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Large Tug recommendations


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Well whatever he builds make it robust and well engineered, ARTF's especially scale tend to be fragile in comparison to twice size Wot 4's and Greenleys.  So ensure high tensile wheel axles, glass or ally u/c not carbon, which is too stiff as it needs to soak up the landings.  On a typical aero tow day the tug will do up to a hundred take offs circuits and landings and each glider pilot will do 4 or 6 or so and then sociallize drink coffee and chat.  The tugs regularly go unservicable - having just organised the last aero tow of the year here in Shropshire - Saturdays list of issues was 4 tugs - one with u/c mounting breaking out of the fuselage bottom and formers.  One with water and epoxy like crud in the tank and carb from the fuel can.  One with a not yet diagnosed cut under power so he switched to his back up model.  The last one was a tow line caught in the hedge on landing which stopped the model dead in mid air and did damage on the ground/model interface seconds later.  The previous event had a fuel tank bung dissolve, another u/c wiped off, and two tug no shows.  Tug pilots spend more on fuel, replacement props, spare servos and maintenance of their models so that others can have a good day gliding - be nice to your tug pilots.

 

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3 hours ago, John Minchell said:

Well whatever he builds make it robust and well engineered, ARTF's especially scale tend to be fragile in comparison to twice size Wot 4's and Greenleys.  So ensure high tensile wheel axles, glass or ally u/c not carbon, which is too stiff as it needs to soak up the landings.  On a typical aero tow day the tug will do up to a hundred take offs circuits and landings and each glider pilot will do 4 or 6 or so and then sociallize drink coffee and chat.  The tugs regularly go unservicable - having just organised the last aero tow of the year here in Shropshire - Saturdays list of issues was 4 tugs - one with u/c mounting breaking out of the fuselage bottom and formers.  One with water and epoxy like crud in the tank and carb from the fuel can.  One with a not yet diagnosed cut under power so he switched to his back up model.  The last one was a tow line caught in the hedge on landing which stopped the model dead in mid air and did damage on the ground/model interface seconds later.  The previous event had a fuel tank bung dissolve, another u/c wiped off, and two tug no shows.  Tug pilots spend more on fuel, replacement props, spare servos and maintenance of their models so that others can have a good day gliding - be nice to your tug pilots.

 

Cheers John the tuggee is now sorted and in the process of setting the new tug up, I won't say his name but you know who it is (fuel problems)? anyway cheers

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