Downtrodden

I'd like to know what planes are towing you folks and what they are powered with. There's a few guys that would like to build gliders in our fledgling club and I would enjoy towing them. I don't want to be underpowered and on the other hand I don't want to burn a gallon a day either. (Unless it's that good of a day!!!) Hi starts are out of the question and so are winches or wenches for that matter. Thanks.

Culver10

It seems that the Senior Telemaster is fairly popular for towing. From my research it is most suiltable for the slower flat bottem airfoil "woody" gliders. I have been told that it is a little slow for the high performance carbon gliders. I built a Senior this winter with a 31cc Ryobi gasser engine swinging a 18-6 prop. We will be towing my 12 foot Cloud Bound 4 and a Viking this spring when all the snow melts. Will let you know how it works!

Wayne22

My Feedback: (2)

I use a cub with a G-38...lots of moxy, but lots of drag. It looks good for scale aerotowing, but if your aim is to cycle as many gliders as fast as possible, somthing like a g-62 Stinger (or similar) would be better.

Culver10, do you fly at Strathcona by any chance ??

Culver10

I fly in front of my house at Twin Island Airpark, Nigel Hudson has been teaching me the power stuff. I think there might be a picture or two of the airstrip @ [link]http://www.kiteair.com[/link]

Wayne22

My Feedback: (2)

Cool, I drove by there last weekend on the way home from the Cooking lake airport. I'm going to go back to check it out.(when it is dryer!!)

I'm just up by Wye and Cloverbar.

aerotow1

I have been towing gliders for the last four years. The tow planes I have flown with are as follows a Robinhood 99 that has been modified stretch the fuse and add a little wing then power it with a Quadra 75. I tow with a "Pegasus" from John Derstine sorry I can't think of his website right now. The Pegasus is a 120" wing span purpose built tow plane. Very durabile and light use a DA 100 on that one. Then the other is a Chemlak with a Moki 215 5cyl radial. I will let you in on something, you can't have too much power in a tow plane. You want something that is capable of slow flight that has a ton of power.

Dan

scalesoar

My Feedback: (8)

Here is the EMM and sclesoaring web link RE; the Pegasus. I am starting a winter build production in a few weeks. Production is very limited on these. I only produce them in small batches once or twice a year in the Quick build or ARC form. Builders kits may be available throughout the tear depending on demand.
This is a big tow plane for any size sailplane up to 10 meters. however it will fly very slow if desired. If you are flying 2-3.5 meter scale sailplanes it is probably a little large for your needs.

john D.

http://www.scalesoaring.com

pgoldsmith

I haven't been towing for that long (3 years or so) but all my tow aircraft have a minimum of 80cc, up to 100cc.
Additionally, use the most reliable engine you can, and make it a gasser. Glow motors are very fuel hungry.
All tow planes at the JR Aerotow have 80cc or higher and we typically we cycle around 30 tows per hour,
hope to see you there, in June June 2 6th 2005.
http://www.scalesoaring.net/2005%20J...ow%20Final.pdf

Most of these guys have been towing for many more years than I have, but what I learned came from attending Aero Tows,
Slow with lots of power is the right combination.

Pete

ejett

My Feedback: (4)

Just thought I'd put in a plug for one of our local club members who has designed and is offering short kits of a 100" scale Airtractor that should make a dandy tow plane with a suitable gas power plant. I plan to build one when I am financially able. I'll need a towpilot to go with it though, because I'll be flying the sailplane.

Take a look:

http://www.teamduster.com

EJ

spirit pilot

There is a tow plane that strongly resembles a crop duster, I believe from Germany. This plane is about as ugly as they come (as least to me), but I understand is an excellant tow vehicle. I can't remember the name, so will check my magazine collection and get back to you. It's a high wing, and usually seen in yellow, possibly with a radial.

ejett

My Feedback: (4)

You may be thinking about the Wilga. A peculiar looking craft.

EJ

spirit pilot

Yep, that's the one alright.
Thanks

ejett

My Feedback: (4)

An update on my earlier plug. The designer doesn't think a sufficiently sized gas engine will fit in the narrow nose profile of the AirTractor to pull sailplanes with but he does think the glow engine would do a good job. I think, based on other comments in this thread that it would not be suitable for the 6-8 meter ships or scale competition events. But, it might still be a good tug for sport aerotow at the local field with some of the 3 - 4 meter ships.

Anyway, I think it is a neat plane. Take a look at it.

