Warrenton, Oregon –LEKTRO Inc., is proud to announce the certification of their AP8950SDB-AL-200 for towing the Boeing 737 MAX. It is the first Towbarless Towing Vehicle (TLTV) to be certified to handle the new Boeing aircraft. Due to the versatility of LEKTRO’s proprietary automatic aircraft recognition system, this also means that the company’s larger AP8950SDB-AL-250 is certified for use on the B737 MAX.
Capable of towing up to 210,000 lb. aircraft, the AP8950SDB-AL-200 was introduced in 2013 paving the way for LEKTRO to break in to the narrowbody airline market. Not long after announcing the new tug, LEKTRO began an aggressive certification process with Airbus, ATR, Boeing, Bombardier and Embraer to ensure the new tug’s success. The larger AP8950SDB-AL-250 is capable of towing up to 280,000 lbs and was introduced in 2016 to serve the complete narrowbody and regional airline industry. With a range from turboprops to the Boeing 757, LEKTRO’s -250 model is the most versatile tug available on the market.
“Beyond our legendary reliability and smooth operation, LEKTRO has more OEM certifications than any other towbarless tug” said Henry Balensifer, LEKTRO’s Communications Manager. “Being first to be certified only proves that we lead the industry in delivering results and capabilities for our customers.”
LEKTRO’s automatic aircraft recognition system has been the cornerstone of their success with the airlines. It senses the aircraft weight and adjusts the tug acceleration and braking characteristics to eliminate nose gear stress.