wrote in message . ..
Has a fixed-wing plane ever been made that could back up under its own
power?

I once watched a Bonanza back into it's hangar. The plane sure isn't
built for backing up, but the concrete ramp from the taxiway to the
hangar door was on a downhill incline, and the old rancher who owns
the plane has learned to pull off the taxiway and turn around in front
of his hangar with the nose pointing forwards uphill, then uses a
remote control opener to open his hangar door, and rolls backwards
from gravity into his hangar and closes the door once inside all
without leaving the aircraft. I wonder what his insurance agent thinks
about this practice?... sure could be a good way to prang a wingtip on
the way inside, or perhaps crunch the ruddervators into the back wall
of the hangar if he ever misjudges his clearance.