Patent ID: 7850122

Claim:
A method for moving a swing tail cargo door on a swing tail aircraft, the method comprising: engaging a mobile tail support apparatus to the swing tail cargo door on the swing tail aircraft by coupling a ball fitting in the mobile tail support apparatus to the swing tail cargo door and locking the ball fitting to the swing tail cargo door in a coupled position, wherein the mobile tail support apparatus is a separate vehicle from the swing tail aircraft; moving the swing tail cargo door from a first position to a second position using the mobile tail support apparatus; reacting vertically to vertical loads on the swing tail cargo door during movement of the swing tail aircraft using a support system capable of controlling a vertical load of the swing tail cargo door of the swing tail aircraft during the movement of the swing tail cargo door; and reducing loads on a hinge of the swing tail cargo door during the movement of the swing tail cargo door using a second support system capable of isolating motions of the swing tail cargo door to prevent the unacceptable load from occurring on the swing tail or hinge of the swing tail cargo door during the movement of the swing tail cargo door around the axis through the hinge of the swing tail cargo door.