Message-ID: <3BB41BB1.C95E71F7@gateway.net>
Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2001 23:41:53 -0700
From: Dan Schaefer <dfs@gateway.net>
MIME-Version: 1.0
To: lancair.list@olsusa.com
Subject: Tow Motor
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Reply-To: lancair.list@olsusa.com

          <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<--->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
          <<  Lancair Builders' Mail List  >>
          <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<--->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>
FWIW, a friend (Bonanza owner) devised a neat little motorized tow-bar
using a cordless drill motor, a right-angle geared drill drive and a
small rubber wheel (plus some misc. odds and ends for mounting).

The drill motor drove the small wheel thru the right angle drill drive
which was mounted on the tow-bar in such a fashion so that it could be
levered against the nose wheel. When the drill was triggered, the small
wheel turned against the nose wheel, moving the airplane, and the
airplane was merely steered normally with the tow-bar.

Using a reversible drill motor, the airplane could be pushed or pulled
as required. It moved the plane fairly slowly so control wasn't a
problem and the really neat thing about the device was that it was small
enough to take along. The only proviso, my friend had to be sure to take
along a spare (fully charged) battery for the drill motor if he wanted
to use the electric feature away from home. Second nice thing about it,
even if the batteries were both run down, the tow-bar still worked
normally, sans benefit of the motor.

Since I fly a two seater, I don't need such a gizmo because it's easy to
push around, but for the IV crowd, it might be just the ticket.

Dan Schaefer
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
LML website:   http://www.olsusa.com/mkaye/maillist.html
LML Builders' Bookstore:   http://www.buildersbooks.com/lancair

Please send your photos and drawings to marvkaye@olsusa.com.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>