Best Tugs Echo 12, User Manual

9

DO NOT USE QUICK 

LOCK FORK AND 

RETRACTABLE GEAR 

ATTACHMENT  

AT THE SAME TIME 

INITIAL USE

Loading

Double-check your attachments to 
make sure they are correctly attached, 
and the setup steps followed. 

1.  Chock aircraft mains. Position the 

tug with its nose wheel centered 
on the ramp.  

2.  Put the winch in neutral/reverse 

and pull enough slack in the strap 
to attach QLF for wheel pant 
planes or axle strap for retractable 
gear aircraft.  

3.  Before you begin winching, set 

the winch to retract and winch the 
plane onto tug’s loading tray.  
Note: If you are comfortable with 
your throttle, you can choose to 
winch the plane onto the tug 
while very slowly driving the tug 
forward, which makes winching 
easier. Keep wheels chocked if you 
decide to use this method. 

Unloading

1.  Make sure the tug is in line with 

the plane. Chock the aircraft 
mains. 

2.  Crank the winch handle slightly to 

release stress on winch direction 
selector; switch to unload/neutral. 

3.  Select “PULL” on the control panel 

and slowly drive tug  
away from aircraft.

See BestTugs.com for instructional videos on loading.

Standard Ramp Operation

Switching from  
Wheel Chock to QLF

Pull the long pin and remove the wheel chock from 
the loading tray and take the carabiner off the tow 
strap. Take the winch strap in one hand and the 
QLF in the other. Take the QLF pin out of its hole by 
pushing the springing wedge down and removing 
the pin.  Slip the winch strap onto the pin and push 
the pin to the original position. (FIG 9)  Line the strap 
loop up with the QLF pin holes then push the pin 
back through the strap and QLF holes. Ensure the 
spring wedge holds the pin in place. 

 
Now that your wheel chock is 
set up for your specific plane, 
you are ready to winch it into 
place and move your aircraft.