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Aircraft tug (merged)

Some years ago, when I had a different hangar arrangement, I looked at tugs.

Back then all the electric ones I found were not variable speed, which I thought was really odd since it is very easy to control the speed of an electric motor.

I’ve just seen this which is variable speed but it’s $1600… That’s a huge amount of money. You could buy a complete ride-on lawn mower for that.

Plus hefty delivery to Europe, because they won’t ship without the battery.

Last Edited by Peter at 01 Mar 17:04
Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

The best product by far is Schleppmaxxe. Have a close look at it at Aero. You can purchase it there at a ca 20% discount and take it in the cabin.

I bought my Schleppmaxxe v1.0 at Aero last year. I also bought the additional cable which lets you use the battery as a ground power unit. The battery needs charging only every 4 or 5 months. For my SR22 the V1.0 version is strong enough, had no problems. But it cost EUR 1300 plus VAT. I bought one from their display without tax. Expensive but pretty good quality, very solid.

Last Edited by Flyer59 at 01 Mar 20:22

but it’s $1600…

For that kind of money, you an buy a second hand “real” aircraft tug (like here on eBay: http://www.ebay.de/itm/Schopf-Rofan-Z44-Diesel-Schlepper-Zugmaschine-Terminalzugmaschine-/161221009996?pt=DE_Auto_Motorrad_Fahrzeuge_Nutzfahrzeuge&hash=item258985624c).

Last Edited by what_next at 01 Mar 21:25
EDDS - Stuttgart

I have just looked at the Schleppmaxe website and, found this excerpt:

“by rotating on the spot recording remains in the nose wheel direction positioned. This will double in the tires while driving unilateral loading prevents. "

So that’s all clear then…….

EGSC

I bought my Schleppmaxxe v1.0 at Aero last year.

I would go for the Schleppmaxxe 2.0 unless you only have flat, smooth asphalt which is never slippery. The 2.0 does a great job for my airplane. It is a very well thought out product, top build quality. There are several copies of the product out there. Make sure to stay away from the Belgian company Aero-Pac, worst quality and business ethics I’ve ever experienced in aviation.

Schopf-Rofan-Z44-Diesel-Schlepper-Zugmaschine-Terminalzugmaschine-/161221009996?pt=DE_Auto_Motorrad_Fahrzeuge_Nutzfahrzeuge&hash=item258985624c

Ha, a Mercedes OM 601 engine, indestructible, I know all about that one… My lovely 190D which was so powerful that I was constantly being overtaken by 20t trucks on the steepest section of German Autobahns (Aichelberg A8). One of my hangar neighbors got a similar tug but he never uses it because it is too strong and can easily damage the aircraft.

I have just looked at the Schleppmaxe website and, found this excerpt:

I told them years ago their English website makes Google Translate look good. Better a great product with a crap website than the opposite which is very common nowadays.

Last Edited by achimha at 02 Mar 08:12

Well, everbody (especially the sales people ;-)) said i should take the V2.0…. but i decided for the cheaper V1.0 – and that was the right decision for me.

Yes, i have asphalt, but even when it is wet, no problem. The limiting factor is never the power of the motor, it’s the traction of the wheels, so even with the V2.0 you have to put your weight on the the handle.

Of course the V1.0 might not be enough uphill, but who has such a situation anyway?

The limiting factor is never the power of the motor, it’s the traction of the wheels, so even with the V2.0 you have to put your weight on the the handle.

The 2.0 is much heavier. I have a slope and I also use it to tow the aircraft from the fuel station all the way uphill to my T hangar for which I really need the 2.0. Therefore be careful, better buy too big than too small.

Make sure to stay away from the Belgian company Aero-Pac, worst quality and business ethics I’ve ever experienced in aviation.

Second that. I bought one of their tows at a very favourable price, at least that was what I thought at the time, and regretted it ever since. Support and standing behind their product completely vanished as soon as money had changed hands. Long story involving the first unit arriving damaged (cables torn off) due to poor packaging and Aero-Pac initially refusing to have it returned to them at their expense. The second unit I received was not new but pre-used (which they denied but the scratches on the unit and the attachments speak a different language) maybe as a demonstrator, specially ordered adapters did not fit etc. Thought about getting a lawyer involved to have them refund my money in exchange for returning their gear, which they flatly refused when I asked them to. Finally decided against that route to not throw any more good money after bad probably having to sue a completely uncooperative company in a different country.

I spoke to one of their representatives at AERO last year without mentioning my previous problems and was told that they currently are not allowed to sell parts of their program to Germany due to some legal issues with the company producing Schleppmaxxe (patent infringements?).

RXH
EDML - Landshut, Munich / Bavaria

One of my hangar neighbors got a similar tug but he never uses it because it is too strong and can easily damage the aircraft.

The handling company at Stuttgart uses this tug for towing anything from Cessna 152 to Dornier 328. AFAIK, they have not damaged anything yet with it. We have our own one (same type) and the only damages so far have been caused by the tug driver, not the tug itself… Operation is very smooth and it can go extremely slow if necessary.

What I don’t understand when I look into some hangars with private light aircraft inside: Why does almost every aircraft have it’s own tug, why don’t people just share one across the hangar? What has become of the famous “aviators comradery”?

Last Edited by what_next at 02 Mar 12:19
EDDS - Stuttgart
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