On the apron at Memmingen Airport, an all-electric F110e tow tractor from the house of Goldhofer is the new fast, quiet and emission-free solution for moving aircraft to their starting and parking positions. On December 17, Lothar Holder, CEO at Goldhofer AG and Head of Airport Technology, handed over this environment-friendly vehicle to Ralf Schmid, Managing Director of Flughafen Memmingen GmbH. Significantly more economical and efficient and just as powerful as a diesel-powered tow tractor, this zero-emission model can maneuver aircraft with up to 120 tons take-off weight.
Ground handling on the apron of Memmingen Airport is now being performed more quietly, more eco-friendly and above all more economically. One of the keys to this improvement is a Goldhofer F110e aircraft tow tractor. This all-electric champion performer, whose diesel-powered counterparts are in service at many airports worldwide, not only means reduced exhaust and noise emissions at Allgäu Airport Memmingen but can also be operated far more economically than conventional tractors. “If we are to achieve our climate neutrality target, we have to commit to a number of investments. In addition to a combined heat and power plant and a natural gas filling station, this also includes electromobility. With the introduction of an electric aircraft tow tractor, we have now taken a further step in this direction,” says Ralf Schmid, and Lothar Holder adds, “We are delighted that Memmingen Airport has chosen to work with us in order to continue to move forward with its sustainability program. We are convinced that the use of electric vehicles at Memmingen Airport will not only reduce emissions and energy requirements enormously but will also be significantly more economical than with conventional systems.”
F110e from the house of Goldhofer – a universal workhorse worldwide
The F110, the world’s best-selling conventional aircraft tow tractor, is also available with an all-electric drive. With its combination of rugged engineering and powerful performance, it is the perfect one-to-one replacement for a diesel-powered tractor – as illustrated by the fact that it can be used to move aircraft with a maximum take-off weight of up to 120 tons, like an Airbus A321. In addition to the ecological advantages, airport operators also benefit from the minimum maintenance requirements: Only the battery has to be topped up with water. The expensive maintenance items relating to diesel engines and transmission simply do not apply.
Memmingen Airport
Together with its subsidiary ALLgate GmbH, Flughafen Memmingen GmbH operates Allgäu Airport Memmingen, Bavaria’s third largest commercial airport. Since it opened in 2007, Memmingen Airport has flourished and in 2018 handled almost 1.5 million passengers. With all the signs pointing to further growth, an extensive upgrade program was begun in 2018. So far, the runway has been widened from 30 to 45 meters and a new airfield lighting system is now operational. The next steps include extending the baggage hall and installing a new instrument landing system for approach 06.