EJ

danielwidman79

Hello!
This is my first answer here at the rc Universe, i live in Sweden! My suggestion is that you take a look at this airplane. Im building one right now, and the quality is superb! Go with the g62 and hydromount.

http://www.toni-clark.com/index_en.htm

SoarNeck

Hey guys,

The Calgary group is lining up a Brison 2.4 powered UltraStick 120 (mine) and a ZDZ80 powered Bridi Big Bee for this season, both of which are proven towplanes.

Don't bother with a Telemaster...we tried, I sold it quickly. Too slow, and a bit ponderous on tow.

Consider coming down to the Red Deer or Calgary aerotow events this season - they should both be great! We've got at least a half dozen big sailplanes ready to go, with more on the way. Go to www.soarcalgary.com for the schedule.

hangaround

If it's the 25% PA-18, I'm building the same plane. Mine is to be powered with a ZDZ80/KS canister.
This is a really nice kit, and after towing for years with the BUSA cub with ZDZ40 I'm looking forward to this powertrip.
The direct url for the ToniClark Cubs is :
http://www.toni-clark.com/english/mo...iper/piper.htm

To see how mine is progressing: (Sorry, in Norwegian, but there are pictures)
http://www.lomcevak.net/nmfk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=179

jooNorway

If you want a rather small plane the BigLift ARC from Multiplex could be a good choice. Powered up to 35ccm gas you can handle the most gliders up to 4 meters. This plane is from the 70-tis but upgraded and 20 cm more wingspan in the new ARC-version. Suits also for piggyback lifting og smaller gliders. Just build a cradle.

LOOKOUT!

My Feedback: (2)

Comp ARF extra 2.6m with a BME 110 works very well

PA11

My Feedback: (81)

Thanks for your sharring on this bulletin board; it confirms my plan to build a high powered Tug using one of the classic Joe Bridi platforms!
My project began following a nice conversation with Joe Bridi on the phone in April 2004. Thanks to Joe, I was able to locate and acquire a then, 19 year old "Big Bee" Kit, fully complete in it's original box, from a retired fellow "Big Gas Bird" enthusiast in Bellingham, Washington USA. He had built one years before, highly modified and powered with a G-62, and had been using it for many years as part of a Team putting on Model Aerobatic Airshows!
I recently entered semi-retirement, and will soon have the extra time on my hands to build it setup for AeroTow. I have the builder/seller's complete set of photos of his highly modified "Big Bee," including detailed construction photos. I plan on building mine very similar to his, including a round cowl, etc. But instead of a G62, I will power mine for AeroTow with a 100cc class engine.

FYI: In case you and your fellows in Calgary don't already know, I learned from Joe when I spoke with him in Arril 2004, that he had fully retired and sold the exclusive production rights to his designs and "Bridi Kits" to Mr & Mrs Lynn and Sandy Latta, dba: "Bluejay Airplane Kits" (308) 276-2322 * 301 Hartford Street, P.O. Box 111, Stratton, Nebraska 69043 USA. Lynn was very kind to sell me a complete new set of full size building blue prints for the "Big Bee" for only $12.00US; so I have a working set for the modifications, etc. in addition to the brittle old set I have with the now 21 year old Kit!
Wishing you "GOOD LIFT" all-the-way-to-the "BANK!"

henryhighwood

Why have not the SPAD folks chimed in here yet?

TheParrot

Might be going against the grain here, but if depending on what size gliders you will be towing (and since you said people were getting into gliders I'm assuming 2 meters) you might look in to overpowering a 40 size Cub. My dad has a flew gliders and I have a Great Planes 40 size cub with a OS 91 four stroke. I have towed 2 meters, 100 inchers and his 13 ft fiberglass fuse glider. With the 13ft glider the tow is actually scale. I don't think I could tow much over that. But if you don't want to spend a ton of money I'd say thats the way to go.

OLD_SLOW and in the WAY

I used a 3 channel senior kadet with a 108 asp ... now they make a kadet ARF with ailerons.......they are very stable platforms and with the 108 they can really do some draggin

jester1a

My Feedback: (1)

I have an almost finished 8-Ball from [link=http://www.reidsmodels.com/products/products_set.html]Reid's Quality Model Products[/link] that I bought a G-62 for. Got a 50 oz tank ( the largest I could find) and have beefed up a few areas. Next is fabricating the tow release. Old design but I think it will do well.

JESTER

Hans Dahl Christensen

Hi - Hi.

Look into : www.iggnorge.com www.igg-sverige.se

There you can se towplanes - articles on these - and links wherw to get them.

KR

hld - OY-9901

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

Here's picture of a Wilga tow plane taken north of Pensacola, FL. and another taken at Columbus GA.

Enjoy,

Jim