Tow hook for Diamond DA20
 

Hi,

Tried to google for a while but I was not able to find a Tow Hook for Diamond DA20.
Does anyone know where to look for one? EASA approved version would be the best option, since the Katana is TC'd aircraft and if tow hook had an European approval for modification it would be great.

Plane is equipped with Rotax 912S (100hp)

Regards,
Harri

The most prominent EU supplier is Tost. They have various tow hook arrangements for various aircraft. Suggest you start there.

Tost Flugzeuggertebau

But why go for a hook? Most glider towing aircraft I have seen (admittedly not a lot) have a retraction system where the tow cable retracts on a drum in the baggage bay. It's far more convenient since you don't have to drop the cable into the field from a sufficient altitude, then circle around & land, and don't need to have someone retrieving the cables from the field. Simply hit the retract switch after glider release, land, park in front of the next glider, pull out the cable, connect, take up slack and off you go again.

Hold on
 

It`not about getting tow hook, you need to get it approved as an aircraft modification (change of Tc or STC) by EASA. An EASA approved hook is just a start of long and expensive process.....

and here was me thinking that it was for pulling your aircraft in and out of the hanger... I was wondering why you would need an EASA mod when the connector is likely to be already there!

What are you going to tow? I fly DA20s every day, albeit only 80hp versions. On a warm day at MAUW I am counting the leaves on the trees at the end of a long runway. I doubt the extra few HP you have would compensate for towing anything.

Isn't the DA20 a composite airframe? What would you fasten a tow hook to?

I know the Diamond Dimona can have a tow hook. But I have only seen the 115hp (turbo) versions with it. I doubt if the Katana can handle towing. I agree with dobbin1.

Have you tried to google 'tow-bar' instead of 'tow hook'? 'Tow-bar' is the word Diamond use in the manual - just my 2p.

As far as I know only the HK36 was used for glider towing, the derivations from it, the DV20, DA20 Katana and C1 are not suitable for such tasks. I started flying only recently the DA-20 Rotax 100 version but never heard about glider towing with such machines.

Also, if I remember correctly only the HK36 equipped with the 914 turbocharged engine was used for towing, I wouldn't bet that a 100hp Katana can lift a glider.

Just my 2 cents ..

I was just fishing for an alternative options for winch. We operate on two airfields and winch is not an option on the other field. Club has single seaters with MTOW around 400 kgs and I was thinking if Katana would be capable of towing those. In a way the CS-prop could give advantages to the fixed pitch ones but maybe it is too heavy stuff to do.
Though I have seen people towing with Ikarus C42B so I think Katana could do the towing too? Sure the Ikarus is UL/Experimental so it is about million times easier to modify...

In my opinion, TOST didn't have plug 'n' play solution. Correct me if I am wrong. There is some sort of solution because here is one Katana with hook:
Diamond*DV20 A1 Katana for sale in Netherlands - PlaneCheck - [DV20*DV20 A1 Katana* Diamond Aircraft sales Europe angebot verkauf used sell selling en vente vendre vend verkaufe Europa biete vends vendo venta venda

That's a DV-20, not a DA-20 judging after the dashboard. Maybe it was something inherited from HK36 being it's direct successor? Maybe you could contact the seller and if he's kind enough will provide you some details.

Did you consider a winch? An old and used one can be pretty cheap I presume .. they were very popular at my airfield along with the Wilga for towing.

I've done bungee launches - but unfortunately you need to start from the top of a big hill!