Working on the ideal single engine tug!

"PixieAviatrix" wrote

TugMan wrote:
Alright all you pilots, linemen and pseudo-engineers...I am in the
process of designing the perfect single engine aircraft tug!

Powerplant should be the cheap 4 cycle weedeater engine, like the ones Ryobi
makes. Attach on axle ends, with a pneumatic wheel (wheelbarrow size) gear
and chain driven that is forced to the pavement or grass by lever action of
the steering arm pressing it into the ground. It should be steerable by a
crank on the end of the handle turning a worm gear to pivot the driving
wheel, all the way around in a 360 degree circle, which will also give you
the forward or reverse function. Centrifugal clutch, with disk brake
holding it still while throttle lever is at idle, with the addition of a
parking brake lever to facilitate starting the engine. All up weight should
be no more than 40 pounds. Cost no more than 450 dollars. Foldable to no
more than 36 inches long.
--
Jim in NC

On Fri, 02 Jun 2006 07:56:05 -0500, Ross Richardson
wrote:
It has one, but I never set it up that way. Makes it easier???

I have seen cars and trucks pushing boat trailers that way because they
couldn't back them up. I never had to do that. So, I thought I could
succeed by backing up. It just didn't work that way. I'll try it next time.

With a free castering nosewheel, I believe it is even more difficult
to back it up than a stearable nosewheel... I use an ATV as a tug and
have hitches on the front and the rear... Most of the moves are just
in and out of the hangar, so I use the front hitch, but if I'm taking
it down to the mechanic or the wash rack, I use the rear hitch
(assuming I'm not going to need to back it into some place later)...
Care must be taken to ensure that you do not tow the aircraft too fast
with such a light vehicle or you will experience a case of the tail
wagging the dog... I've had it happen once and it was a a very
adrenaline inducing experience at the time...

"Grumman-581" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 02 Jun 2006 07:56:05 -0500, Ross Richardson
wrote:
Care must be taken to ensure that you do not tow the aircraft too fast
with such a light vehicle or you will experience a case of the tail
wagging the dog... I've had it happen once and it was a a very
adrenaline inducing experience at the time...

tell us more, we'd love to hear about the pilotless airborne airplane
pushing a panicked purveyor of an ATV

On Thu, 8 Jun 2006 15:04:34 -0500, "Tater Schuld"
wrote:


"Grumman-581" wrote in message
.. .
On Fri, 02 Jun 2006 07:56:05 -0500, Ross Richardson
wrote:
Care must be taken to ensure that you do not tow the aircraft too fast
with such a light vehicle or you will experience a case of the tail
wagging the dog... I've had it happen once and it was a a very
adrenaline inducing experience at the time...

tell us more, we'd love to hear about the pilotless airborne airplane
pushing a panicked purveyor of an ATV


How about alleged technician in a hurry to drag a 185 on amphib floats
up to the pumps using only the docking ropes and having the airplane
in question chasing him down a slight (but in hindsight seriously
rectum-clenching) decline in the taxiway/ramp?

TC