dollies are custom-built to handle specific types of cargo pallets, depending on the region or the operator. There are various types of advanced dollies designed to haul ULDs and pallets, featuring various types of technology:

- rollers – some dollies have power driven rollers, making operation much easier

- revolving platforms – some dollies feature a revolving platform to facilitate rotating the pallets or ULDs

- brakes – some dollies have specialized mechanical brakes that automatically lock the dolly when it is parked, thus making operation much easier

#2 – Chocks

Chocks are used to secure an aircraft in place while on the ground. They are placed either at the front or at the back of the aircraft and block the wheels of the landing gear. They can be made of metal, wood or rubber.

#3 – Tripod jacks

They are used to support parked aircraft, especially to prevent the tail from dropping or falling to the ground.

#4 – Service stairs

They are used by airport technicians to reach the bottom of the aircraft more easily.

Powered equipment

#1 – Aircraft refuelers

They are essentially self-contained fuel trucks, hydrant trucks or fuel carts. They usually have a capacity of 10,000 gallons or more and have their own fuel pumps and hoses. They can also connect to the central pipeline network in order to fuel the aircraft.

#2 – Tugs and tractors

There is a huge variety of tugs and tractors. They are essentially the workhorses at each airport, hauling cargo, moving aircraft and other pieces of equipment. They can be used to move essentially anything – power supply units, mobile air conditioning units, lavatory carts, stairs, air starters and other equipment. Tugs can be powered either by a diesel or an electric engine, depending on the model. The market for tugs is massive and there are multiple manufacturers and suppliers offering aircraft tugs for sale.

#3 – Ground power units

Ground power units are critically important at any airport. They provide power for parked aircraft. There are many models of ground power units, but the most common ones supply 28V direct current and 115V 400Hz alternating current (this type of current is the most common for aircraft). Ground power units can be connected to a generator and provide even more power, especially if it's designed to be used for more aircraft. Solid state units are also important, as they convert direct current into alternating current.

#4 – Air start units

Also known as start carts, these units help start an aircraft's engine, especially if the on-board APU is not operational. There are many types of air start units – gas turbine based units, diesel engine compressor units, and stored air cart units. They can all power jet engines, either on their own or in groups of two or three, depending on the size of the aircraft. Air start units are critically important for any airline. Fortunately, air start unit maintenance is simple, as there are many air start unit parts suppliers.

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