Looking for some examples of a dolly to slide the kitfox in sideways. Have gravel so it's going to need large tires. Any examples or ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Is it gravel in a hanger or outside?
DENNY

Outside is gravel inside concrete

Am I seeing correctly that a Kitfox empty weight is 650 lbs? Almost seems like something you could drag sideways instead of wheel, if you overcame friction. Like roll it onto some sheets of UHMW, or even cheap plastic snow sleds, and yeet on those.

SNOW JW wrote:Looking for some examples of a dolly to slide the kitfox in sideways. Have gravel so it's going to need large tires. Any examples or ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

I have 10' roller sections that I use to slide my aircraft into the hangar when on straight skis. The aircraft will not care how it is oriented as once on the track it will move in whatever direction the track is oriented.
Mine depicted are heavy duty. For a light aircraft, the style used by grocery stores back in the day would be fine or fabricate your own. For Kitfox weight, a pipe within a pipe "roller" (multiples) secured to a frame would work. The end result would look like my rollers depicted but "homemade".

TR

Get a couple car wheel dollies for the mains,
just turn the t/w to the angle you need.
Probably have to use some heavy-duty plywood outside on the gravel.
Those dollies are pretty cheap on amazon or from HF.

This should do the trick, make the wheels as big as you feel suitable and castering as well.

Here's how I would do it. I'd prob also fabricate the skates instead of repurposing some because they get kinda expensive.

Build (or buy 2) of those castering car skates/dollys: https://amzn.to/4h2M6rU

Replace casters with all-terrain versions: https://amzn.to/4avIsox

Push airplane sideways over motocross whoops if desired.

The ratcheting cradles of the linked dollys is cool for a car wheel but isn't a perfect match for a airplane straight ski, so you're going to have to bring a jacking solution to get that ski off the ground.

Would you go with the purple Zzz or something more in a pastel shade, asking for a friend.

Mapleflt wrote:Would you go with the purple Zzz or something more in a pastel shade, asking for a friend.

I'd apply a nice snow camo hydrodip to them so they blend in perfectly to the snowy gravel—perfect for trapping any annoying hangar neighbors who might be snooping around.

Zzz wrote:

Mapleflt wrote:Would you go with the purple Zzz or something more in a pastel shade, asking for a friend.

I'd apply a nice snow camo hydrodip to them so them blend in perfecting to the snowy gravel—perfect for trapping any annoying hangar neighbors who might be snooping around.

Cool, I like it.

I slid a plane in sideways once. I was flying my cub on 31's shooting coyotes one day. It was about 36 degrees out with 3 inches of slush like snow. Downed a coyote so decided to land and pick him up out of this wheat field. Figured there would be no brake action. Decided to land going up hill. Put the plane down on my mark and started up the hill. It appeared as though the plane was not slowing much at all. Looked out the window and the tires are locked up. I then proceed to crest the hill onto a side slanting downhill. The plane starts to slide sideways coming to a stop right next to the coyote. It was kind of like sliding into second base. Yeah I think, I planned it that way. Not

I was thinking along the same lines as coyote when I read the title about sliding the plane in...my first thought was about landing on ice. Of course, being the Backcountry Pilot forum it WAS still about ski planes in the end. And now i'm wondering about who was steering while coyote was 'getting' his coyote...