Ground handling help needed

[Bob C]

Hello All:
I'm new to the forum. I'm a 100 hour pilot and bought a used DA40 in February. The hangar I am renting has bad pavement on the apron and it is a bugger to push the Diamond backward with the castering nosewheel. Do any of you use a power assist? I've seen the small battery powered tugs Cessna pilots use that power the nosewheel, but with the Diamond's big nosewheel fairing, I don't see a way to use this kind of device. What do you do?
Bob

[Gary]

Welcome to the forum Bob. What year is your DA40? Do you have the old style towbar or newer Bogi-bar? I am able to push my DA40 into the hangar slightly uphill on a snowy icy surface using the Bogi-bar to steer while I push on the inside of the prop. The old towbar that came with the airplane is much less useful. Try to get some towbar adapters that allow the use of the Cessna type towbars with the DA40 when you visit a FBO without Diamond nosewheel adapters.

http://aviation.bogertgroup.com/index.p ... &Itemid=23
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/p ... gibars.php

Here is a video on the Lektro tug. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhOZX2Oo1ls

[Victor]

I use old PowerTow 35EZ for which I made two nylon plugs attached to 3/4 bolts which fit perfectly into tow bar attachment points. Once you learn how to steer and intercept alignment markings it goes in/out from the first try, so the whole process becomes very pleasant. Also gas powered model consumes fuel samples from the aircraft and never needs recharging. Previous owner used electric drill powered model which worked great but needed recharge.

[Bob C]

Thanks Gary and Victor for the ideas. My plane is a 2006 and I have the old style tow bar that pops off sometimes. I'm now more impressed with my winter shade hangar in Florida as I can taxi right through!
Victor, where did you get your motorized tug?
Bob

[Victor]

I picked mine on craigslist for 1/4 of the new. I see them pop up from time to time or post wanted ad and I am sure someone has one of those for sale.

[BRS]

I've used one of these for the past several years. Am very happy with it. I did have to work the mfr a bit to get the right adapters etc.

http://www.powertow.com/12V.html

[GLDAS]

Bob,
If you're able to drill into the hangar floor, you may consider a system that uses a channel for the tail skid and a winch. This combination does help move the plane and keep the wingtips clear of the door. I can't lay my hands of the vendor's brochure, but drop me a PM if you'd like me to search for it.
-de

[Joey]

I'm just too cheap to purchase a $1000-$1600 power tow device . Here's how we do it singlehandedly: First, I made some ramps out of Zee Purlins that I got from a builder. For our hangar, we have about an inch and a half lip, so the ramps are about 12" wide, 12" long and have a 1" angle (alternatly you can buy painted ones from Sporty's for about $100). We also painted some alignment stripes to assist in getting the wheels aligned. We steer with the tow bar and push on the spinner. If you have trouble getting the plane over the lip, back it up as far as it will go, chock one side, then use the opposite wing tip to get one wheel over the hangar lip. Change the chocks to the side that is now over the lip and repeat pushing the other wingtip until both mains are over the lip. Once the mains are in the hangar, the nose gear easily follows.

Note that we do have a 44' wide hangar so we have a little more room than the average 40' hangar to maneuver. Ron Watkins is in the hangar next to ours and has a great device from that I'm a little envious of. E200 with dolly wheels at: http://www.aero-tow.com

[Bob C]

Thanks for all of the ideas. Does anybody us a winch attached to the back of the hangar and pull it in by the tail?
Bob
Diamond DA40
N633DS

[Marty]

bob... winch works best for me....i had the electric cord made longer, so i can stand in front and steer with the tow bar and let the winch do the work....

marty
DA 40 638DS