A tow is a coordination event before it is a driving event. The tow supervisor has to get permission from the maintenance operations centre and pass the tail number and location before the aircraft moves, wing and tail walkers must be posted where the task requires them with authority to signal a stop, and the tractor and tow bar have to be a compatible pair for that airframe. Hangar door hazards are part of the same instruction and get inspected alongside the tow itself.
Readers asked this on CheckMyRegs and CheckMyAFI 15 times — this page answers it from the official catalogs and the publications’ own text.
| Branch | Controlling publication | Dated | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Force | DAFI 21-101 Current QA observation authority and documentation categories | 2023-12-20 | Official link |
| Army | AR 750-1 Current Army materiel maintenance policy | 2026-04-29 | Official link |
| Navy | OPNAVINST 4790.2K Current Naval Aviation Maintenance Program equivalent | 2025-04-25 | Official link |
| Marine Corps | MCO 4790.25 Current Ground equipment maintenance program | 2014-01-12 | Official link |
Before the aircraft moves at all, the tow supervisor coordinates with and obtains permission from the maintenance operations centre, and passes the tail number, location and route to the flight line expeditor.
“3.2. Prior to actual movement of the aircraft, the tow supervisor must coordinate with and obtain permission from the Maintenance Operations Center ( MOC). The tow supervisor will coordinate the tow with the Flight Line Expeditor and MOC for tow clearance and give the aircraft tail number, location, and destination. After getting tow approval from MOC, the tow supervisor or lead vehicle must be in constant radio contact with MOC until completion of the tow. No movement will be made without radio clearance from MOC. The tow supervisor will advise the Flight Line Expeditor and MOC of the tow termination. (T3)”
Where the towing or pushing task prescribes them, wing walkers and tail walkers are stationed at each location to ensure clearance from obstructions, and they signal the supervisor any time the aircraft is in danger of collision.
“3.4.2. Verify aircraft clearance. When prescribed by towing or pushing task, wing walkers/tail walkers shall be stationed at each respective location to ensure adequate aircraft clearance of any obstruction and shall signal the supervisor whenever the aircraft is in danger of colliding with an obstruction. In such cases, towing shall be stopped until clearance is personally checked by the supervisor.”
Tow tractors and tow bars have to be compatible with — or explicitly acceptable for — the specific aircraft being moved, which is a check of the equipment pairing rather than of the driver.
“a. Towing systems: Which tow tractors and tow bars are compatib le with, or acceptable for use with, the embarking helicopter/tiltrotor aircraft? b. Aircraft mooring/chaining system (aircraft physical security ): location of the helicopter/tiltrotor aircraft TD points and how the helicopter/tiltrotor aircraft is to be secured. c. Blades folded mooring system limitations: USA and USAF blade TD systems are designed to hold the blades for an air transport, not for heavy weather security.”
The governing local instruction covers towing hazards and hangar door hazards together, along with the responsibilities and training requirements behind both.
“1. Overview. The purpose of this instruction is to ensure the safety of all personnel performing aircraft towing and hangar operations. It addresses towing hazards and hangar door hazards, responsibilities and training requirements.”
Events with safety implications or technical violations that are not part of a formal evaluation still get written up as observations, which is the category most tow findings land in.
“6.7.5. Observations. This category represents observed events or conditions with safety implications or technical violations not related to an evaluation or inspection, are considered unsafe, in violation of established procedures, or in the case of equipment, unfit for operations. Observations include: DSVs, TDVs and UCRs. The LEAP QA database is used to document any of the following conditions:”
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Updated 2026-08-01. CheckMyRegs is an unofficial index — always cite the official publication.