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Seen everything?

Bruce

Well Known Member
Friend
Actually saw 182 land today with tow are still attached.:eek:

Nice red glow sticking out.


Do last 360 before takeoff.
 
A friend once flew with his towbar connected on his RV-10. It flopped behind and was dragging after he landed. He got lucky. Another friend cranked with his towbar attached (another RV-10) and chewed the last 2 inches off both propeller blades.

Our rule is, "if one end of the towbar is connected to the plane, the other end is connected to your hand." No exceptions.
 
Actually saw 182 land today with tow are still attached.:eek:

Nice red glow sticking out.


Do last 360 before takeoff.

Was on the left downwind for 18R at OSH and had a 172 go over the top of me with his tow bar attached. One a more positive note...........at least he remembered to bring his tow bar :D
 
Could that cause significant engine damage?

I saw a prop strike a steel tow bar at Lincoln Park in NJ. I was having lunch at the edge of the ramp on a nice day. A guy and his girl quickly preflighted a Cherokee, then started the plane with the tow bar attached. It got half knocked off and the guy got out, picked it up, and quickly ran his hand over the prop and got back in and made a quick exit out of the sight of the diners. I always wondered if it was a more significant event than he made it out to be.
 
That could ABSOLUTELY cause significant engine damage. A lot of times a prop strike doesn't damage the crankshaft, but if it does, then you're in a whole world of hurt. If that happens, the prop needs to be inspected and possibly either repaired or replaced and the engine needs to be inspected for damage to the crank or the crank gear. The guy in the Cherokee was just saving face, but doing what he did is illegal and incredibly dangerous.
 
See there...another tailwheel advantage. A fella can fly around with his tow bar and never damage a prop ;)
 
Saw a 172 do the same. Take off, people radioed and he landed safely. Not long later, he did it again. Might be time for him to put those wings on the mantle.
 
My employer had a Cessna 441 Conquest II that took off with the tow bar attached. Pilots heard a banging and nose wheel wouldn't retract fully. They landed on the mains and held the nose up as long as possible, but still had significant damage and ended up being totalled. Line guy towed them out of the hanger in subzero temps and didn't remove the tow bar. Left seat retired, right seat had a career change when the company went a different direction. I flew with them a lot and they were a great pilot team. Split second lapse can end careers or worse.
 
Me Too

I took off with my tow bar attached to my RV-7A when I first got it. I was used to flying a tailwheel plane for 10 years so I wasn't in the habit of looking at the front of the plane. I was lucky. No prop strike, just messed up the front wheel pant up a bit. Don't know how the bar came of the plane after I took off. When I came home, I found it half way down the grass runway. Lesson learned, I always do a final walk a round before I get in the plane to take off. Something I should have already been doing.
 
When pre-flighting I teach you can stop mid-stream but you have to touch the last item you checked and keep your finger there until you are ready to continue. Only then can you untouch that item.

Complete focus is key and important. Sets the tone and hopefully keeps them out of trouble in the future.
 
Does losing the right main wheel on a J3 Cub count? The wheel separated on take off and fortunately there were people on the ground to inform us of the missing appendix prior to landing. A bad preflight.....yep.
 
On my -12. I keep the tow bar handle bungee corded to the pitot cover on the spinner. No way you can even start the engine with it attached.
 
See there...another tailwheel advantage. A fella can fly around with his tow bar and never damage a prop ;)


I beg to differ! An ag pilot I know very well took off from my local airport a number of years ago in his Snow Commander (forerunner of the Air Tractor) with the big "Y" shaped tow bar still attached to the main gear. As in "great big tow bar used for towing a 10,000 lb taildragger with a tractor". He successfully pushed it down the runway until he broke ground, at which point it bounced off the pavement and up into the prop. He managed to make it back around for a landing with a very significant chunk of the prop missing. Can't remember if he had to tear down the Pratt or not. Wouldn't ask...just one of those things you don't bring up!
 
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