Movement of aircraft

A self-propelled dolly for the movement of aircraft, the dolly comprising

• a chassis supported by wheel means carried on two longitudinally-spaced axles, the chassis including aircraft wheel support means between the axles, the wheel support means being movable between a lowered position for engagement and disengagement of an aircraft wheel and a raised position for supporting the aircraft wheel above the ground surface, at least one wheel means being motor-drivable, said wheel support means comprising
• a split first axle,
• a bifurcated chassis portion having two pairs of spaced apart parallel members defining therebetween a space to receive an aircraft wheel,
• a pair of laterally spaced apart first ground-engaging wheels each mounted about a portion of said split first axle in a respective pair of said parallel members,
• one or more second ground-engaging wheels mounted on a second chassis portion pivotally connected to the bifurcated chassis portion about a substantially vertical axis to provide steering ability to the dolly, the second chassis portion including handle means extending therefrom for control of the dolly by an operator,
• and a motor and drive means operatively connected to at least one of said ground-engaging wheels,
• the bifurcated chassis portion being formed in two sections pivotally connected together about a lateral pivot axis at an intermediate location between said first and second wheels, whereby said sections are lowerable and raisible at their mutually connected ends with respect to the ground, means to support an aircraft wheel being mounted on one of said sections and including releasable locking means to maintain said sections in the raised position, in which an aircraft with a wheel thereof supported above ground level by the dolly may be manoeuvered.