Rookie question here:
With the Cessnas, it’s pretty straightforward to move it on the ground – with the tow-bar and/or people pushing the aircraft using the wing struts in either direction. That’s also documented in the POH.
With the Piper Archer, I found nothing mentioned in the POH. Also I didn’t discuss it during the check flight. I can see how pushing it backwards with the tow-bar and pushing the wings works – but how about one person pulling (and directing) it using the tow bar. Where would a second/third person touch the aircraft? That side of the wings has the flaps and the ailerons, so obviously not there… I’ve seen people pull the propeller. Somehow that, too, didn’t seem right to me…
Base of the prop is fine.
Well, the only chance you have pulling a PA-28 is the base of the prop, but never let anybody
- Pull at the outside of the prop
And even more important:
- NEVER ever let anybody push a PA-28 on the spinner. When I still rented my Warrior I bought 3 Spinner bulkheads in 5 years because people would push at the Spinner. The rim of the bulkhead where it’s attached to the spinner is very sensitive and will get cracks, and the part is € 500 minimum today …
It must be OK for the prop to be pulled, by a person. Not by a rope tied to a vehicle – even the nose wheel is not strong enough for that.
Lots of people push on the spinner. Only the other day I stopped somebody doing that on mine.
Peter wrote:
Not by a rope tied to a vehicle – even the nose wheel is not strong enough for that.
But that’s how all tow systems work. The simple ones attach to the nose wheel, the bigger ones lift the nose wheel.
OK… I should have said that it’s OK if there is no real resistance i.e. on fairly level tarmac.
If you have a TB20 (etc) bogged down in mud, a vehicle can rip the engine right off the firewall if you do it via the nose wheel. I have been in that situation at Southend some years ago, parking in front of a now-defunct school. I got them to use 2 ropes around the main gear, but the wheels on the van just spun, so they had to bring the fire engine…
Being bogged down isn’t a common occurence tho. And everybody knows in that case you just call Joe Patroni.
Configurations I routinely use with my low-wing Grumman Tiger:
2 people pulling the towbar (having a wide T-handle helps)
3 people pulling or pushing towbar and two wingtips.
2 people and a broken towbar: forward – at the two wingtips, backward – one sitting on the tailplane to keep the nosewheel off the ground, the other at the opposite wing root or at the prop.
How to move a PA28 with a blown nosewheel tyre:
1) Put the fat bloke on the stabilator to lift the nose wheel
2) have two people pull on the prop base either side.
How not to move a PA28 on grass.
1) Facing the prop, pull on the prop base with both hands
2) Pull harder, digging in your heels, because nothing happens
3) When the aircraft suddenly starts moving, walk backwards and keep pulling hard to build up momentum
4) Slip, fall on your back, and helplessly watch the nosewheel roll over your leg
Thankfully I only had a bruised calf…
Ouch! Is the nosewheel OK?? You know – first things first…. ;-)
