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RV-8 Moving on the ground by hand

T

ten4teg

Well Known Member
Well, I pushed my RV to the fuel pump yesterday to get some fuel for my first engine run. I had a hard time finding a good place to push the airplane back or forwards. Pushing it back wasn't too bad using the HS and VS leading edge. Has anybody come up with good ways to move it by hand?
 
Bogert

If the ground is a reasonably flat surface, I just push on the turtle deck behind the canopy and the -8 moves forward easily. Plus in this position you can easily turn the airplane or stop it from rolling forward by grabbing the VS/HS intersection like you do when pushing backwards.

At my hangar where I have a steep slope to contend with, I use a Bogert tow bar. Got it from Aircraft Spruce (Item # 13-02408). Works great and is very light. It's just not convenient to carry in the airplane unless you want to break it down each time.

Chris
_________
 
I just use the weldment that forms the pilot back support to move mine in both directions. You need to hav ethe flaps up, though, as your legs and feet would hit them if they were down.
 
Despite various admonitions against it, I pull/push the airplane by the prop if I'm doing it solo and don't have my towbar. My hands go right up against the spinner when I do this, not out towards the blade tips.

I do not like pushing/pulling on the tail surfaces. Over enough time, this has caused cracks in the stabilizers on some Cessnas, resulting in AD's.
 
If I'm pulling the plane out of the hangar, I use the root of the prop blades, pulling gently to get it moving. Anytime else I have to move it - I go backward, using the horizontal stabilizer - again, pushing gently.

Another alternative was taught to me by Larry Pardue - a loop of rope with a handle on it, slung around the tail wheel. Easy to pull it backward that way, and packs into virtually no space. The Pardue Tow Rope!

Paul
 
ten4teg said:
Well, I pushed my RV to the fuel pump yesterday to get some fuel for my first engine run. I had a hard time finding a good place to push the airplane back or forwards. Pushing it back wasn't too bad using the HS and VS leading edge. Has anybody come up with good ways to move it by hand?
Click to expand...


A local RV8 builder installed one of these in his plane to assist in ground handling:

http://www.basinc-aeromod.com/tailpull.htm

I don't know how much of a challange it would be to install after you have the fuse completed...

DaveB
RV6
 
Hear, Hear..

I strongly recommend the Bogert bar for hangar use and the "Pardue Rope" for travel. 4 or so feet of rope threaded thru about a 9" piece of 1" PVC and you have a great traveling tow bar.
 
I installed a Doug Bell tail wheel fork and used a longer than standard bolt with brass bushing so it sticks out on either side of the tail wheel.

Then I spent $60 on a Cessna "Delux" tow bar on the tail wheel and pull it with my $50 airport tug.


(click to view)
 
I too move my RV-8 backwards by pushing on the vertical and horizontal stabilizers. To move it forward, I normally push on the weldment that supports the front seat back. You can steer by pushing/pulling on the canopy rail near the rear seat to swing the tail one way or the other. These methods work very well for moving an 8 around on the ramp.

Dan
RV-8 N3TU. 400 hours
 
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