Narrative:

I am a line service technician and my work occasionally has me repositioning an aircraft from another FBO to our ramp. A gulfstream g-ii needed to be towed from the FBO on the north side of the airfield to our ramp on the south end. Since I hold a pilot's certificate and own a handheld VHF radio; I offered to assist. While towing the aircraft back on taxiway a (which parallels the air carrier terminal); I noticed a B737 that was taxiing to his gate pull up behind us in accordance to ground control. Since we were towing the aircraft; we were operating at a reduced speed (comparable to that of a fast walk) as this allowed positive control of the aircraft and a margin of safety in the event of a towbar breakaway. However; our speed was not fast enough for the B737 captain; so he pulled in very close; within an estimated 15-20 ft from the tail of the gulfstream. I was very uncomfortable with this; as in the event of a towbar breakaway or a need for a sudden stop; there was a very good chance that the B737 would have struck the tail of the gulfstream; which could mean the aircraft running over the open tug I was sitting in. After thinking about it; this is not a topic that is frequently covered in flight training; which is a mistake. Tailgating on the road is a moving violation in many jurisdictions; as well as a known safety hazard. How are 2 aircraft on the ground any different? After all; aircraft are far less maneuverable on the ground than cars; necessitating increased caution when operating in close proximity to other aircraft on the ground. Additionally; many student pilots have never experienced the power of jetblast; and do not give it the respect it deserves. The thrust of many jets is more than the takeoff weight of most training aircraft. Ground operations training should include more than taxiway markings and runway incursions. While the FAA is getting out awareness of runway incursions; they need to start telling pilots to give other aircraft a wider berth.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LINE SVC TECHNICIAN TOWING A G-II QUESTIONED THE SAFETY OF AN ACR B737 FOLLOWING TOO CLOSE BEHIND THE TOWED ACFT.

Narrative: I AM A LINE SVC TECHNICIAN AND MY WORK OCCASIONALLY HAS ME REPOSITIONING AN ACFT FROM ANOTHER FBO TO OUR RAMP. A GULFSTREAM G-II NEEDED TO BE TOWED FROM THE FBO ON THE N SIDE OF THE AIRFIELD TO OUR RAMP ON THE S END. SINCE I HOLD A PLT'S CERTIFICATE AND OWN A HANDHELD VHF RADIO; I OFFERED TO ASSIST. WHILE TOWING THE ACFT BACK ON TXWY A (WHICH PARALLELS THE ACR TERMINAL); I NOTICED A B737 THAT WAS TAXIING TO HIS GATE PULL UP BEHIND US IN ACCORDANCE TO GND CTL. SINCE WE WERE TOWING THE ACFT; WE WERE OPERATING AT A REDUCED SPD (COMPARABLE TO THAT OF A FAST WALK) AS THIS ALLOWED POSITIVE CTL OF THE ACFT AND A MARGIN OF SAFETY IN THE EVENT OF A TOWBAR BREAKAWAY. HOWEVER; OUR SPD WAS NOT FAST ENOUGH FOR THE B737 CAPT; SO HE PULLED IN VERY CLOSE; WITHIN AN ESTIMATED 15-20 FT FROM THE TAIL OF THE GULFSTREAM. I WAS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THIS; AS IN THE EVENT OF A TOWBAR BREAKAWAY OR A NEED FOR A SUDDEN STOP; THERE WAS A VERY GOOD CHANCE THAT THE B737 WOULD HAVE STRUCK THE TAIL OF THE GULFSTREAM; WHICH COULD MEAN THE ACFT RUNNING OVER THE OPEN TUG I WAS SITTING IN. AFTER THINKING ABOUT IT; THIS IS NOT A TOPIC THAT IS FREQUENTLY COVERED IN FLT TRAINING; WHICH IS A MISTAKE. TAILGATING ON THE ROAD IS A MOVING VIOLATION IN MANY JURISDICTIONS; AS WELL AS A KNOWN SAFETY HAZARD. HOW ARE 2 ACFT ON THE GND ANY DIFFERENT? AFTER ALL; ACFT ARE FAR LESS MANEUVERABLE ON THE GND THAN CARS; NECESSITATING INCREASED CAUTION WHEN OPERATING IN CLOSE PROX TO OTHER ACFT ON THE GND. ADDITIONALLY; MANY STUDENT PLTS HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THE PWR OF JETBLAST; AND DO NOT GIVE IT THE RESPECT IT DESERVES. THE THRUST OF MANY JETS IS MORE THAN THE TKOF WT OF MOST TRAINING ACFT. GND OPS TRAINING SHOULD INCLUDE MORE THAN TXWY MARKINGS AND RWY INCURSIONS. WHILE THE FAA IS GETTING OUT AWARENESS OF RWY INCURSIONS; THEY NEED TO START TELLING PLTS TO GIVE OTHER ACFT A WIDER BERTH.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.