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Tow plane ideas



 
 
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  #21  
Old June 1st 21, 12:35 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Glenn Betzoldt[_2_]
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Default Tow plane ideas

On Sunday, May 30, 2021 at 11:15:08 AM UTC-4, wrote:
Hi all, These are great ideas and I will be discussing them with the board and membership of the club . If there are more ideas, please keep them coming!

What do you think about this? Our club is selling one of our winches, we have two. Our TOST double winch is for sale. It's on a International truck flat bed so it can be driven to location's on the airport.
  #22  
Old June 2nd 21, 04:03 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
son_of_flubber
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Posts: 1,550
Default Tow plane ideas

On Tuesday, June 1, 2021 at 7:35:52 AM UTC-4, Glenn Betzoldt wrote:
Our club is selling one of our winches, we have two. Our TOST double winch is for sale. It's on a International truck flat bed so it can be driven to location's on the airport.


Three cheers for this idea!
  #23  
Old June 2nd 21, 03:31 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Nicholas Kennedy
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Posts: 78
Default Tow plane ideas

FWIW
Parowan Ut tow pilot John Templeton owned a Maule. He didn't like it- he said it was difficult to land.
I took a BFR with him in that aircraft and he wouldn't let me even attempt to land it.
Nick
T
  #24  
Old June 2nd 21, 04:01 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Tony[_7_]
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Default Tow plane ideas

On Wednesday, June 2, 2021 at 10:31:42 AM UTC-4, wrote:
FWIW
Parowan Ut tow pilot John Templeton owned a Maule. He didn't like it- he said it was difficult to land.
I took a BFR with him in that aircraft and he wouldn't let me even attempt to land it.
Nick
T

Interesting BFR concept.

Anyway, I haven't seen the Cherokees mentioned. Hollister has been using 235hp for some time and a 180hp was used successfully by a club in Puerto Rico years ago.
  #25  
Old June 2nd 21, 06:39 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Joseph Guimond Jr
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Default Tow plane ideas

On Wednesday, June 2, 2021 at 10:31:42 AM UTC-4, wrote:
FWIW
Parowan Ut tow pilot John Templeton owned a Maule. He didn't like it- he said it was difficult to land.
I took a BFR with him in that aircraft and he wouldn't let me even attempt to land it.
Nick
T

I have towed in a Pawnee, L-19, C-182 (straight tail) and a 235 HP Maule. All get the job done from a 2,000 ft grass strip. The Maule is NOT difficult to fly or land, and I have quite a few hours in IFR conditions in a 180 HP Maule. In my opinion it is not the best tow plane since it has relatively short wings, and is close coupled in all directions. Performance is more than adequate, but pilot work load is higher than the other tow planes.

The Pawnee (PA-25 235 and 260 HP) is an ideal tow plane. It is EASY to fly and has great performance. Availability and TP training are the biggest issues. The L-19 is my all-time favorite to fly. It is a joy in the air, and we use it to train new TPs. Cost, parts availability and age are the big issues along with limited performance in hot weather (90+ F) from a short grass strip.

Tow aircraft are going to be a real issue in the years to come!

Skip
  #26  
Old June 3rd 21, 01:26 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
[email protected]
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Posts: 281
Default Tow plane ideas

On Wednesday, June 2, 2021 at 1:40:00 PM UTC-4, wrote:
On Wednesday, June 2, 2021 at 10:31:42 AM UTC-4, wrote:
FWIW
Parowan Ut tow pilot John Templeton owned a Maule. He didn't like it- he said it was difficult to land.
I took a BFR with him in that aircraft and he wouldn't let me even attempt to land it.
Nick
T

I have towed in a Pawnee, L-19, C-182 (straight tail) and a 235 HP Maule. All get the job done from a 2,000 ft grass strip. The Maule is NOT difficult to fly or land, and I have quite a few hours in IFR conditions in a 180 HP Maule. In my opinion it is not the best tow plane since it has relatively short wings, and is close coupled in all directions. Performance is more than adequate, but pilot work load is higher than the other tow planes.

The Pawnee (PA-25 235 and 260 HP) is an ideal tow plane. It is EASY to fly and has great performance. Availability and TP training are the biggest issues. The L-19 is my all-time favorite to fly. It is a joy in the air, and we use it to train new TPs. Cost, parts availability and age are the big issues along with limited performance in hot weather (90+ F) from a short grass strip.

Tow aircraft are going to be a real issue in the years to come!

