On Wednesday, June 2, 2021 at 10:31:42 AM UTC-4, wrote:
FWIW
Parowan Ut tow pilot John Templeton owned a Maule. He didn't like it- he said it was difficult to land.
I took a BFR with him in that aircraft and he wouldn't let me even attempt to land it.
Nick
T
I have towed in a Pawnee, L-19, C-182 (straight tail) and a 235 HP Maule. All get the job done from a 2,000 ft grass strip. The Maule is NOT difficult to fly or land, and I have quite a few hours in IFR conditions in a 180 HP Maule. In my opinion it is not the best tow plane since it has relatively short wings, and is close coupled in all directions. Performance is more than adequate, but pilot work load is higher than the other tow planes.

The Pawnee (PA-25 235 and 260 HP) is an ideal tow plane. It is EASY to fly and has great performance. Availability and TP training are the biggest issues. The L-19 is my all-time favorite to fly. It is a joy in the air, and we use it to train new TPs. Cost, parts availability and age are the big issues along with limited performance in hot weather (90+ F) from a short grass strip.

Tow aircraft are going to be a real issue in the years to come!

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