1. A method for pulling an airplane by an airplane tractor, the method comprising:
blocking primary brakes of the airplane;
gripping a nose gear of the airplane by a tractor;
exerting a pulling force on the airplane by the tractor;
releasing the primary brakes of the airplane, thereby causing the resistance force of the airplane to be less than the pulling force of the tractor; and
allowing the pulling force to drive the tractor together with the airplane.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein gripping a nose gear of the airplane is performed before blocking primary brakes of the airplane.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the tractor includes a chassis; wheel modules connected to the chassis, each of the wheel modules includes at least one actuator for inducing a vertical movement thereof in relation to the chassis; a gripping system for gripping the nose gear of an airplane, the gripping system including a gripping platform moveable substantially in circular translation in relation to the chassis, the gripping platform going from a retracted position to a gripping position by way of an equilibrium position; and a damping means and an actuating means connecting the gripping platform and the chassis; and wherein gripping a nose gear of the airplane by a tractor includes:
actuating the damping and actuating means to place the gripping platform in the retracted position;
lowering the chassis;
moving the tractor so as to place the retracted gripping platform in contact with at least one wheel of the nose gear of the airplane;
actuating the damping and actuating means to move the gripping platform from the retracted position toward the gripping position, while adjusting a height of the chassis by controlling the actuators of at least two of the wheel modules so as to slide the gripping platform under the at least one wheel of the nose gear;
raising the chassis; and
bringing the gripping platform back to the equilibrium position.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein releasing primary brakes of the airplane is performed by the airplane’s pilot.
5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising accelerating the tractor until the tractor reaches a constant cruising speed.
6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising regulating the speed of the tractor as a function of the force measured by the damping and actuating means.
7. The method for pulling an airplane according to claim 6, wherein the speed of the tractor is controlled such that the measured force exceeds a dynamically determined threshold level.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for treating an HIV infection in a human in need thereof comprising administering an effective amount of \u03b2-D-D4FC or its pharmaceutically acceptable ester or salt to the human, optionally in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, in combination or alternation with an effective amount of a second drug selected from the group consisting of abacavir, indinavir, nelfinavir, saquinavir, amprenavir, efavirenz, delavirdine and nevirapine for the treatment of an HIV infection in a human.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the second drug in combination or alternation with \u03b2-D-D4FC is indinavir.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the second drug in combination or alternation with \u03b2-D-D4FC is nelfinavir.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the second drug in combination or alternation with \u03b2-D-D4FC is saquinavir.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the second drug in combination or alternation with \u03b2-D-D4FC is amprenavir.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the second drug in combination or alternation with \u03b2-D-D4FC is efavirenz.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the second drug in combination or alternation with \u03b2-D-D4FC is delavirdine.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the second drug in combination or alternation with \u03b2-D-D4FC is nevirapine.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein \u03b2-D-D4FC and the second drug are in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the pharmaceutically acceptable carrier is suitable for oral delivery, intravenous delivery, parenteral delivery, intradermal delivery, subcutaneous delivery or topical delivery.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein \u03b2-D-D4FC and the second drug are in the form of a dosage unit.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the dosage unit contains 10 to 1500 mg of each compound.
13. The method of claim 11, wherein the dosage unit is a tablet or a capsule.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein \u03b2-D-D4FC and the second drug are administered in combination.
15. The method of claim 1 wherein \u03b2-D-D4FC and the second drug are administered in alternation.
16. A pharmaceutical composition comprising an effective amount of \u03b2-D-D4FC or its pharmaceutically acceptable ester or salt, in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, in combination with an effective amount of a second drug selected from the group consisting of abacavir, indinavir, nelfinavir, saquinavir, amprenavir, efavirenz, delavirdine and nevirapine.
17. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 16 wherein the second drug in combination with \u03b2-D-D4FC is indinavir.
18. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 16 wherein the second drug in combination with \u03b2-D-D4FC is nelfinavir.
19. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 16 wherein the second drug in combination with \u03b2-D-D4FC is saquinavir.
20. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 16 wherein the second drug in combination with \u03b2-D-D4FC is amprenavir.
21. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 16 wherein the second drug in combination with \u03b2-D-D4FC is efavirenz.
22. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 16 wherein the second drug in combination with \u03b2-D-D4FC is delavirdine.
23. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 16 wherein the second drug in combination with \u03b2-D-D4FC is nevirapine.
24. The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 16, wherein the pharmaceutically acceptable carrier is suitable for oral delivery, intravenous delivery, parenteral delivery, intradermal delivery, subcutaneous delivery or topical delivery.
25. The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 16, wherein \u03b2-D-D4FC and the second drug are in the form of a dosage unit.
26. The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 25, wherein the dosage unit contains 10 to 1500 mg of each compound.
27. The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 25, wherein the dosage unit is a tablet or a capsule.