Ski Flying Rookie

[Glider]

Sounds like good advice. Thanks. Has anyone fashioned a gadget to attach to the main gear with skis installed? When removing the plane from the hangar I have to pull it forward and I really don’t like pushing on the tailwheel. I pull on the tailwheel when pulling it back in the hangar.

I have been using a Borget tow bar to bush my planes out of the hangar for some 20 odd years without problems.
https://bogertaviation.com/collecti...sories/products/bogi-bars-tail-wheel-aircraft For $18 Cub Crafters will sell you plastic bushings for the Bogert tow bars to keep the paint on the tailwheel intact. I am sure our friend Bumper has a mod too.
For a short time, I had an uphill hangar so I used a power tug to push the plane around. No issue with this either. http://www.powertow.com/Buyers-Guide_ep_28.html

 

[tbienz]

I'd like to know about a towbar for the plane on skis as well. Different tailskis probably work differently, but at least on the ski that comes with the RF8001, there is no way to attach my normal towbar. The wheel doesn't stick down far enough for the bars to grab the tire and the middle of the wheel is completely covered by the ski body/fairing.

 

[belloypilot]

I have one of these that I use with an ABW baby bushweel. Works good, but as I mentioned above I don’t like pushing with it. It makes me cringe to see the spring bend forward. I just don’t think the tailwheel assembly was intend to take stress in that direction, but maybe its my imagination. I use it all the time to pull the plane back in the hangar but I use a Kubota tractor and a tow bar attached to the main wheel axels to pull it out.

http://www.flyboyaccessories.com/product-p/7104.htm

I was thinking about building a new bracket that would attach to the tail spring where it bolts to the airframe. It would have to be quite a bit longer arm than the one that lifts on the in order to reach around the tailwheel with a ski on it, but that seemed like a secure place to lift and push/pull. As long as one could be certain it wouldn’t slip off. That would be an ugly mess of torn fabric if it did. Not sure if I’ll try that.

Another option might be something that just slips over the hex head/nut on the axel bolt, It thing both the RF and the Burl tail ski should allow that and it might be safer than lifting on the spring. I’ll let you know if I actually fabricate something.

 

[tbienz]

I push and pull with one of these:
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catal...OQlXI30vOOlKNo4Jhnlc4jg-4Cx3qIuxoCCKEQAvD_BwE
But it won't work with a tailski.
Let me know what you come up with. I'll think about that spring base tow-bar idea as well.

 

[belloypilot]

Hey folks. Thought it was time for an update. Skis installed without issue and I managed to get a couple flights in, although snow conditions in our corner of the world aren't great. I managed to get a couple ski landings in and played in about 18" loose (loose, but not powder) snow. The floatation from these skis seems impressive. Not much more than a 500' takeoff roll in in that loose snow. Maybe less. I was also surprised to see cruise performance about the same as with the 31" bush wheels, with a net weight gain of about 40 lbs. The only think I'm not crazy about is the floor-mounted hydraulic pump occupies my favourite spot for parking my right foot when it needs a bit of a break. I'm sure I'll get used to that in time. In a couple weeks I have trip planned further north where the snow conditions are better. It's going to be fun.

I've also purchased a Burl tail ski designed to work with the baby bushwheel tail wheel. Anyone have experience with one of these? It has a lot of surface area so the floatation will probably be good. Just not sure how much drag it will cause. I'll find out soon enough.

 

[brianP]

Another ski flying rookie question... Im in the process of installing a set of aero 2000 skis on my 1992 A 1. Does anyone know if I leave the small faring trim piece at the front top of the gear off or do I somehow try to trim around the cable lug ? Thanks Brian

 

[Gust Kalatzes]

Another ski flying rookie question... Im in the process of installing a set of aero 2000 skis on my 1992 A 1. Does anyone know if I leave the small faring trim piece at the front top of the gear off or do I somehow try to trim around the cable lug ? Thanks Brian

It has been a while but I did not see a way of leaving it on and did not want to trim. Skis off just put it back on and leave the little angle bracket mounted and covered up.

Gust

 

[belloypilot]

Made it. A perfect ski flying day on the Mount Ida glacier.

The arrival:

And the departure:

Thanks to everyone for the great advice!

 

[jimhusky]

Great picture and videos. I really enjoyed watching the videos.

Jim

 

[tbienz]

Excellent job! Given where you live, there will certainly be many adventures ahead with your ski plane.

 

[Snowbirdxx]

Very nice,

try not to spoil the Glacier with tracks not looking like a U. Simply because they may freeze and yu may come again, and once you are in a frozen track, there is no way to get out.

 

[belloypilot]

Good advice, Thomas. I’ll keep that in mind. This time I was getting a feel for taxiing on a slope and was mostly just focused on not getting into a spot that resulted in a $20,000 helicopter ride home .

 

[Floyd]

Very nice, been up in your country a couple of times from Saskatchewan. If you decide to fly SE sometime let me know.

 

[belloypilot]

Very nice, been up in your country a couple of times from Saskatchewan. If you decide to fly SE sometime let me know.

Thanks. I get to SK frequently. Both Regina and Saskatoon but hopefully more points north in the future. Where are you based?

 

[MTV]

To pull a ski equipped Husky from our heated hangar in Fairbanks, I rigged up a rope harness....cheap and simple. Take about a 25 foot section of good stout rope. Tie a bowline in each end, then, precisely in the center, tie a simple loop.

Now, when you're ready to pull the plane out of the hangar, take one end's loop, run it INSIDE the gear leg, around behind the ski pedestal, and hook the loop around the axle that's protruding from the ski.

Do the same with the other end of the rig on the opposite gear.

Now, hook the center loop over a hitch ball, or tow hook on a car, and pull the plane out.

Simple and easy.

I used a winch at the back of the hangar to pull the plane back into the hangar. This rig worked fine on straight ski equipped planes, till we bought a set of Thomas' RF 8001 skis.....then we just pushed it out.

MTV

 

[tbienz]

I’m about to get the skis off for the season but this system works well to move the plane for me. In the summer with the BBW, I use a standard tail-dragger-dragger with two handles that lifts up on the tail wheel. The RF8001 tailski doesn’t stick down below the ski enough for the dolly device to lift the wheel ad the ski is in the way and the ski covers the axles so I can’t use a standard tow bar.