Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 17

Thread: towing gliders

  1. #1
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Berlin, Berlin Germany
    Posts
    7

    Default towing gliders

    Hi folks,

    has anybody of you made any experiences with towing gliders in a Carbon Cub SS or Carbon Cub EX?

    If yes how did it work, what are the tow - weight limitations?

    Do you have any video footage of it?

    I have tried out Carbon Cub SS last summer with some of my mates and we are stunned.
    But we are a gliding club and would have to use it as a towplane.

    Thanks, Best,

    Peter...

  2. #2
    Senior Member Steve Y's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Indian Wells, CA
    Posts
    212

    Default Re: towing gliders

    Quote Originally Posted by The Flying STIG View Post
    Hi folks,

    has anybody of you made any experiences with towing gliders in a Carbon Cub SS or Carbon Cub EX?

    If yes how did it work, what are the tow - weight limitations?

    Do you have any video footage of it?

    I have tried out Carbon Cub SS last summer with some of my mates and we are stunned.
    But we are a gliding club and would have to use it as a towplane.

    Thanks, Best,

    Peter...
    Seems like a CC towing gliders is like a Mercedes Benz with a U-Haul Bumper Hitch for towing a trailer to Walmart? (-:
    Last edited by Steve Y; 06-09-2014 at 10:53 PM.
    XCub: CCX-2300-0011
    SPOT X TRACKING: https://maps.findmespot.com/s/09SL

  3. #3
    Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Shelby, NC
    Posts
    41

    Default Re: towing gliders

    Quote Originally Posted by Steve Y View Post
    Seems like a CC towing gliders is like a Mercedes Benz with a U-Haul Bumper Hitch for towing a trailer to Walmart? (-:
    Way to go Steve!!!

  4. #4
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Berlin, Berlin Germany
    Posts
    7

    Default Re: towing gliders

    Quote Originally Posted by richphil View Post
    Way to go Steve!!!
    ...thanks for the qualified replies...

  5. #5
    Senior Member randylervold's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Yakima, WA
    Posts
    1,378

    Default Re: towing gliders

    Quote Originally Posted by The Flying STIG View Post
    Hi folks,

    has anybody of you made any experiences with towing gliders in a Carbon Cub SS or Carbon Cub EX?

    If yes how did it work, what are the tow - weight limitations?

    Do you have any video footage of it?

    I have tried out Carbon Cub SS last summer with some of my mates and we are stunned.
    But we are a gliding club and would have to use it as a towplane.

    Thanks, Best,

    Peter...
    Hi Peter,

    We have received lots of interest from glider clubs in Europe, and Kamil from directSky, our European distributor, tells us there may be a significant market segment there for us. To answer you question, no, we haven't yet outfitted a Carbon Cub SS with a tow hook and tried it out. We have a significant engineering development queue right now and that item, though enthusiastically requested by Kamil, has not come near the top of our list. Also, we have the EASA regulatory maze to navigate.

    All that said it should be very possible, and the quickest path might be for your club to build the kit version of the Carbon Cub and install the tow hook system yourselves. Sorry we don't have a more immediate solution for you but I can assure you it is definitely on our list!
    Randy Lervold

  6. #6
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Berlin, Berlin Germany
    Posts
    7

    Smile Re: towing gliders

    Quote Originally Posted by randylervold View Post
    Hi Peter,

    We have received lots of interest from glider clubs in Europe, and Kamil from directSky, our European distributor, tells us there may be a significant market segment there for us. To answer you question, no, we haven't yet outfitted a Carbon Cub SS with a tow hook and tried it out. We have a significant engineering development queue right now and that item, though enthusiastically requested by Kamil, has not come near the top of our list. Also, we have the EASA regulatory maze to navigate.

    All that said it should be very possible, and the quickest path might be for your club to build the kit version of the Carbon Cub and install the tow hook system yourselves. Sorry we don't have a more immediate solution for you but I can assure you it is definitely on our list!
    Hi Randy,

    thanks for your reply.

    We met Kamil last year, very professional and kind guy. It has been a pleasure to fly the Cub with him.

    And yes we are also thinking about the EX to build and install the tow hook.

    The question at directsky (We probably have been one of those who kept Kamil pushing :-) ) was and in general still is how the CUB, if SS or EX performs as a towplane.

    Maybe there is already someone who put a tow hook at the EX.

    Cheers, Peter.

  7. #7
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Indianapolis
    Posts
    283

    Default Re: towing gliders

    I have a friend who is president of the Central Indiana Soaring Society.
    They purchased the Alexandria Indiana airport a few years ago and turned it into a very active glider port.
    AOPA just did a photo shoot and is in the process of doing a magazine article about them.
    I flew my CC there about a month ago for a visit and was bombarded with inqueries about installing a tow hook.
    The CISS uses two ag planes they own as tow planes but they saw the value a CarbonCub would bring to that aviation segment.
    I am certain there is a market. The CC would make a great tow airplane.
    I would install a tow hook on my airplane just to help tow my friends glider.
    Sounds like fun----
    Bill

    PS: And then there is the banner towing market-------
    That sounds like work.
    Last edited by seastar; 06-10-2014 at 12:24 PM.

  8. #8
    Senior Member randylervold's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Yakima, WA
    Posts
    1,378

    Default Re: towing gliders

    Quote Originally Posted by The Flying STIG View Post
    The question at directsky (We probably have been one of those who kept Kamil pushing :-) ) was and in general still is how the CUB, if SS or EX performs as a towplane.

    Maybe there is already someone who put a tow hook at the EX.
    I'm not aware of anyone who has put a tow hook on a Carbon Cub yet. I can't help but think it would do quite well, at least with the medium to smaller gliders. An 18 meter duo with full water ballast might be a bit of a challenge though. ;-)

    No question you'd want the later model cowling with the improved cooling that has been standard for a couple of years now.
    Randy Lervold

  9. #9
    Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Shelby, NC
    Posts
    41

    Default Re: towing gliders

    Quote Originally Posted by The Flying STIG View Post
    ...thanks for the qualified replies...
    Sorry Peter! Should have thought about the comment before agreeing. No offense meant! As a builder of an EX cub, I would think you would have an unstable platform to tow a glider given the light weight of the EX. Mine weighs 1022 lbs. and can be a handful in very windy conditions. I am sure those who have a lot more time in one than me would be much more qualified to answer the stability question. Just saying!

    Richard

  10. #10
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Canyon Country, CA
    Posts
    115

    Default Re: towing gliders

    Peter, I'll be in Berlin next week. I won't have any free time at all, but I'm curious where you do your glider flying. How near is it to the city?

    Chuck
    Chuck Hull
    L70 Agua Dulce, CA

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •