Moving a glider with a U-Haul Truck

[[email protected]]

Does anybody have any experience moving a Standard/15m class sailplane
with a U-Haul truck or similar?

I see this as an option for self-retrieving from a *long* straight out
XC flight -- no-crew and no returning home to get your trailer (and
then back to the glider and back home -- makes me tired just talking
about it...)

I'm thinking you could do this with a bare, box truck (say a 26' long
U-Haul) with ONLY ratchet tie-down straps and some pads (i.e., stuff
available anywhere). This includes the fueslage and wings. With a
loading ramp I figure you could do it with one helper.

Has anyone tried this?

Eric
ER

[Steve Leonard[_2_]]

Dave Noyes did it with a Ventus CM, I believe. There was an article about
it in SOARING. Even had pictures of the glider in the trailer. Wing tips
stuck up into the overhead area, often refered to on the side of the truck
as "Mom's Attic".

It can be done, but I understand one way rental and drop-off charges can
be rather high. Best is with a crew and share the adventure. Return the
favor, and have a blast doing it.

Steve

[Pete Startup[_2_]]

Dave Noyes did it with a Ventus CM, I believe.

WHY? - the clues in the name.

[[email protected]]

On Feb 7, 6:27*pm, wrote:
> Does anybody have any experience moving a Standard/15m class sailplane
> with a U-Haul truck or similar?
>
> I see this as an option for self-retrieving from a *long* straight out
> XC flight -- no-crew and no returning home to get your trailer (and
> then back to the glider and back home -- makes me tired just talking
> about it...)
>
> I'm thinking you could do this with a bare, box truck (say a 26' long
> U-Haul) with ONLY ratchet tie-down straps and some pads (i.e., stuff
> available anywhere). *This includes the fueslage and wings. *With a
> loading ramp I figure you could do it with one helper.
>
> Has anyone tried this?
>
> Eric
> ER

It may be possibel to do it but one would need a lot of cushioning
material. Keep in mind that a 26' U-Haul truck is meant to haul a few
tons of cargo and therefore has a suspension that is designed
accordingly. Putting a few hundred pounds worth of glider in the back
will not even deflect the springs resulting in a very rough ride.
Soaring is supposed to be a team sport where you retrieve your buddies
and they will return the favor and get you. It is part of the fun!
Uli Neumann

[BT]

I remember reading about a cross country trip that started some where in the
Central US.. Ohio?
and ended on the Eastern Massachusetts coast..

That would be a long way to motor back west bound.
And a long way to go west, retrieve the trailer and drive east and west
again.

BT

"Pete Startup" > wrote in message
...
> Dave Noyes did it with a Ventus CM, I believe.
>
> WHY? - the clues in the name.

[Eric Greenwell]

wrote:
> Does anybody have any experience moving a Standard/15m class sailplane
> with a U-Haul truck or similar?
>
> I see this as an option for self-retrieving from a *long* straight out
> XC flight -- no-crew and no returning home to get your trailer (and
> then back to the glider and back home -- makes me tired just talking
> about it...)
>
> I'm thinking you could do this with a bare, box truck (say a 26' long
> U-Haul) with ONLY ratchet tie-down straps and some pads (i.e., stuff
> available anywhere). This includes the fueslage and wings. With a
> loading ramp I figure you could do it with one helper.

What kind of flight are you considering, and from where to where?


--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
* Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

* Updated! "Transponders in Sailplanes" http://tinyurl.com/y739x4
* New Jan '08 - sections on Mode S, TPAS, ADS-B, Flarm, more

* "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" at www.motorglider.org

[Steve Leonard[_2_]]

At 20:05 08 February 2009, BT wrote:
>I remember reading about a cross country trip that started >some where in
the Central US.. Ohio?
>and ended on the Eastern Massachusetts coast..
>
>That would be a long way to motor back west bound.
>And a long way to go west, retrieve the trailer and drive east >and west
again.
>
>BT

David Noyes, Ventus CM. Takeoff: Marion, Ohio. Official start: Galion,
Ohio. Landing: Plymouth, Massachusetts. Written up in the January 1995
issue of SOARING. Aritcle titled "Straight out to Cape Cod".

One simple quote from the article about trucking back. "If you're evr
tempted to duplicate this trick, rent at least three dozen pads and have
lots of rope." There is one picture of the plane loaded in the trailer.

I know someone that made his straight out flight, secured the plane,
hopped on Greyhound to get home, then drove down with the trailer to get
his ship back. Now that I think of it, I know of at least two people that
have done that. It is much simpler to have a crew.

Steve

[[email protected]]

Eric Greenwell wrote...

> What kind of flight are you considering, and from where to where?

Hollister (San Francisco Bay Area) to Phoenix or Tucson would be a
fine flight. Maybe even on to Texas, glider port to glider port in a
few to several hops. My DG-300 seems to think it's doable...

I've been fortunate to have a crew for some of my straight-outs. But
sometimes the weather gods say you've got to go NOW and that can it
hard to pull the team together.

Eric

[Jim Beckman[_2_]]

At 22:15 08 February 2009, Steve Leonard wrote:

>I know someone that made his straight out flight, secured the plane,
>hopped on Greyhound to get home, then drove down with the trailer to get
>his ship back. Now that I think of it, I know of at least two people
that
>have done that. It is much simpler to have a crew.

And if you're such a social misfit that you can't get anybody to crew
for you, just *hire* somebody to drive the trailer rig. Gotta be cheaper
than the U-Haul idea. And takes a lot less time.

Jim Beckman

[[email protected]]

On Feb 7, 6:27*pm, wrote:
> Does anybody have any experience moving a Standard/15m class sailplane
> with a U-Haul truck or similar?
>
> I see this as an option for self-retrieving from a *long* straight out
> XC flight -- no-crew and no returning home to get your trailer (and
> then back to the glider and back home -- makes me tired just talking
> about it...)
>
> I'm thinking you could do this with a bare, box truck (say a 26' long
> U-Haul) with ONLY ratchet tie-down straps and some pads (i.e., stuff
> available anywhere). *This includes the fueslage and wings. *With a
> loading ramp I figure you could do it with one helper.
>
> Has anyone tried this?
>
> Eric
> ER

The hours you save on the retreive will likely be exceeded by the hour
needed to fix the damage you will likely do to the glider.
Find a friend.
Good luck and don't let this keep you from trying that great flight.
UH

[haven]

On Feb 9, 6:50*am, wrote:
> On Feb 7, 6:27*pm, wrote:
>
>
>
> > Does anybody have any experience moving a Standard/15m class sailplane
> > with a U-Haul truck or similar?
>
> > I see this as an option for self-retrieving from a *long* straight out
> > XC flight -- no-crew and no returning home to get your trailer (and
> > then back to the glider and back home -- makes me tired just talking
> > about it...)
>
> > I'm thinking you could do this with a bare, box truck (say a 26' long
> > U-Haul) with ONLY ratchet tie-down straps and some pads (i.e., stuff
> > available anywhere). *This includes the fueslage and wings. *With a
> > loading ramp I figure you could do it with one helper.
>
> > Has anyone tried this?
>
> > Eric
> > ER
>
> The hours you save on the retreive will likely be exceeded by the hour
> needed to fix the damage you will likely do to the glider.
> Find a friend.
> Good luck and don't let this keep you from trying that great flight.
> UH

Eric, I'll come get you with your vehicle and trailer. I need a "road
trip" once in a while! Haven

[Free Flight 107]

I too love "Road Trips", I've crewed for Doug 'Hangman' Levy many
times up to 300 miles across NV & CA, been flying 1-26's for over 10
years.

I also have a "Trailer Ball" and 4 Runner available for trailer pickup
and delivery any time.

Give me a hollar if you want a crew, I'm always available if I'm not
flying the 1-26 or Libelle.

I know how hard it is to get regular crew, esp on weekdays, and have
thought of the following scheme;

1. Don't worry about going straight out if the conditions warrent it.
2. Even if you land in a Hay Field you should be able to Hitch Hike to
a small town with Greyhound service. (Hanglider pilots use this
often.)
3. If you land at a regular airport rental cars are usually available,
or maybe even a short haul airline to get you back to your trailer and
truck.
4. In addition to this thought line, several of us have made an
informal pact that if one lands out, then one of the pilots that
landed back at the airport will drive the others truck & trailer to
retrieve.

So far I've used #1 & #4 with great success. This of course depends on
good comms between the pilots during the day.

Contact me at wayne at walker.org or cell 619 888 6119.

I'm always up for an adventure,

Wayne "FreeFlight107"