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Tugs: AC air technoloty

ChristianGodin

By ChristianGodin
in General Mooney Talk

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carusoam Grand Master

carusoam

Posted
Posted

I think where Christian is from, and where that device is from (Chino), snow and ice might be an issue...

If you didn't like the price of the cheapest one, there is a 10AMU one that will really get you riled.

they have options for rough and steep terrain. I didn't see anything for ice and snow.  I didn't see what the solutions were for rough and steep options either...

The video that José posted does show a Mooney in it...

If you don't get a good review here, definitely contact the company directly for better answers.

Best regards,

-a-

 

 

1964-M20E Grand Master

1964-M20E

Posted
Posted

I thought about something like this obviously I'm not the first :o  However, my design has a lazy Susan for the nose wheel to sit on for 360 degree turning of the tug without hurting steerable nose wheel aircraft but I'm sure someone has that too.

So far I just push mine with the tow bar or use the riding lawnmower o pull it longer distances if necessary.

Of course if all i need  to do is fuel it up fro an upcoming flight (the only time I need to move the plane longer distances when not going flying) starting the plane up and going for a fun flight is always a good way to get to the fuel pump.:)

 

 

 

 

aviatoreb Grand Master

aviatoreb

Posted
Posted (edited)

I saw one of those in use at a company I know that has a fleet of turbo props and small to medium jets for on demand service.  They had the big one, which is still pretty small, and they were moving around a king air c90 and the guys on the shop floor said they loved it.  Not just because it was fun, but because it was easy to walk around the airplane and carefully maneuver the airplane and stand right where you need to be to self-monitor the places where it might otherwise bump into some other airplane.

It seems quite useful for that sort of use.  But it seems to be overkill price wise for most Mooney applications.  Perhaps if you are manuevering into a tight hangar space?

Edited by aviatoreb
kmyfm20s Veteran

kmyfm20s

Posted
Posted

Between that and an automatic hangar door I could sit in my car and watch it all happen! Pull up, watch the hangar door open, watch the plane come out, pull the car in, hangar door closes and then off to work. Pretty sweet!!

DonMuncy Grand Master

DonMuncy

Posted
Posted
  On 12/21/2016 at 3:59 PM, kmyfm20s said:

Between that and an automatic hangar door I could sit in my car and watch it all happen! Pull up, watch the hangar door open, watch the plane come out, pull the car in, hangar door closes and then off to work. Pretty sweet!!

Expand  

Will that unit de-attach itself from the plane and drive itself back in the hangar? When you get back, can you "remote" it back out and let it reattach to the plane?

Just nosey. I'm way too much of a cb to buy one of those.  

ArtVandelay Grand Master

ArtVandelay

Posted
Posted
  On 12/21/2016 at 3:59 PM, kmyfm20s said:
Between that and an automatic hangar door I could sit in my car and watch it all happen! Pull up, watch the hangar door open, watch the plane come out, pull the car in, hangar door closes and then off to work. Pretty sweet!!

You do realize it's remote controlled, by you, it's not laser guided or followed a center line on the ground. I don't trust my RC skills to guide this into my hangar without damaging something expensive.

Piloto Grand Master

Piloto

Posted
Posted (edited)

Instead of conveyor tracks I would have used rubber wheels. More reliable and simpler design. Easier to repair too. With wheels the tug can move faster and more efficient. After all wheels is what monster trucks use. Maybe you could build your own Monster Tug

José

Edited by Piloto
kmyfm20s Veteran

kmyfm20s

Posted
Posted
  On 12/21/2016 at 6:33 PM, teejayevans said:

You do realize it's remote controlled, by you, it's not laser guided or followed a center line on the ground. I don't trust my RC skills to guide this into my hangar without damaging something expensive.

Expand  

Yes I do. In my narrow hangar I would find it to be an advantage to stand back far enough back to see the wing tips clear. I'm comfortable with my RC skills.

kmyfm20s Veteran

kmyfm20s

Posted
Posted
  On 12/21/2016 at 4:49 PM, DonMuncy said:

Will that unit de-attach itself from the plane and drive itself back in the hangar? When you get back, can you "remote" it back out and let it reattach to the plane?

Just nosey. I'm way too much of a cb to buy one of those.  

Expand  

Check out the video. It's all controlled by RC. 

peevee Grand Master

peevee

Posted
Posted
  On 12/21/2016 at 8:25 PM, kmyfm20s said:

Yes I do. In my narrow hangar I would find it to be an advantage to stand back far enough back to see the wing tips clear. I'm comfortable with my RC skills.

Expand  

Plus you can stand in front of the nose upright, so you can see better. Not bent over like our power tow.

exM20K Veteran

exM20K

Posted
Posted

It looks like the AC Track Tech device still turns the nose gear.  That's obviously a big Mooney problem not solved by this device.

It's pretty spendy, but the TowBot has a turntable for the nose gear and steers the device only, not the nose gear.  I know an owner who moves a variety of planes from a DA42 to a Citation Mustang with one of these.  I'll make do with a powertow and careful observation of the pitiful tow limits on the Acclaim, but if i didn't have a powertow, I'd take a careful look at the towbot.

aviatoreb Grand Master

aviatoreb

Posted
Posted

I think the track is genius, better than wheels.  I bet it would work well on snow.  Ice I don't know.  That thing can move around a decent size jet.  A mooney is child's play for it.

As for speed - I think the point is slow, not fast.  I don't want to move around my $10M jet (for instance - I don't actually have one) and RC-car speeds (60mph!) - I want to move it at 1 or 2 mph max.

As I said, besides being able to stand in front of it and walk along side it, the main advantage of that device over a traditional tug, is that you can walk around the airplane as it moves, and you can even walk from the front to the back and control it from the back as you back the airplane into a tight hangar so that you can safely control the tight clearance spots to within inches.

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