Aircraft tug attachment and detachment system

An aircraft tug, comprising:

• a frame;
• a plurality of ground-engaging drive members supported by the frame;
• one or more drive motors configured to drive the plurality of ground-engaging drive members;
• and
• an attachment assembly coupled to the frame and configured to engage one or more wheels of nose landing gear of an aircraft, the attachment assembly comprising:
• a platform body defining a lateral platform opening;
• a cradle rotatably coupled to the platform body about a substantially vertical axis, the cradle comprising one or more cradle arms configured to engage the one or more wheels, wherein the cradle defines a capture zone configured to receive the one or more wheels;
• and
• one or more actuators operatively coupled between the frame and at least the platform body, the one or more actuators configured to vertically translate the platform body and the cradle together as a unit relative to the frame, and wherein vertical translation of the platform body and the cradle is configured to cause the one or more cradle arms to engage the one or more wheels within the capture zone.

A method for attaching one or more wheels of nose landing gear of an aircraft to an attachment assembly of an aircraft tug, the attachment assembly including (i) a platform body defining a lateral platform opening and (ii) a cradle rotatably coupled to the platform body and defining a lateral opening and a capture zone, the method comprising:

• positioning the attachment assembly relative to the one or more wheels such that the lateral opening of the cradle is aligned with the lateral platform opening to define an entry path into the capture zone;
• causing relative movement between the attachment assembly and the one or more wheels such that the one or more wheels traverse the entry path and enter the capture zone;
• rotating the cradle relative to the platform body from an open configuration to a closed configuration in which the lateral opening of the cradle is circumferentially offset from the lateral platform opening such that the platform body at least partially obstructs the lateral opening of the cradle;
• vertically translating the platform body and the cradle together as a unit relative to a frame of the aircraft tug;
• and
• engaging the one or more wheels with one or more cradle arms of the cradle via the vertical translation to lift at least a portion of the one or more wheels off of a ground surface.