Towing vehicle for manoeuvring aeroplanes without using tow bars, comprising o a substantially U-shaped chassis, o at least one front axle, the wheels of which are assigned to the base limb of the U shape, o at least one rear axle, the wheels of which are each assigned to one of the two side limbs of the U shape, o a receiving chamber, enclosed by the chassis and comprising a receiving opening formed between the two free ends of the side limbs of the U shape, o a coupling device having at least one fluid-actuable power device of a gripping arrangement and for gripping and lifting a nose wheel of an aeroplane which is to be manoeuvred, o a pressure store, in which operating fluid is stored under pressure, and o a release initiation device, which can be actuated manually by an operator and which in a release initiation position connects the pressure store to a release device, o the release device, which is configured and intended, upon manual transfer of the release initiation device into the release initiation position by the operator, initially to lower the nose wheel of the aeroplane automatically until it stands on the travel surface, simply by means of the pressure energy stored in the pressure store and the potential energy of the nose wheel load, and only subsequently to release the nose wheel, wherein a blocking valve, which can be opened by supplying fluidic pressure to the control terminal thereof, is arranged in a lifting line of the towing vehicle which leads to at least one fluid-actuable power device of a lifting arrangement of the coupling device, and the release initiation device connects the pressure store to the control terminal of the blocking valve in the release initiation position, and wherein in the release initiation position, the release initiation device further connects the pressure store to a further blocking valve of the towing vehicle, which can be biased into a blocking position by fluidic pressure prevailing in the lifting line and can be transferred into an open position if a predetermined value of the fluidic pressure prevailing in the lifting line is undershot, the further blocking valve, in the open position thereof, connecting the pressure store to the at least one fluid-actuable power device (128, 142, 148) of the gripping arrangement of the coupling device. o a substantially U-shaped chassis, o at least one front axle, the wheels of which are assigned to the base limb of the U shape, o at least one rear axle, the wheels of which are each assigned to one of the two side limbs of the U shape, o a receiving chamber, enclosed by the chassis and comprising a receiving opening formed between the two free ends of the side limbs of the U shape, o a coupling device having at least one fluid-actuable power device of a gripping arrangement and for gripping and lifting a nose wheel of an aeroplane which is to be manoeuvred, o a pressure store, in which operating fluid is stored under pressure, and o a release initiation device, which can be actuated manually by an operator and which in a release initiation position connects the pressure store to a release device, o the release device, which is configured and intended, upon manual transfer of the release initiation device into the release initiation position by the operator, initially to lower the nose wheel of the aeroplane automatically until it stands on the travel surface, simply by means of the pressure energy stored in the pressure store and the potential energy of the nose wheel load, and only subsequently to release the nose wheel, wherein a blocking valve, which can be opened by supplying fluidic pressure to the control terminal thereof, is arranged in a lifting line of the towing vehicle which leads to at least one fluid-actuable power device of a lifting arrangement of the coupling device, and the release initiation device connects the pressure store to the control terminal of the blocking valve in the release initiation position, and wherein in the release initiation position, the release initiation device further connects the pressure store to a further blocking valve of the towing vehicle, which can be biased into a blocking position by fluidic pressure prevailing in the lifting line and can be transferred into an open position if a predetermined value of the fluidic pressure prevailing in the lifting line is undershot, the further blocking valve, in the open position thereof, connecting the pressure store to the at least one fluid-actuable power device (128, 142, 148) of the gripping arrangement of the coupling device. wherein a blocking valve, which can be opened by supplying fluidic pressure to the control terminal thereof, is arranged in a lifting line of the towing vehicle which leads to at least one fluid-actuable power device of a lifting arrangement of the coupling device, and the release initiation device connects the pressure store to the control terminal of the blocking valve in the release initiation position, and wherein in the release initiation position, the release initiation device further connects the pressure store to a further blocking valve of the towing vehicle, which can be biased into a blocking position by fluidic pressure prevailing in the lifting line and can be transferred into an open position if a predetermined value of the fluidic pressure prevailing in the lifting line is undershot, the further blocking valve, in the open position thereof, connecting the pressure store to the at least one fluid-actuable power device (128, 142, 148) of the gripping arrangement of the coupling device.