Goldhofer is currently going through a real order boom of towbarless aircraft tractors. The company ranks among the world’s leading manufacturers of towbarless aircraft tractors and its range reaches from the AST-3 which is the smallest tractor for aircraft weights from 160 to 220 ton MTOW to the AST-2 for aircraft weights of 300 ton MTOW up to the AST-1 for aircraft weights of 425 ton MTOW. A new tractor is the AST-1X, specifically designed and manufactured for the Airbus A380 and able to tow aircraft weights up to 600 ton MTOW. Stefan Fuchs, the CEO of Goldhofer reports „We are presently the sole manufacturer who obtained an NTO from AIRBUS for the A380“, and he predicts more sales of AST-1X will come.
„We are pleased to report that our order books are well filled and our production of aircraft tractors and recovery equipment is running at full speed”.
And even on the North American continent, the company finally gained a foothold. After Delta and NWA we could now win further major airlines as partner. United Airlines already ordered eight aircraft tractors type AST-2 and AST-1 and also American Airlines appears to be convinced of the Goldhofer technology. The airline ordered a package of 12 tractors and holds out the prospect of purchasing 8 additional tractors. This means that already more than 300 aircraft tractors of Goldhofer are operating successfully.
