In airport operations, which term describes the procedure to move an aircraft from the gate using a tug before taxiing?

• A. Taxiing
• B. Pushback
• C. Gate release
• D. Engine start procedure

Answer: (B)

Pushback is the process of using a tow tug to push an aircraft away from the gate so it can align with the taxiway and taxi to the runway. This maneuver clears the gate area—such as the jet bridge and ground equipment—while the aircraft is still positioned for safe movement. A towbar connects to the aircraft’s nose gear, and the tug controls the backward push until the aircraft is in a position to start engines and taxi forward under its own power. After pushback, the towbar is removed, chocks are taken away, engines are started, and the aircraft proceeds to taxi. The other terms describe different actions: taxiing is moving on the ground under own power after engine start, gate release is a clearance to begin ground handling, and the engine start procedure focuses on starting the engines, not moving the aircraft away from the gate.