On Sunday, March 23, 2014 2:31:52 AM UTC-7, wrote:
All this talk of horsepower ... I've never towed with anything other than a 150hp Super Cub and a 150hp Citabria and they got the job done from 1500' altitude fields off 2500' grass strips, even with two place glass. I've enjoyed being towed by Pawnees but as others have noted, the only real difference from the quiet end of the rope was the initial ground roll. More horses are nice but not really necessary at low altitude ... in fact they used to tow at one of my clubs with a Tiger Moth!


This thread is from 2007, so I suspect they made a decision . . . unless they're really slow.

Up high, Minden is at 4730' and high desert, there's no comparison. I own a 180 HP Husky with PowerFlow exhaust and cooling improvements. I've towed heavy two place glass and it's doable, just barely. And not at all kind to the Husky with CHTs over 400 F and climb sub 200 fpm. Pawnee, no problem.

Haven't towed near sea level, but of course have taken my Husky there - - totally different animal! The roughly 3% change in horsepower per thousand feet makes a remarkable difference when you're used to mostly flying mountains.

bumper