I have a new hangar, and I can't pull my 180 in to it by myself.

Shopping for tugs, I'm finding that the dedicated aircraft tugs are more expensive than a couple of other alternatives that serve other purposes beyond just dragging airplanes around.

I'm looking for experience with these two options:

1. Four wheeled ATV (sit on top, not side by side)

2. Lawn tractor

It seems like either of these devices have more than enough power to drag a 1700# plane short distances up a slight grade.

I am leaning towards a 500cc polaris quad because I can take it out in the woods and also plow snow with it.

But, lawn and garden tractors can be picked up pretty cheap.

Does anyone on this forum have experience with either of these options for this purpose?

It's a bit harder to steer the plane around with an quad, but I sure like them for the other uses they have.

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I found that pulling my 185 with a quad was ok if you have a lot of room as it is not smooth at all. A lawn tractor would probably work better. In the end we ended up buying a tug from Best Tugs. Not versatile for other things but works awesome.

We have a hydrostatic riding lawnmower that I got for free, and a gas powered clamp on one wheel tug. I’ve also got a Honda rancher atv. It’s hard to go slow with rancher, or creep smoothly, so I can’t imagine wanting to use it. The tug gets the most use, but the tractor is nice when the plane is fully loaded. Put a hitch on front and back. The hitch on front lets you steer much more easily.

I used a side-by-side Yamaha Rhino one summer for the 206 amphib but it sucked; too much of a high-speed vehicle to be useful for slow, tight maneuvering.

Recently, I bit the bullet and bought a used, compact hydrostatic kubota tractor. It is a dream. Smooth, low gearing; light-weight enough to drag around the hangar by hand (in neutral) but heavy-weight enough to tow the Navajo without breaking a sweat. And it’ll plow the ramp, mow the grass, and dig a trench.




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Where are you located? I have one I'm considering selling.

Thanks for all of the input.

I am leaning towards a 4WD quad with an automatic transmission and low range, although a lawn tractor is probably a good choice.

A quad can double as a snow plow and a hunting rig.

I really only need a tug to pull the plane straight back and up a bit in to a tee-hangar, so I think the quad will work ok.

Aryana wrote:Where are you located? I have one I'm considering selling.

Looks cool! But I'm not planning on yanking any big airplanes around.

Scolopax wrote:Thanks for all of the input.

I am leaning towards a 4WD quad with an automatic transmission and low range, although a lawn tractor is probably a good choice.

A quad can double as a snow plow and a hunting rig.

I really only need a tug to pull the plane straight back and up a bit in to a tee-hangar, so I think the quad will work ok.

Aryana wrote:Where are you located? I have one I'm considering selling.

Looks cool! But I'm not planning on yanking any big airplanes around.

How about just a winch mounted on the back wall? Ran off a 12V battery should last for a while.

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A1Skinner wrote:

Scolopax wrote:Thanks for all of the input.

I am leaning towards a 4WD quad with an automatic transmission and low range, although a lawn tractor is probably a good choice.

A quad can double as a snow plow and a hunting rig.

I really only need a tug to pull the plane straight back and up a bit in to a tee-hangar, so I think the quad will work ok.

Aryana wrote:Where are you located? I have one I'm considering selling.

Looks cool! But I'm not planning on yanking any big airplanes around.

How about just a winch mounted on the back wall? Ran off a 12V battery should last for a while.

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That's definitely an idea! Seems like pulling out and reeling in 35 feet of cable might take a pretty long time. Do you know?

I like the looks of those powered towbars that use a cordless sawzall or holehog or similar for a power head. Although i've never seen one set up for a taildragger, only nosedraggers.

Well pulling out is fast using freewheel. Itll pull out as fast as you can. And in isn't to bad. Sure is cheaper then a quad. How long is your hangar? You have room for a tow bar and tow unit between the back wall and the plane?

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A1Skinner wrote:Well pulling out is fast using freewheel. Itll pull out as fast as you can. And in isn't to bad. Sure is cheaper then a quad. How long is your hangar? You have room for a tow bar and tow unit between the back wall and the plane?

