Powered Towbar?

[ANCinsomniAK]

Hi...the P337 I bought last summer is a little too beefy for one guy to push around on Alaska's slick ramps. Anyone have suggestions about good powered towbars. The WingWalker towbar from South Africa looks pretty good.

Anyone have experience with this you'd like to share?

[kevin]

I've had very good luck with PowerTow EZ-40.

Kevin

[Eustacio-Chachi]

Try a used Lawn Mower tractor

[big al 08]

becareful with more powerful tows, aka laun tractors, you tend to oversteer and break a lot of crap in the nose stering

[Kevin McDonnell]

I'll second the recommendation for the PowerTow EZ40. They've even got optional snow chains for it.

http://www.powertow.com/40ez1.html

I got the optional electric starter and headlight. That might come in handy on those long dark Alaskan winter nights.

I don't think the WingWalker is even powered. I think it's simply a geared crank system. I think your arm would get tired if you had to move the aircraft any distance at all. The nice thing is that you can take it with you in the plane. That wouldn't be practical with an EZ40.

http://www.wingwalker.co.za/wingwalker.htm

[FRED-E]

I use an electric golf cart, have been using them for about 6 years, I have moved everything from Cessna 150 to a Cessna Citation (on level ground). I have been moving my 337B & my brother's Aero Commander for the past 6 years (up grade & down grade, sometimes someone has to stand on the back for extra weight when going up grade to keep the wheels from spinning) but it works great and you can use it for a lot of other things (golf LOL) I purchased another one last year for $ 1,200, 36 volts, in very good condition. I made a small plate to extend the hole on the front axel to recieve the tow bar. Like big al said you must be careful about over stearing, but you will get used to that.
Fred N358

[Jerry De Santis]

Chachi, lawn tractors do not work well on snow. I have 18 HP tractor with chains on the wheels and still have a problem getting the plane in the hangar with snow and ice on the ground.

If one does not want to invest in a motorized tow bar, which can still be somewhat of a hassle to use on snow, I suggest an electric winch be installed and fixed in the hangar with a long enough cable and control line so that it will drag the plane into the hanger. Simply attach a second cable to the main landing gear. The second cable should have a wide hook type clamp on each end to put on each leg of the main langing gear. The drag cable will hook on to the second cable so as to have a single drag line. I've seen it done and works rather well. Of course, you need a tow bar to steer the plane into place.

[Frank Benvin]

Both our skymasters are hangared. We built ramps that slope about 4" from back to front. We remove the chocks and the plane rolls out by itself.We use a 110 volt geared motor to winch it back in. On the second we use a 12 volt boat winch .

Works great

Frank

[hharney]

Always take your wife flying with you,
She can help you push the plane back in
and keep you out of a lot of trouble

Good Therapy too

[ANCinsomniAK]

You must have a great wife.

Thanks, guys for all the suggestions.

I wonder if a guy's wife didn't want to help, but he found a beefy sorta girlfriend....

[Pat Rolfes]

Very timely discussion. I have a 2 wheeled electric tow that has plenty of power but is useless on snow or ice (which we have had for 1 month straight). The incline to the hanger makes it impossible to muscle into the hanger. I have had to call airport operations or friends to help.

Jerry and Frank- the winch sounds like a perfect solution but I'm having trouble picturing a safe (to the airframe) set up. Would you pls expound on how to attach to the aircraft?

Thanks

[WebMaster]

OH YEAH, PICTURES ARE NEEDED HERE. ANYONE GOT ANY??

[Frank Benvin]

I have two hooks that go around the gear legs down by the brakes attached by one rope . The second rope is attached to the first using a metal ring for the bridel. Then I go thru a pulley which is at floor level just behind the tail at center line. Then up to my winch. I will try and take some pictures. (Any one want to by me a digital camera for X-mass. Let me know and I'll send you my address) If not I will borrow my sisters

Frank

[KyleTownsend]

I strongly recommend the Snapper model 5HP

[Jerry De Santis]

Pat, Frank described it the same way I would except the winch is positioned low on the floor and attached to both the floor and a center vertical support of the hangar. You should install a stop ball or other object in the single line as a safety stop so if the rewind or pull switch gets stuck, the ball will jam the face of the winch so as not to continue to pull on the plane. Attaching the second line with hooks or clamps on each end to the main landing gear is the strongest place to pull the plane from. The winch line is hooked onto the the center of the line that is attached to the landing gear, forming sort of a Y with the cables. Make sure you have a long enough electrical control line so when you steer the plane in the hanger with the tow bar you can hold your finger on the IN button. When the plane is in place, stop depressing the IN button, loosen the tension on the pull line and detach from the plane.

Cheers
Jerry