Golf Cart Tugs

[Ashton]

Does anyone have any experience towing their airplane with a golf cart? I'm
thinking about mounting a ball on the front of a golf cart to move my
Bonanza in and out of the hangar.

Many thanks.

Ashton

[Tom S.]

"Ashton" > wrote in message
news:b3LSc.28147$ih.11225@fed1read07...
> Does anyone have any experience towing their airplane with a golf cart?
I'm
> thinking about mounting a ball on the front of a golf cart to move my
> Bonanza in and out of the hangar.
>
I doubt a golf cart has enough power (400 lbs of people and 70 lbs of golf
clubs and 6 gallons of beer is their limit), unless the ground is level of
downhill out of the hanger.

Better would be a yard tractor.

[Ron Natalie]

"Tom S." > wrote in message ...
..
>
> Better would be a yard tractor.
>
Yep, my mechanic uses some cheesy little riding lawn mower as a tug. Works pretty well
(better than it does at mowing the grass).

[Kevin]

Tom S. wrote:
> "Ashton" > wrote in message
> news:b3LSc.28147$ih.11225@fed1read07...
>
>>Does anyone have any experience towing their airplane with a golf cart?
>
> I'm
>
>>thinking about mounting a ball on the front of a golf cart to move my
>>Bonanza in and out of the hangar.
>>
>
> I doubt a golf cart has enough power (400 lbs of people and 70 lbs of golf
> clubs and 6 gallons of beer is their limit), unless the ground is level of
> downhill out of the hanger.
>
> Better would be a yard tractor.
>
>
>
Or a 4WD ATV.

[Dave S]

An electric golf cart will work acceptably. I worked the weekend desk at
a small flight school last summer that used one as a tug in the manner
you describe, and we would routinely move our fleet of 6 planes using it
(shuffling in /out of the hangar... pulling to/from the fuel pumps
because the truck had a surcharge.. etc)

The golf cart has been used in this manner for a few years and is doing
ok. This was a 2 seater with a small "bed/deck" on the back replacing
the golf club rack.

All the caveats about nose gear travel limits apply.. dont overdo it.
Dave

Tom S. wrote:
> "Ashton" > wrote in message
> news:b3LSc.28147$ih.11225@fed1read07...
>
>>Does anyone have any experience towing their airplane with a golf cart?
>
> I'm
>
>>thinking about mounting a ball on the front of a golf cart to move my
>>Bonanza in and out of the hangar.
>>
>
> I doubt a golf cart has enough power (400 lbs of people and 70 lbs of golf
> clubs and 6 gallons of beer is their limit), unless the ground is level of
> downhill out of the hanger.
>
> Better would be a yard tractor.
>
>
>

[Newps]

Tom S. wrote:
> "Ashton" > wrote in message
> news:b3LSc.28147$ih.11225@fed1read07...
>
>>Does anyone have any experience towing their airplane with a golf cart?
>
> I'm
>
>>thinking about mounting a ball on the front of a golf cart to move my
>>Bonanza in and out of the hangar.
>>
>
> I doubt a golf cart has enough power (400 lbs of people and 70 lbs of golf
> clubs and 6 gallons of beer is their limit),

That's the limit as to what it can carry. An electric golf cart will
have no problem moving a fully loaded Bonanza.

[Vaughn]

"Ashton" > wrote in message
news:b3LSc.28147$ih.11225@fed1read07...
> Does anyone have any experience towing their airplane with a golf cart? I'm
> thinking about mounting a ball on the front of a golf cart to move my
> Bonanza in and out of the hangar.

Never tried it with a Bonanza, but I have towed gliders over miles of rough
grass runways with both gas and electric golf carts, often at the same time the
cart is packed with pax. No problem.

Vaughn

[Tom S.]

"Kevin" > wrote in message
news:XdRSc.293427$Oq2.40045@attbi_s52...
> Tom S. wrote:
> > "Ashton" > wrote in message
> > news:b3LSc.28147$ih.11225@fed1read07...
> >
> >>Does anyone have any experience towing their airplane with a golf cart?
> >
> > I'm
> >
> >>thinking about mounting a ball on the front of a golf cart to move my
> >>Bonanza in and out of the hangar.
> >>
> >
> > I doubt a golf cart has enough power (400 lbs of people and 70 lbs of
golf
> > clubs and 6 gallons of beer is their limit), unless the ground is level
of
> > downhill out of the hanger.
> >
> > Better would be a yard tractor.
> >
> >
> >
> Or a 4WD ATV.
>
I've seen some "retired" lawn tractors used after they have the blades
removed. You can pick 'em up for next to nothing. I would think (based on my
kids "experience") that they tend to accelerate too fast.

