Moving aircraft on Ground

J

JP Reilly

Filing Flight Plan
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Feb 5, 2015
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Surprise, AZ
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JR
I have a 1979 Archer with wheel pants. I am not able to push it back out of a Sunport I am leasing . Any suggestions on a portable electric towbar would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, John Reilly
 
I've seen some neat hand held tugs that connect to the nosewheel, and run a knurled metal cylinder against the nose wheel to maneuver on the ground. That probably wouldn't work if you have nose wheel pant though. That's the only electric solution I'm aware of.
 
Short answer is none. You will need a traditional tug. Remove the front pant and a Robotow or similar will work.
 
The "portable" requirement kills it if you want to keep the wheel pants. Lots of portable options, and lots of options that'll handle a plane with wheel pants. I can't think of any portable options that'll do wheel pants.
 
I took the wheel pants off my cherokee years ago. The 2-4 knot increase isn't worth the ability to check tires, add air, clean struts, and use an electric tow to move it around.

One option I used before buying the electric tow was putting a hitch on my car and having the local shop build a very long tow bar that hooked to the hitch.
 
I bolted a winch onto a vertical post at the back of my hangar and I pull my plane IN with that. I have contemplated bolting an eyehook onto the hangar post across the taxiway on the hangars facing me and using a pulley to pull it out, but since out is downhill, I manage that one with a harness around my waste and I pull like a draft horse. Gets me some exercise. Some of the guys are using golf carts and 4 wheelers and such with towbars to pull and push their planes in and out, which of course work, some better than others.
 
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