Decathlon for towplane??

[Deputy Dog]

Anyone out there have any experience with using a Decathlon for a tug?

I have towed with Citabria 7GCBC and wonder how it would compare since
it has symetrical (sp?) airfoil vs. the flat bottom of the Citabria.

Got a buddy considering both.

-Deputy Dog

[SNOOP]

Having also towed with the 150 hp Citabria, and having flown the 180
hp Decatholon, I would think the Decathalon would make a good towplane
for a small club. The only pitfalls I could see might be the extra
maintenance of the constant speed prop. It would be best as a one
pilot towplane. A large organization would tear it up.

Otherwise the it's a simple, well constructed airframe, easy to fly,
and when you can't soar you could go out and fly around upside down.

Have fun!
(Deputy Dog) wrote in message >...
> Anyone out there have any experience with using a Decathlon for a tug?
>
> I have towed with Citabria 7GCBC and wonder how it would compare since
> it has symetrical (sp?) airfoil vs. the flat bottom of the Citabria.
>
> Got a buddy considering both.
>
> -Deputy Dog

[Chris Rollings]

We towed with a 150 hp Citabria quite a lot back in
the 70's - acceptable, but didn't perform as well as
a 150 hp Super Cub.

I would expect a 180 hp Decathlon to be similarly worse
than a 180 hp Super Cub. The constant speed prop would
help a bit, but might make noise a serious issue if
you are operation in an area where that matters.

At 16:24 22 February 2004, Snoop wrote:
>Having also towed with the 150 hp Citabria, and having
>flown the 180
>hp Decatholon, I would think the Decathalon would make
>a good towplane
>for a small club. The only pitfalls I could see might
>be the extra
>maintenance of the constant speed prop. It would be
>best as a one
>pilot towplane. A large organization would tear it
>up.
>
> Otherwise the it's a simple, well constructed airframe,
>easy to fly,
>and when you can't soar you could go out and fly around
>upside down.
>
>Have fun!
(Deputy Dog) wrote in message news:...
>> Anyone out there have any experience with using a
>>Decathlon for a tug?
>>
>> I have towed with Citabria 7GCBC and wonder how it
>>would compare since
>> it has symetrical (sp?) airfoil vs. the flat bottom
>>of the Citabria.
>>
>> Got a buddy considering both.
>>
>> -Deputy Dog
>

[MikeYankee]

Decathlons have less span than Citabrias and a symmetrical airfoil. They would
probably tow OK but not will not climb as well as either a Citabria, PA-18,
Husky, etc. with the same power.


Mike Yankee

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