Tug advice.

One positive about the sidewinder - in a pinch, it folds and you can throw it in the cabin. In case you want to tow it when you get to your destination (ie, you borrow a hangar from a friend), etc.
 
dans2992 said:
One positive about the sidewinder - in a pinch, it folds and you can throw it in the cabin. In case you want to tow it when you get to your destination (ie, you borrow a hangar from a friend), etc.
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The friend’s hangar isn’t the only place it would be handy. For example, the fuel pump at KBXK is a taxi-in, push-out proposition. The latter is no fun at all with a heavy plane.
 
What tug would you all suggest for a 182 with a nose wheel pant?

And why are they “pants” and not “skirts”?
 
WDD said:
What tug would you all suggest for a 182 with a nose wheel pant?
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Wheel pants preclude the use of the Sidewinder. I'm not sure if the Best Tugs cradle that's on the Bravo and Romeo series would be a great idea either, but their Alpha models should be able to do the trick.

 
westslopeco said:
Rather than start a new thread, I figured I'd tag on to this one. I'm in the market for a tug as well, but for a 1964 210D. Looking hard at the Sidewinder based on recommendations in this thread. I am also looking at the Minimax tug. Does anyone have a pirep on the Minimax?
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Minimax & 182. Have had it for about 4 years. Love it. Good personal customer service. I was about 1 hour flight from the manufacturer. I tried before I bought.

Minimax has an attachment/adapter for wheel pants (skirts).

No knowledge of the Sidewinder.
 
dans2992 said:
One positive about the sidewinder - in a pinch, it folds and you can throw it in the cabin. In case you want to tow it when you get to your destination (ie, you borrow a hangar from a friend), etc.
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That’s exactly what I do with my Minimax. I don’t use wheel pants, so it’s small enough to transport on a cross-country (it does not fold though).
 
flyingcheesehead said:
We have the lazy susan on our Best Tug. Best thing ever when you have a Mooney! I can now turn the plane in place when it's on the tug with no worries about the very tight nosewheel limits (9 degrees on one side of center, 12 degrees on the other side!)

Also the Best Tugs are very quiet. If you want a remote-controlled tug and still want to be able to hear warnings, their Romeo series might be just the ticket.
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I just pulled the trigger on a Best Tug R8, I hope to have a review in a couple weeks!!
 
WDD said:
And why are they “pants” and not “skirts”?
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Pants are individual enclosed coverings (e.g. wheel pants).

Skirts are longer, multi-panel affairs (e.g. hovercraft, semi trailer).

Or at least that's what I think.
 
Don’t know the brand name but the remote control tracked unit is incredible. A 414 is a large enough aircraft to warrant one. I move around a Citation and a Baron B58 occasionally with one and it’s awesome. The museum has one moving the warbirds around and it is irreplaceable. You can walk around while operating it, so it’s comforting to be able to watch clearances so well while in tight quarters.

In browsing I found AC Air Technology has a website where you can see what I’m talking about although I don’t think that is the brand I’ve seen on our field.
 
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One for those north of the border . . ..
Theodore.jpg
 
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