Using a winch instead of a tug

aerobuffet

Just wondering if anyone has (or is) using the tie-down eye on their aircraft to use a power winch to pull the aircraft back into the hangar. I've read about guys using on those ATV winches from Harbor Freight and building a wireless remote control for it.

I've had some people say that using the tie-down can cause airframe damage but it's hard to imagine that given the gentle forces using a winch that are certainly far less a tie-down in a bad storm.

Would love to hear from anyone who's doing this. I have a winch but need guidance on building the wireless remote. It's certainly a lot less expensive an option than a $2000+ tug.

Thanks for any and all input.

Scott Sherer

At my airport there are many aircraft owners using the rear tiedown eye for winching. In fact, my hangar came with the four bolts in the floor for attaching a winch. Do it, you won't regret it!

Harley Kleemann

My hangar has a winch, it works beautifully! I cannot imagine how using one would cause any damage...

DrPiper

I have one in my hangar. I use it mostly during the winter when there is ice in front of the hangar making it nearly impossible to push the plane back in. Sometimes I have to put metal spikes on my shoes to pull it out though. I have considered raising the wench up so it pulls more in line with the tail.

aerobuffet

How do you control the winch from (presumably) the front of your plane? My old winch - which was a homemade thing that I inherited - used a 100-ft AC power cable with a rocker switch mounted in an old electric work box. But it was really cumbersome to use.

Seneca38173

Aerobuffet,

you've got at least two options. You could buy one of the 12 volt DC winches from Harbor Freight that comes with a wireless remote, and add a battery and a wall plug charger to it. Or you could buy one of the 120 volt AC winches that comes with a wired remote, and modify it. Here's the fun part - we've got quite a few great engineers here on the forum. So if I were you I'd put it out as a "build the best 120 V winch wireless remote," and whoever comes up with the best answer, we're buying them drinks at Oshkosh in a couple of months!

Bob

griff390

I win.

https://www.harborfreight.com/wireless-winch-remote-control-69229.html

I like single malt Scotch and Single malt or single grain Irish whiskies. Guinness always goes good with a nice smooth scotch.

PS - that was the easiest engineering I've ever done! 🤣👍

Seneca38173

As Regis would say, "Final Answer?"

That remote's designed for a 12 VDC winch.

There must be something in Digikey!

empannin

Whatever you use make sure it is overengineered and fails off. If it fails on it is going to be expensive. I like my single wheel EZ40 power tug. It has a clutch, a throttle with a kill, a transmission, I can lift it by hand too (wheel off the ground).

This weekend I was blocked in almost a hanger row waiting for cars and planes to clear out. It was no issue as I just shut down early in the row, made some new friends and tugged the plane back to my end row hanger. I run the tug off 100LL from sumping and it is a lot less expensive vs ticking over the hobbs meter on twin.

griff390

Eric et al;
No question about fail safes. I already have the schematic in my head to interface the wireless controller to the 120 VAC winch, and was already thinking of electronic and mechanical fail safe modes. Mechanically, I was pondering a calibrated break away cord, similar to those used on parachute static lines. If the winch ever ran away (think runaway trim), the cable tension would eventually reach a point where the cord would break (like a mechanical fuse) and save the aircraft from damage. The winch would continue until the owner shut it off, the clutch began slipping, the fuse/breaker popped, or the winch destroyed itself. I'd accept any of those instead of a damaged aircraft.

BillCorbett

I have tryed the home made with a remote, very slow. I have a winch from Aircraftspruce, works amazing has like a 150' cord. I got the small one as the larger was out of stock. Pulls my Arrow smoothly and I just steer. Only draw back is it doesn't have a clutch so I have to motor unwind at about 2'/second, would be nice to disengage and just walk the cable to the plane. So I unwind while the hanger door is closing, no down time.

empannin

Or maybe a pullable quick release like used on a sailing harness for the tether to a jack line? They will release under load. The winch hook should also have a tennis ball along the line near the hook so that it does not bang against the plane.

n36601

Bob:
Several years ago I modified a Harbor Freight hoist to do exactly what you are looking for. I used an electric hoist similar to their current model 62767. I then modified the internal wiring of the hoist to separate the UP operation from the DOWN operation to allow me to connect those functions to wireless remote control switches. I used wireless switches similar to the Harbor Freight 62575. I anchored the winch horizontally to the hangar floor. I now have complete wireless remote control of the IN and OUT operation of the winch, and the whole thing runs on 110VAC. The hoist/winch is loaded with ⅛" cable, instead of the OEM cable and a long spring was added to the cable to actuate the OEM limit switch. The winch is not powerful enough to cause any damage to the plane, even if the wireless switches malfunction.

Anyone interested in pictures or a schematic, let me know.

VFRs,
Dennis-1MO2

aerobuffet

Thanks, Dennis! Wow, yes. I'd love to see the pictures and the schematic. I can do a lot of tinkering for the cost of a tug.

n36601

Aerobuffet:
The wiring mods are shown here. Bear in mind that HF current winch is a different part number, so there may be differences. Hopefully, the current hoist owner's manual will detail the wiring diagram.

I used a pair of those Christmas light remote controls, but you can use anything that will handle 15 amps. Something like these will work fine.

When you get done, the winch will have three power cords coming out of it.

Finally, here's a pic of the spring that I added to the cable to actuate the limit switch of the winch, if the thing pulls too far.

In use, the winch is not strong enough to cause any damage to the aircraft. If you have a lip on your hangar floor between the outside ramp and the hangar floor the winch may not be able to pull it over the lip. In that case, you may need to add a pulley to create additional mechanical advantage. A pulley will reduce the cable speed by 1/2. Or, you could opt for the stronger hoist sold by HF.

Since the remote control has only ON-OFF switches, it is possible to have both the Cable-IN switch and the Cable-OUT switch ON at the same time, by mistake. If you do that, the cable will stop and the hoist/winch will buzz.

I've been using this setup for about 15 years and it has never failed.

Have fun, and VFRs,
Dennis-1MO2