Some are suggesting electric golf carts, but I've never had one that could
carry my partner and I (he's 225, I've 205), our two sets up clubs (neither
of us carry one of those wimpy carry bags) and our beer efficiently. Well,
hell...maybe it's the beer we lug around?

[Tom S.]

"Aaron Coolidge" > wrote in message
...
> Tom S. > wrote:
> : "Ashton" > wrote in message
> : news:b3LSc.28147$ih.11225@fed1read07...
> :> Does anyone have any experience towing their airplane with a golf cart?
> : I'm
> :> thinking about mounting a ball on the front of a golf cart to move my
> :> Bonanza in and out of the hangar.
> :>
> : I doubt a golf cart has enough power (400 lbs of people and 70 lbs of
golf
> : clubs and 6 gallons of beer is their limit), unless the ground is level
of
> : downhill out of the hanger.
>
> : Better would be a yard tractor.
>
> The FBO at my home field uses an electric golf cart to move their rental
> aircraft and some other aircraft around. It moves an Aztec with no
> difficulties, even loaded with 120+ gallons of fuel. Do watch the turn
> limits on the nose gear; they damaged their Dutchess with uncareful
> handling this way.

Would it work on a Citation CJ or a JetProp?

[Tom S.]

"Dave S" > wrote in message
ink.net...
> An electric golf cart will work acceptably. I worked the weekend desk at
> a small flight school last summer that used one as a tug in the manner
> you describe, and we would routinely move our fleet of 6 planes using it
> (shuffling in /out of the hangar... pulling to/from the fuel pumps
> because the truck had a surcharge.. etc)
>
> The golf cart has been used in this manner for a few years and is doing
> ok. This was a 2 seater with a small "bed/deck" on the back replacing
> the golf club rack.
>
> All the caveats about nose gear travel limits apply.. dont overdo it.
> Dave
>
> Tom S. wrote:

Hmmm....why do they always die on the 15th hole for me?

[Russell Kent]

"Tom S." > wrote:
> Some are suggesting electric golf carts, but I've never had one that could
> carry my partner and I (he's 225, I've 205), our two sets up clubs
(neither
> of us carry one of those wimpy carry bags) and our beer efficiently. Well,
> hell...maybe it's the beer we lug around?

Well if you two could agree on brand you could eliminate one of the kegs...

Russell Kent

[Dave S]

Tom S. wrote:
> "Dave S" > wrote in message
> ink.net...
>
>>An electric golf cart will work acceptably. I worked the weekend desk at
>>a small flight school last summer that used one as a tug in the manner
>>you describe, and we would routinely move our fleet of 6 planes using it
>>(shuffling in /out of the hangar... pulling to/from the fuel pumps
>>because the truck had a surcharge.. etc)
>>
>>The golf cart has been used in this manner for a few years and is doing
>>ok. This was a 2 seater with a small "bed/deck" on the back replacing
>>the golf club rack.
>>
>>All the caveats about nose gear travel limits apply.. dont overdo it.
>>Dave
>>
>>Tom S. wrote:
>
>
> Hmmm....why do they always die on the 15th hole for me?
>
>
>
Because you drive back to reload the beer cooler after every hole?

<grin>
Dave

[Tom S.]

"Russell Kent" > wrote in message
...
> "Tom S." > wrote:
> > Some are suggesting electric golf carts, but I've never had one that
could
> > carry my partner and I (he's 225, I've 205), our two sets up clubs
> (neither
> > of us carry one of those wimpy carry bags) and our beer efficiently.
Well,
> > hell...maybe it's the beer we lug around?
>
> Well if you two could agree on brand you could eliminate one of the
kegs...
>
That and "why do we each need to bring six dozen golf balls?".

