Stan,
A very clever way to solve this. Well done, gives you what you want and does not put the tie down or steps at risk.
Thanks Don.
I will certainly check out Copapedia. You folks have some really nice resources and an active, helpful forum. I guess I will need to become a real, paid member to get to Copapedia, though.
I don’t have a Cirrus (yet, but it’s tempting!) I’m trying to help my friend who is a member and Cirrus owner. I fly with him a lot and getting the airplane into the tight hangar is the only “bad” thing I’ve found about this really nice airplane. (Well, that, and not being able to spin it! Why? No reason… just for kicks–I’m just an old-timer, taildragger pilot. And I also miss my ADF!
Meanwhile, if we can pull it in the hangar nose-first (per “flycirru”) and if it fits this way, all our problems are solved. Pushing it out backwards ought to be easy. Other wise we will try Stan Scott’s (“srscott”'s) idea. Something like this is possibly in Copapedia. Seems brilliant. Unfortunately the winch is in the very back of the hangar, so added precautions and longer lengths of cable/rope will be necessary.
I will (we will) get on the forum with his login to take a look at Copapedia. Thanks again.
-Hal
Stan,
Thank You so much for taking the time to post this. It’s very clever and I think this is what we’re going to do (if there’s not enough space to winch it in nose-first with the towbar attached to the winch. The hangars are plenty deep, but I’m used to a smaller plane, so we shall see if the Cirrus fits that way. I rather doubt it, now that I think about it.)
In our case, the winch is already attached to the floor on the back wall of the T hangar. Nonetheless, I think this can still be done. It’s just that we will need longer lengths of cable/rope and some failsafe mechanism to prevent the winch from pulling the airplane through the hangar in case the remote control fails in the ‘on’ position.
Thanks again, Stan.
-Hal
Hi Hal;
Not a problem that the winch is at the back wall, just take some precaution that if for some reason the winch doesn’t stop (like the remote fails) it won’t pull the airplane through the back wall. Some sort of “stop” on the winch cable that won’t allow the cable to be further wound on then winch reel beyond a certain point is all you need.
As for going in nose first that would be OK, but I prefer to pull mine out by hand, and it is easier to have the plane tail in first when doing that.
Don’t hesitate to drop me a line if I can be of further help.
Stan
One other thing, which is about the only thing I would change, is to experiment with making the crossmember a bit wider, maybe 22" which would allow the nose wheel to be turned more before the wheel pant touches the plastic tubing encased rope. Still, what we have is working fine.
Also, we haven’t tried this on ice yet. We have some concern that the plane might try to get a little crosswise on ice. But we figure as long as we are going straight enough it shouldn’t be an problem. Usually the ice is only in patches anyway. Stan
I have no idea. That’s a stock photo from Aero-tow’s web site. The tug has big knobby tires so I suspect it would be OK.
Stan, you said:
One other thing, which is about the only thing I would change, is to experiment with making the crossmember a bit wider,
maybe 22" which would allow the nose wheel to be turned more before the wheel pant touches the plastic
tubing encased rope. Still, what we have is working fine.
How about using nylon straps instead of plastic encased rope? I use my motorcycle straps to winch-in my own plane in my hangar. These are straps i use to also tie down my motorcycle in my truck bed. You can buy these at a bike shop, or auto parts store, perhaps even Walmart. The straps have a little give in them and that absorbs the harsh jerks. The straps have a soft feel and won’t mar your wheel pant (or a motorcycle’s finish.) You could loop it through the hole on the spreader bar and therefore have twice the strength. They come with rubber-coated hooks designed to not scratch up a motorcycle’s handlebars. (You wouldn’t want to scratch up the eyelets on your tow-bar now, would you?
Also, we haven’t tried this on ice yet. We have some concern that the plane might try to get a little crosswise on ice.
But we figure as long as we are going straight enough it shouldn’t be an problem. Usually the ice is only in
patches anyway. Stan
Ah, this is where it would have been nice to be able to winch-in by the tail tie-down, but that’s a no-no in Cirrus-land! Even using the step, perhaps, would make the pull-in more controllable. I really doubt that your set-up will be a real issue, as you say, if you kept the plane going straight to begin with. Heck you’d have to be wearing ice crampons on your feet if it were that bad!
-Hal
I would caution against a wireless control for a winch in the interests if safety.
Even with a winch, aluminum ramps are a good idea, and keep the tires inflated. The winch will have to be mounted low to avoid snagging the com antenna on the belly. Make sure any winch is securely mounted. I tried this and a tractor, but ended up with a power tow, very happy
Send me your email address & I’ll send you a coomplete set of photos + detailed parts list for my Rear Pull Retractor with Bridle to attach to the std tow bar.
I also had a winch at the back of the hanger. I used an attached bar on the rope which would stop the winch from pulling the plane too far. I don’t have a picture but imagine the rope on the winch going to a 22 inch wide bar and then another rope coming off that bar and going forward to the spreader near the front tire. Made a fail proof stop. I got the idea from the guy at aero tow.
I love that inexpensive winch idea
don
Stan,
We did it! Something similar anyway. It is not yet complete. We don’t have a spreader bar yet. I put the eyelet as low as possible (at the same plane as the axle pins so as to minimize assymetric loads on the axle and make it neutral to the “pilot.” ) Thanks for your great ideas. -Hal
Don,
We don’t have a failsafe stop mechanism yet, either. However, since this winch has a wired remote switch, you can give the wire a tug and it comes off the socket at the winch-end and breaks the connection, thus killing the motor. (Power is fed to the motor through the remote switch, thus pulling the cable cuts power to the winch.) The Aero-Tow guy’s idea is really smart though. Much more important with a wireless remote. -Hal
hal
you wont have the reflexes to pull the cord off the switch. trust me, my “stop” saved me once. IF you are using a rope, just go to the hardware store and buy a big metal pipe, drill a hole and put a knot in the rope. Or anything else you can come up with. effort well spent
don
Don,
Point well taken. We need to do something failsafe. I hate to cut the cable and put spreader bar back there, but it appears that that is probably the most straightforward solution. Thanks.
-Hal
Actually, duh, I’ll just use the hook at the end of the cabe to tie onto the spreader bar. Then I will buy some extra (longer) cable/rope to go from the spreader bar to the nosewheel. -Hal
hal
I had a cable and I got this device at the hardware store that bolted onto the cable and was wide enough to “jam” the winch. go and look, you may be suprised but please do get a stop
don
Hal, marine stores like west marine sell stops as well, that would clamp to an existing line. In addition, you can partially split a tennis ball and put on the line as well (before the stop)
Boy you get the McGiver Award—great idea!!![;)]
I posted something similar a couple of years ago. Both a winch and tractor solution… Scroll down for complete photos and info…
Hal, I have had an SR20 since 2010 and it has always been hangered. I invented a strap that hooks onto the towbar and I installed an electric wench in my hanger. Cheep, $190 when I bought it out of Trade-a-Plane. Probably about $250 now. When I go out to my hanger this week, I’ll take pictures of the setup and post them.
Richard
I am a new owner of a Cirrus- trying to rig winch to pull in tail first. an you send email with winch data. I’m concerned with the remote becoming inop- and rigging a stop/ It takes about 60 feet to get the nose of the plane-
I have looked at lots of winches but each has some issue…
Thanks
Dean N55*SR