Tow hook for a Cesna 185?

Has anybody gotten an STC for a tow hook or have any experience putting a
tow hook on a 185?

--
Gary Boggs
3650 Airport Dr.
Hood River, Oregon, USA
97031-9613

Gary:

The FAA Advisory Circular on Aircraft Inspection and Repair
(EA-AC 43.13-1A&2, my copy is old, this may have been since
amended)has a section on the installation of towhooks. Chap
8 Glider aand Banner Tow-Hitch Installations (page 44-8 AC
43.13-2 chg 5 dtd 11/9/67) has a picture of a Schweizer
hook on a 180/185 stinger. I am not aware of an STC (may
well exist however) but with this drawing in the FAA's
official publication, it make make a 337 easier ...well
maybe possible.

If I were doing the installation, I would flip the hook
upside down per Jim Burch's 337 to insure better releases in
tension of the glider gets high on tow.

Pete Brown

Gary Boggs wrote:
Has anybody gotten an STC for a tow hook or have any experience putting a
tow hook on a 185?


--

Peter D. Brown
http://home.gci.net/~pdb/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/akmtnsoaring/

A local pilot has one on his C-180, but has thus far refused to consider
glider towing. It was used for banner towing in the past. It's possibly
original, optional equipment.

Frank Whiteley

"REMOVE TO REPLY.pdb" "REMOVE TO wrote in message
...
Gary:

The FAA Advisory Circular on Aircraft Inspection and Repair
(EA-AC 43.13-1A&2, my copy is old, this may have been since
amended)has a section on the installation of towhooks. Chap
8 Glider aand Banner Tow-Hitch Installations (page 44-8 AC
43.13-2 chg 5 dtd 11/9/67) has a picture of a Schweizer
hook on a 180/185 stinger. I am not aware of an STC (may
well exist however) but with this drawing in the FAA's
official publication, it make make a 337 easier ...well
maybe possible.

If I were doing the installation, I would flip the hook
upside down per Jim Burch's 337 to insure better releases in
tension of the glider gets high on tow.

Pete Brown

Gary Boggs wrote:
Has anybody gotten an STC for a tow hook or have any experience putting
a
tow hook on a 185?


--

Peter D. Brown
http://home.gci.net/~pdb/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/akmtnsoaring/

"Gary Boggs" wrote in message
...
Has anybody gotten an STC for a tow hook or have any experience putting a
tow hook on a 185?


You might get some info by looking at the following page on the SSA web site
for starters.
http://www.ssa.org/ListGovtNewsDetail.asp?Action=&id=35

Duane

An STC to install Tow Hook on Cessna 180 was donated to the SSA by
David Blanton Sr. the owner of Javelin Aircraft. The SSA sent me a
drawing showing how to fabricate and install a bracket and tow hook on
the tailwheel after I requested it by e-mail. Took about 10 days for
the SSA to reply but there was no charge. Wag-Aero sells Schweizer
hook, release and cable as a package cat. no. H-865-000 for $383.45.
As best I can tell you will have to fabricate mounting bracket
yourself out of 4130 0.10 plates. I am planning on doing all this on
my 180 as soon as more pressing maintenance issues are finished.

Investigated TOST hook and folks at TOST were very helpful sending
drawings of their E-85 series hooks. Mounting the TOST hooks to a 180
tailwheel bracket seems a little more complicated than Schweizer but
may be worth it for a very well-engineered release. Talking with the
old-timers at the Miami Glider Club, the opinion is that a Schweizer
hook installed "upside down" is dirt simple, easy to inspect and
should last for 10,000 tows. Haven't actually done anything yet except
research.

Charles Pate at Cessna Engineering pointed me to Cessna Documents that
tested towhooks on most of their aircraft (including 180 & 185).
Towhook was an option on nose-wheel 100 series Cessnas but not on
tailwheel. Likely to be some paperwork issues and will need a 337. It
has been done many times. The Advisory Circular referenced below helps
your IA build a case for field-approval. Will forward documents if you
need - just don't want to violate any copyright/ownership issues.


"REMOVE TO REPLY.pdb" "REMOVE TO wrote in message
...
Gary:

The FAA Advisory Circular on Aircraft Inspection and Repair
(EA-AC 43.13-1A&2, my copy is old, this may have been since
amended)has a section on the installation of towhooks. Chap
8 Glider aand Banner Tow-Hitch Installations (page 44-8 AC
43.13-2 chg 5 dtd 11/9/67) has a picture of a Schweizer
hook on a 180/185 stinger. I am not aware of an STC (may
well exist however) but with this drawing in the FAA's
official publication, it make make a 337 easier ...well
maybe possible.

If I were doing the installation, I would flip the hook
upside down per Jim Burch's 337 to insure better releases in
tension of the glider gets high on tow.

Pete Brown

Gary Boggs wrote:
Has anybody gotten an STC for a tow hook or have any experience putting
a
tow hook on a 185?


--

Peter D. Brown
http://home.gci.net/~pdb/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/akmtnsoaring/