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I think it's about 40 feet deep. Pretty big for a tee-hangar.

The more I consider it, the more I realize that I've already talked myself in to a four wheeler. Most of the models I've looked at have 12000# winches installed. I could anchor the quad to the back wall and use the winch.

I know - I'm not 100% practical. But if I were, I sure wouldn't be monkeying around with airplanes all the time.

One of those radio control bots is so trick. That's the ideal setup.

I’ve used winches for years for 185, 206, 170, and now 175 taildragger. They work great. My current winch is self contained and super easy to install. And waaaaay cheaper than any of the options you’re looking at. Like $250 to $300. Two bolts sunk in the concrete floor, a 110 plug, and you’re there.

My current Hangar has a fairly steep uphill to enter. But this winch makes it easy. It has a 50 foot cable and winch Control.

Now, the only issue is if you can’t push the plane OUT of the Hangar. But, a simple pulley system could do that for you.

But my 175 two pushes out with a bit of grunt. Winching In takes a couple minutes.

I’ve used this system in three hangars now, and, if I ever get into another Hangar, I’ll do it again.

MTV

mtv wrote:I’ve used winches for years for 185, 206, 170, and now 175 taildragger. They work great. My current winch is self contained and super easy to install. And waaaaay cheaper than any of the options you’re looking at. Like $250 to $300. Two bolts sunk in the concrete floor, a 110 plug, and you’re there.

My current Hangar has a fairly steep uphill to enter. But this winch makes it easy. It has a 50 foot cable and winch Control.

Now, the only issue is if you can’t push the plane OUT of the Hangar. But, a simple pulley system could do that for you.

But my 175 two pushes out with a bit of grunt. Winching In takes a couple minutes.

I’ve used this system in three hangars now, and, if I ever get into another Hangar, I’ll do it again.

MTV

That's a pretty encouraging review of this setup.

Well I just bit the bullet myself and bought a Honda Rancher 4x4 with electric shift. They were on sale and I got a vetran's discount. Yes the quad, while not ideal, has other uses. I had been using the Defender 90 with a front pintle for years. Alas it sold for a really huge amount of money and I’m not pushing the 206, loaded, up into the hanger.

Now, it was a bit of a search to find front & rear receiver mounts, but they run under $80 each. I have one of the large Brackett tow bars, that extends. It can do 14,500 lbs and is overkill, even for the Caravan. It is long and this makes for a bit more maneuvering leeway to adjust the aim with the quad. You must do the work in 2wd, as 4wd will make it hard to steer on pavement. I got 4wd just for resale. It seems the Honda's do not loose their value.

Even golf carts work on light planes. We also used a Suzuki Mule at the shop and it could handle up to a King Air. It was an older 2wd model, but the gearing seemed to work for us.

I still have to put a mirror, license plate light and a horn on it to be street legal. It avoids arguments with, management, at the airport. However to be truly legal in Arizona, I'm supposed to wear goggles when operating any vehicle without a windshield.

While not the ultimate solution, a quad can be useful in more ways than towing and mowing grass. We don't have a lot of grass here.

I've used a winch to pull my 180 in the hangar for the last 7 years. It's uphill, so it simply can't be pushed without 3 guys. I use an old Odyssey battery, which I charge every 2-3 times I pull the plane in. Winch is chained to a floor fixture. It takes about 3-4 minutes to pull in, mainly because I don't get it lined up exactly and have to turn the tailwheel a couple times.

Scolopax wrote:

It seems like either of these devices have more than enough power to drag a 1700# plane short distances up a slight grade.

I am leaning towards a 500cc polaris quad because I can take it out in the woods and also plow snow with it.

I use a Polaris 500 4X4 it works great.

Cheers

Bob

I have the fairly cheap Harbor Freight 110V winches mount to the back walls in both of my hangars. Work great! Especially in the winter when there is ice/snow. Both hangars have inclines, but my hangar at home has a very steep incline that is nearly impossible to get the plane in by hand. Winch is a back saver in the winter.....not to mention the medical bills that are invited while slipping on my a$$!

I also have a PowerTow in town that works good in the summer.