Pushing/pulling a pa28.

[olicana]

Can anyone throw some light on the correct way to manoeuvre a pa28. Up until recently I was lucky enough to have someone to get the aircraft I was going to fly out of the hangar etc.

I now have to drag my stead (a pa28) out of the hangar when I want to fly her.

What are the do s and dont's when pushing a pa28 around.

[Shoestring Flyer]

I can only say just be careful they are heavy old beasts.
Back in 1992 I found myself alone and confronted by a 'boxed' in PA28 that just needed pushing back a few feet......The upshot was that I completely snapped my right Achilles tendon and spent 12weeks in a plaster cast and on crutches!.

[BackPacker]

The PA28 has (or rather: should have) a tow bar that ends in a very broad U-shape, with downturned ends. These downturned ends go in the two holes left and right of the nosewheel strut. Sometimes there's a locking mechanism on the towbar as well.

You can then steer the nosewheel with the towbar, and use the prop to pull/push the aircraft where you want it to go. Don't force the nosewheel into a tight turn though; I think about 30 degrees either side of center is the maximum that the steering assembly can handle without damage.

Best practice is to always pull/push at the root of the prop blades, not at the tips or in the middle. Make sure the prop is set in a horizontal position first, and before you touch the prop, look in the cockpit to ensure mixture is set to idle, and the magnetos are off.

And the other bit of generic advice is to take it slow. Walk to the wingtips to see, if you're not 100% sure if they clear an obstacle. Get help if you find you can't do/see it alone. There's been too much damage from pilots wanting to get an airplane out of, or into a hangar just a little bit too fast.

In fact, the insurance at my club has a deductible that's 10 times higher when taxiing or ground maneuvering an aircraft, compared to flying incidents/accidents. Ouch.

(And take care not to fall backwards or forwards when the towbar suddenly slips out of the holes, and take care when the ground is slippery. Ask me how I know...)

[A and C]

Very good advice from Back Packer in the post above, all I have to add is dont push on the plastic bits or the spinner.

[peterh337]

Good advise, especially at this time of the year when surfaces may be icy. A 4-seater with full tanks can be a pig to move about on one's own, and impossible if there is any slope.

[Zulu Alpha]

... and never leave the towbar engaged if your hand isn't on it. There have been two incidents at our airfield where the towbar wasn't removed before takeoff.
One ended happily one did not.

Where I was taught to fly you were fined if they ever found the towbar attached without being attached to a part of your body. I just got in the habit of removing it and laying it on the ground.

You will probably find it easier to push it rather than pull it, this is easier for people helping you as well, because they can push on the leading edge of the wing.

[tmmorris]

Where I was taught to fly you were fined if they ever found the towbar attached without being attached to a part of your body

I like that idea. A and C - shall we implement that for yours?

I would second all of the comments above, especially about slope. A PA28 is fine to handle on your own on a flat hard surface, though you need to watch the wingtips like a hawk; but as soon as any slope is involved it's a pig. A second person to push at the wing root is very useful - even my 8-year-old makes a significant difference. [Be careful using children - he got injured pushing a 152 since when I've been a bit more circumspect. But good for him to learn.]

Tim

[BackPacker]

Now that we're talking about ground handling, another generic comment. Perhaps not very applicable to the PA28, but more to other types.

When handling the aircraft on their own and needing to turn the aircraft around sharply, or pushed backwards without the benefit of a towbar to keep the nose wheel straight, you sometimes see people walking to the back and somehow pushing the tail down. Thereby lifting the nosewheel off the ground, and then push against the elevator to get the aircraft into position.

BE VERY CAREFUL when doing this. There are several very sensitive bits at the tail which are not strong enough for this job. Unfortunately, which bits are sensitive and which bits are strong enough is different from one model to the next. If you're not sure how to do this, don't.

[olicana]

Thanks for the replies. The aircraft does not have a tow bar, which is a shame.

I was interested to read that its ok to push/pull on the prop (near the root) as that was the bit I was unsure about.

[airpolice]

One of the very few disappointing things I have found in GA, is that there is not a “chap” to do this sort of thing for us.

[Halfbaked_Boy]

Olicana,

The aircraft does not have a tow bar, which is a shame.

I know it sounds a silly question, but have you checked in the baggage compartment behind the rear seats?

edited to say - You MUST be able to locate one somewhere round the hangar? The PA28 is one of the 'commoner' machines. Make sure you have a good root around; I have found myself in your situation dozens of times and never failed to find one yet!

[A and C]

Tim

I'm all for that idea, with the money the aircraft can get a glass Garmin avionic fit.

[Zulu Alpha]

The fine was $20 in the days when $20 was worth $20.

Towbar for sale here:
FLYER Forums • View topic - Piper tow bar