Ron,
If the intent is to acquire a tug with both
low acquisition costs and "reasonable" operating costs then, as per one
of the other answers on this topic, a C150 "up-engined" as per
Kingaroy's KML would be a very attractive proposition. Always there is
a dependency on what is to be towed and the airfield environment
(length + slope + options in particular) of course.
However, it is worth at least some
consideration of what the goal is. Ian McPhee (Byron Gliding Club,
NSW) wrote an article on motorglider tugs and why they have such great
potential due to the sheer efficiency of the combination and due also
to the "harmony" of same. He has experimented with and 80hp (Jabiru)
Falke and I am sure would be happy to discuss. The Super Dimona, even
mine at 100hp (500kg max towing weight), can be a very useful aircraft
if a club can find the capital costs. As per another reply, it towed
quite effectively at Waikerie even though no concessions were made in
terms of grid position. (The rwy 26 grid was at the bottom of a slope
and used only half of the potential length.) The 115hp machine (600kg
max towing weight) can only be better and there are sure to be other
engine options down the track.
A motorglider tug has the (obvious to most)
advantage that the club gets two aircraft for the price of one. The
value of a motorglider to a club as a training aircraft has been
debated by many but probably not since the new breed of aircraft came
to be. The ability to offer members conversion to a fast, safe, modern
cruising aircraft and one which can operate in controlled airspace is
also a great asset to a club such as ours (Caboolture, Qld) which is
near a major population centre. The operating costs of a modern frp
motorglider are also *very* reasonable and almost certainly *much* less
than any GA aircraft.
Last, but certainly not least, is the
"autotug" concept where an aircraft (Pawnee at Kingaroy) is repowered
by an efficient, powerful, low-cost, cheap to maintain, automotive
engine.
You may wish to share the goal which
prompted your question as I am sure you message will prompt
considerable discussion.
---
Regards,
Phil Behnke
Phone: 0419 024 783
Fax: 07 3878 7554
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
SnailMail: 138 Kenmore Road, Kenmore, QLD
4069 AUSTRALIA
G'Day,
To anyones knowledge, (both here
in Australia, and overseas) has anyone ever used a Cessna 150 or
TigerMoth for Towing?
(These are very low power acft and
available very cheaply)...
This then leads on to the
question, if an aircraft is able to be fitted with a hook, how does one
work out the engine power requirement? Is it a hit and miss affair? Or
is there a calculation that can be done?
Cheers-
Ron.
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