A base assembly for coupling an end effector to a structure, said base assembly comprising: a first side and an opposite second side, said first side configured to couple to the end effector; at least one cavity disposed on said second side; and at least one pneumatic generator coupled in flow communication with said at least one cavity, said at least one pneumatic generator is operable in a suction mode and a blower mode, wherein: said second side having said at least one cavity is securely coupleable to a surface of the structure (12, 14) via a vacuum force induced by said at least one pneumatic generator in the suction mode, and said second side having said at least one cavity is movable substantially frictionlessly across the surface via an air cushion induced by said at least one pneumatic generator in the blower mode; characterized in that said base assembly further comprises: a base plate that includes said second side of said base assembly and a base plate first side opposite said second side of said base assembly; and an interface plate that includes said first side of said base assembly and an interface plate second side opposite said first side of said base assembly, wherein said interface plate is configured to releasably couple to said base plate such that said base plate first side is in a substantially face-to-face relationship with said interface plate second side. a first side and an opposite second side, said first side configured to couple to the end effector; at least one cavity disposed on said second side; and at least one pneumatic generator coupled in flow communication with said at least one cavity, said at least one pneumatic generator is operable in a suction mode and a blower mode, wherein: said second side having said at least one cavity is securely coupleable to a surface of the structure (12, 14) via a vacuum force induced by said at least one pneumatic generator in the suction mode, and said second side having said at least one cavity is movable substantially frictionlessly across the surface via an air cushion induced by said at least one pneumatic generator in the blower mode; characterized in that said base assembly further comprises: a base plate that includes said second side of said base assembly and a base plate first side opposite said second side of said base assembly; and an interface plate that includes said first side of said base assembly and an interface plate second side opposite said first side of said base assembly, wherein said interface plate is configured to releasably couple to said base plate such that said base plate first side is in a substantially face-to-face relationship with said interface plate second side. said second side having said at least one cavity is securely coupleable to a surface of the structure (12, 14) via a vacuum force induced by said at least one pneumatic generator in the suction mode, and said second side having said at least one cavity is movable substantially frictionlessly across the surface via an air cushion induced by said at least one pneumatic generator in the blower mode; characterized in that said base assembly further comprises: a base plate that includes said second side of said base assembly and a base plate first side opposite said second side of said base assembly; and an interface plate that includes said first side of said base assembly and an interface plate second side opposite said first side of said base assembly, wherein said interface plate is configured to releasably couple to said base plate such that said base plate first side is in a substantially face-to-face relationship with said interface plate second side. a base plate that includes said second side of said base assembly and a base plate first side opposite said second side of said base assembly; and an interface plate that includes said first side of said base assembly and an interface plate second side opposite said first side of said base assembly, wherein said interface plate is configured to releasably couple to said base plate such that said base plate first side is in a substantially face-to-face relationship with said interface plate second side.