Which tug for a taildragger?

[coloradobluesky]

Ive had enough of pushing my plane into my hangar. Its a tailwheel, has a Scott tailwheel. Small taildragger Husky. I want to tow it with a 4 wheeler, backing into the hangar (I have room to get it all the way back due to the community hangar space on the other side). Ill need a custom hitch on the front of the 4 wheeler and a modified tail wheel tow bar.

Any ideas on how to do this? I want the 4 wheeler, looks more fun. Can plow with it and ride it around the airport.

 

[Henning]

Ive had enough of pushing my plane into my hangar. Its a tailwheel, has a Scott tailwheel. Small taildragger Husky. I want to tow it with a 4 wheeler, backing into the hangar (I have room to get it all the way back due to the community hangar space on the other side). Ill need a custom hitch on the front of the 4 wheeler and a modified tail wheel tow bar.

Any ideas on how to do this? I want the 4 wheeler, looks more fun. Can plow with it and ride it around the airport.

The best rig is a split, long legged, tow bar that goes to the mains. There are ones with a screw jack near the fulcrum to push the legs out to the mains and hold them there. I've also seen guys use the plate type tugs on the tailwheel.

 

[Stewartb]

A piece of rope works really well tied around the tail spring and attached to a wheeler. I do it all winter with the Cessna and my pickup. Used to do it with the -12 on wheel skis as well.

 

[James331]

A piece of rope works really well tied around the tail spring and attached to a wheeler. I do it all winter with the Cessna and my pickup. Used to do it with the -12 on wheel skis as well.

That, unless it's a really tight hangar.


I still just push my 185 amphib in and out, figure it's my self diagnose medical, when I can no longer push it in and out, time to give up being a pilot and get a cirrus

 

[Stewartb]

A guy I know mounted an electric winch to his back wall and pulls his plane in with that. Probably common for you hangar dwellers. I hadn't seen it before.

 

[Henning]

A guy I know mounted an electric winch to his back wall and pulls his plane in with that. Probably common for you hangar dwellers. I hadn't seen it before.

Not exactly common, but you see some around, many more tugs though from what I see.

 

[txflyer]

A guy I know mounted an electric winch to his back wall and pulls his plane in with that. Probably common for you hangar dwellers. I hadn't seen it before.

You beat me.

Electric winch bolted to the floor next to the wall in the center in the hangar. Preferrably one of the new ones with a remote control.

I take it you can't install B.A.S. tail pull handles in a Husky....

 

[weirdjim]

You beat me.

Electric winch bolted to the floor next to the wall in the center in the hangar. Preferrably one of the new ones with a remote control.

I take it you can't install B.A.S. tail pull handles in a Husky....

A w.... oh, WINCH. Thank heavens. I thought you said a wench.


Jim

 

[Jimmy cooper]

Piece of rope and an old old golf cart, preferably Yamaha gas type. Tie to tail wheel, pull airplane all over the place. Works great, as will old sit down mower.

 

[Tom-D]

A w.... oh, WINCH. Thank heavens. I thought you said a wench.
Jim

Maybe she'd have a snatch block handy.

 

[Tom-D]

Ive had enough of pushing my plane into my hangar. Its a tailwheel, has a Scott tailwheel. Small taildragger Husky. I want to tow it with a 4 wheeler, backing into the hangar (I have room to get it all the way back due to the community hangar space on the other side). Ill need a custom hitch on the front of the 4 wheeler and a modified tail wheel tow bar.

Any ideas on how to do this? I want the 4 wheeler, looks more fun. Can plow with it and ride it around the airport.

One of these:
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/pspages/taildragger.php

With your favorite hitch. or weld a clevis to the handle and a draw bar to the 4 wheeler.

 

[bluerooster]

using a rope, what happens when you stop pulling, but the airplane keeps rolling?

 

[Jimmy cooper]

Usually, the grade at airports is pretty flat......duhhhhhh!

 

[Stewartb]

I've used a rope with my Polaris wheeler quite a bit. I move the plane to plow the tie down and then pull the plane back in. Pulling forward is tougher than pulling back since a cock-eyed tail wheel will turn the plane when pulling equally on both mains. Stopping the plane has never been a problem in any event. To the OP, I have more fun plowing snow with my wheeler than anything else I do with it. They make excellent plow rigs. Way more fun than a snow blower.

BTW, for backing in I let out some winch line ( Blue Steel synthetic) and thread it under the tailwheel head and clip the hook back to the winch. it works perfectly.

 

[Henning]

I've used a rope with my Polaris wheeler quite a bit. I move the plane to plow the tie down and then pull the plane back in. Pulling forward is tougher than pulling back since a cock-eyed tail wheel will turn the plane when pulling equally on both mains. Stopping the plane has never been a problem in any event. To the OP, I have more fun plowing snow with my wheeler than anything else I do with it. They make excellent plow rigs. Way more fun than a snow blower.

BTW, for backing in I let out some winch line ( Blue Steel synthetic) and thread it under the tailwheel head and clip the hook back to the winch. it works perfectly.

I would use hollow braided polypropylene as the winch line, all of the aramid lines are super strong and low stretch. Anything hangs up and you have no time to stop the winch before you bend the plane.

 

[Stewartb]

No, towing with a stretchy line is asking for trouble since you can't control the recoil. I referred to letting out about 6' of winch line to loop under the tailwheel and attach back to the wheeler. Any wheeler with a plow will have a winch with synthetic line so it's convenient to do and works well. That's a pirep. It's time I have to go out and play on another of my wheelers. Cabin chores with the 6 wheeler. Fun stuff.