How to hang a glider from the ceiling of a hangar

And for God's Sake, please understand the difference between a Winch and a Hoist.

https://www.gregsmithequipment.com/W...ch-And-A-Hoist

https://www.grainger.com/content/sup...h-one-does-job

https://lug-all.com/blogs/blog/winch...ble-as-a-hoist

There are lots more, if you like. But, these should be enough to keep you from buying a winch to do a hoist's job.

Steve Leonard

I regularly suspend my Pegasus from the main support structure in the hangar, utilizing a hoist from Harbor Freight (1,500 lb. capacity). The hoist is higher capacity than needed, as I prefer a substantial safety margin. A trolley on a 5 inch "H" beam allows the hoist to travel 25 feet, making it handy for many other uses besides just raising a glider. The hoist cable attaches to a "Strongback" with an adjustable CG screw. The strongback is "T" shaped, with one 2" webbing strap in a "U" under the cockpit, forward of the landing gear. The rear strap loops once around the fuselage to prevent rotation (side to side tilt). Two PVC pipe stands attach to the wingtips to hold the glider level when the wing wheel is removed for hoisting. The tail dolly is also removed. The glider is suspended in a slightly tail down position after I learned that if the main wheel touches the floor first when lowering, the tail slams down rather hard. The CG is adjusted with the Acme thread screw to a position that holds the main wheel a few inches higher than the tail wheel. After seven years of flawless operation (and regular cable inspections) I discovered some minor "birdcaging" of the cable, along with some broken strands. Not willing to rely on cheap cable for replacement, and dissatisfied with the flexibility and specifications of other cables, I went with a 1/4 Dyneema cord with a 10,000 lb. rating. It winds on to the hoist drum neatly and exhibits less tendency to twist and stack unevenly. All in all, I am pleased with the hoist system. It makes the hangar much more spacious for other temporary projects or to allow a guest aircraft from time to time.

Thank you all for the responses. Mark, would you be able to send a picture via PM when you have a chance. Thanks!

On Wednesday, June 12, 2019 at 2:13:43 PM UTC-6, Chris wrote:
Thank you all for the responses. Mark, would you be able to send a picture via PM when you have a chance. Thanks!

Easiest is to send me a phone number thru my email (on website mmfabrication dot com) and I can text some shots to you.