Towing vehicle

A towing vehicle for manoeuvring aeroplanes without using tow bars, comprising:

• a substantially U-shaped chassis having a U shape,
• at least one front axle, wheels of which are assigned to a base limb of the U shape,
• at least one rear axle, wheels of which are each assigned to a respective one of two side limbs of the U shape,
• a receiving chamber, enclosed by the chassis and comprising a receiving opening formed between two free ends of the side limbs of the U shape,
• a coupling device for gripping and lifting a nose wheel of an aeroplane which is to be manoeuvred, and
• a blocking valve arranged in a lifting line which leads to at least one fluid-actuable power device of a lifting arrangement of the coupling device, wherein the blocking valve can be opened by supplying fluidic pressure to a control terminal of the blocking valve,
• wherein the towing vehicle further comprises:
• a pressure store, in which operating fluid is stored under pressure,
• a release initiation device, which can be actuated manually by an operator and which in a release initiation position connects the pressure store to a release device, and
• the release device, which is configured and intended, upon manual transfer of the release initiation device into the release initiation position by the operator, initially to lower the nose wheel of the aeroplane automatically until it stands on a travel surface, by means of pressure energy stored in the pressure store and potential energy of a load of the nose wheel load, and only subsequently to release the nose wheel,
• wherein the release initiation device connects the pressure store to the control terminal of the blocking valve in the release initiation position.