C-182 towplane

Good used Pawnee tugs are getting rare. Actually, very rare. What else is there that isn't 50+ years old?

There is a C-182 at Nephi hauling skydivers which has Wing-X wing-tip extensions which increase its load capacity, rate-of-climb and ceiling. It is said this also makes a C-182 into a good towplane for high density altitude operations. Another C-182 is being up-engined to a Lycoming IO-580 producing 315 HP. There is a C-182 STC for a Tost Hook available. Together these mods might make a decent "tow-anything" tug.

So what would all this cost?

A decent 1980 C-182Q is about $110,000 used. The IO-580 upgrade runs about $150,000 if one is able to re-use everything panel forward from the original Cont. O-470 installation - $180,000 if you can't. The Wing-X conversion runs about $11,000 installed. I'm guessing the Tost hook is about $5,000 intalled. Throw in another $30,000 for whatever is wrong with a 35 year-old airplane and one gets a decent tug for roughly $310,000 - $340,000. Ouch!

Alternatively, one might consider a brand new 260HP Embraer EMB 201R, a built-to-purpose glider tug made in Brazil. If one is worried about AVGAS availability, it can be ordered with a Lyc-540 engine that uses 100% ethanol. Indications are it costs about $270,000 FOB at the factory but shipping and import duties may push that to $300,000.

A new 200HP Husky sells for about $270,000 but its not that great with heavy gliders.

What do you suppose tows will cost?