[Aaron Coolidge]

Tom S. > wrote:
:> I wrote:
:> The FBO at my home field uses an electric golf cart to move their rental
:> aircraft and some other aircraft around. It moves an Aztec with no
:> difficulties, even loaded with 120+ gallons of fuel. Do watch the turn
:> limits on the nose gear; they damaged their Dutchess with uncareful
:> handling this way.

: Would it work on a Citation CJ or a JetProp?

I'll ask the guy with the Citation IISP next time I see him. A Jetprop is
similar in gross wt to an Aztec, so it should be OK with that.
--
Aaron Coolidge (N9376J)

[Tom S.]

"Aaron Coolidge" > wrote in message
...
> Tom S. > wrote:
> :> I wrote:
> :> The FBO at my home field uses an electric golf cart to move their
rental
> :> aircraft and some other aircraft around. It moves an Aztec with no
> :> difficulties, even loaded with 120+ gallons of fuel. Do watch the turn
> :> limits on the nose gear; they damaged their Dutchess with uncareful
> :> handling this way.
>
> : Would it work on a Citation CJ or a JetProp?
>
> I'll ask the guy with the Citation IISP next time I see him. A Jetprop is
> similar in gross wt to an Aztec, so it should be OK with that.

Um...I don't think so. Ours has a MTOW of 11,200 lbs. Are you thinking of a
Malibu?

[Vaughn Wilson]

I am using a Jacobson lawn tractor with a 17 horse engine to move my J35
Bonanza with a two inch rise in the hanger floor.

[Aaron Coolidge]

Tom S. > wrote:

: Um...I don't think so. Ours has a MTOW of 11,200 lbs. Are you thinking of a
: Malibu?

I was thinking of a JetProp DLX conversion of a Malibu.
--
Aaron Coolidge

[Tom S.]

"Vaughn Wilson" > wrote in message
...
> I am using a Jacobson lawn tractor with a 17 horse engine to move my J35
> Bonanza with a two inch rise in the hanger floor.
>
And when you're done, you can mow the taxi way infield.:~)

[Tom S.]

"Aaron Coolidge" > wrote in message
...
> Tom S. > wrote:
>
> : Um...I don't think so. Ours has a MTOW of 11,200 lbs. Are you thinking
of a
> : Malibu?
>
> I was thinking of a JetProp DLX conversion of a Malibu.

That's the Meridian, isn't it? What's the Ramp Weight on that one? The
Rockwell series was called "JetProp" way back in the 70's and then Piper
"plagiarized" the name :~)

[N. Shane]

I live at Pecan Plantation, in Texas. We use both planes & carts for
transportation.

No one here, among eight households, uses a cart to tow.

I did try it once with my aging gas-driven cart, scared the bejesus
out of myself: it had the power, but not the finesse, needed to slowly
inch backward, up my ramp and into the hangar.

Ever cheap-minded, I've been pulling it in with a retired
hydrostatic-drive lawn tractor, sans mowing deck. But, it is a
space-hog.

Everyone else suffers the eleventy-hundred dollar price of one of
those lil' two-wheel tugs that leaves marks all over the ramp and
painted floor.





On Thu, 12 Aug 2004 07:05:11 -0700, "Ashton" >
wrote:

>Does anyone have any experience towing their airplane with a golf cart? I'm
>thinking about mounting a ball on the front of a golf cart to move my
>Bonanza in and out of the hangar.
>
>Many thanks.
>
>Ashton
>

[N. Shane]

I live at Pecan Plantation, in Texas. We use both planes & carts for
transportation.

No one here, among eight households, uses a cart to tow.

I did try it once with my aging gas-driven cart, scared the bejesus
out of myself: it had the power, but not the finesse, needed to slowly
inch backward, up my ramp and into the hangar.

Ever cheap-minded, I've been pulling it in with a retired
hydrostatic-drive lawn tractor, sans mowing deck. But, it is a
space-hog.

Everyone else suffers the eleventy-hundred dollar price of one of
those lil' two-wheel tugs that leaves marks all over the ramp and
painted floor.





On Thu, 12 Aug 2004 07:05:11 -0700, "Ashton" >
wrote:

>Does anyone have any experience towing their airplane with a golf cart? I'm
>thinking about mounting a ball on the front of a golf cart to move my
>Bonanza in and out of the hangar.
>
>Many thanks.
>
>Ashton
>