Skip

The tow plane issue is becoming a bigger issue that ever before, cost and availability are the two main factors. Forget the Maule, we tried that back in the seventies, didn't work then and wont work well now. In the 180 hp category the Pawnee and the Super Cub are probably the best options. Moving up in HP the Pawnee and the straight tail 182 are very good tow planes. The Pawnee is becoming harder to find and more expensive to maintain, I think even much more than the 182. The Husky 180 hp is not bad, much like a Super Cub, but doesn't fly as well. The Callair does a good job of towing but they are becoming hard to find as well.
I guess I will keep the Pawnee flying as long as possible, or else the only option would be to buy one of those useless motor gliders. The Purist, Old Bob
  #27  
Old June 3rd 21, 01:52 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Phoenix
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Posts: 39
Default Tow plane ideas

On Wednesday, June 2, 2021 at 10:31:42 AM UTC-4, wrote:
FWIW
Parowan Ut tow pilot John Templeton owned a Maule. He didn't like it- he said it was difficult to land.
I took a BFR with him in that aircraft and he wouldn't let me even attempt to land it.
Nick
T



I had two 235 Maules. I didn't think they were difficult to land, either. However on both, the rivets inboard inboard on both wings on the upper surface "ovaled" from the stress / vibration due to full power climbs.
  #28  
Old June 3rd 21, 07:40 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
PGS S.
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Posts: 1
Default Tow plane ideas

On Wednesday, May 26, 2021 at 2:37:37 PM UTC-4, jackson...com wrote:
My glider club is looking into the possibility of a new or upgraded tow plane. We currently have a 160hp supercub, but we have also looked into a rare-as-hens-teeth piper pawnee. As i poke around barnstormers and trade a plane, i have seen ads for a 190hp vans RV-6, a maule 235, a stinson 200+ hp, motorgliders, cessna 188, etc.

Anyone out there have some ideas for a tow plane that might be very functional but also (perhaps) not well known? Ive seen stories on stinson's maule's and wilga's being used in the past, for example, but it would be good to hear of some currently used "unusual" towplanes.

thanks for any feedback!

I've towed with Citabria, Scout, Maule, Luscombe with 150hp, C-150-150, C-182, Pawnee (235 and 265), and an L-19. Citabria was OK, but under powered. Scout was good. Maule visibility is scary when towing. Luscombe wanted to swap ends when landing. C-150-150 was Ok but still a little weak. C-182 had overheating issues. Pawnees are easy to land, 235 has fixed pitch so less maintenance and operating expense than the 265, wing fuel reduces pilot fatigue compared to center tank on bumpy days. L-19 is an absolute pleasure to fly and tows well, but it's expensive to operate and becoming difficult to get parts. No perfect tow ship, all have pros and cons.
  #29  
Old June 3rd 21, 09:16 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Roy B.
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Posts: 304
Default Tow plane ideas

On Thursday, June 3, 2021 at 2:40:37 PM UTC-4, PGS S. wrote:
On Wednesday, May 26, 2021 at 2:37:37 PM UTC-4, jackson...com wrote:
My glider club is looking into the possibility of a new or upgraded tow plane. We currently have a 160hp supercub, but we have also looked into a rare-as-hens-teeth piper pawnee. As i poke around barnstormers and trade a plane, i have seen ads for a 190hp vans RV-6, a maule 235, a stinson 200+ hp, motorgliders, cessna 188, etc.

Anyone out there have some ideas for a tow plane that might be very functional but also (perhaps) not well known? Ive seen stories on stinson's maule's and wilga's being used in the past, for example, but it would be good to hear of some currently used "unusual" towplanes.

thanks for any feedback!

I've towed with Citabria, Scout, Maule, Luscombe with 150hp, C-150-150, C-182, Pawnee (235 and 265), and an L-19. Citabria was OK, but under powered.. Scout was good. Maule visibility is scary when towing. Luscombe wanted to swap ends when landing. C-150-150 was Ok but still a little weak. C-182 had overheating issues. Pawnees are easy to land, 235 has fixed pitch so less maintenance and operating expense than the 265, wing fuel reduces pilot fatigue compared to center tank on bumpy days. L-19 is an absolute pleasure to fly and tows well, but it's expensive to operate and becoming difficult to get parts. No perfect tow ship, all have pros and cons.

  #30  
Old June 3rd 21, 09:19 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Roy B.
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Posts: 304
Default Tow plane ideas

No perfect tow ship, all have pros and cons.

Probably also good to consider noise issues if sensitive neighbors are a concern. All of the CS props are noisy as heck -
especially the 260 hp Pawnee and the Callair when either has a CS prop.
Roy
 




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