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Getting pa18/Edo2000 onto trailer

redfin

FRIEND
Question: if I landed on the grass and want to ‘slide’ the cub on Edo2000’s up ramps and onto a trailer. Where is the best place to attach the winch ropes- to the front strut/float attach point or somewhere else? or is there a better method?

Would also apply to pulling up through shallow water to bank?

all advice appreciated....
 
The most secure location would be the fitting where the front struts attach to the floats. Do not use the bow cleats, they are not meant for these forces.

Be careful pulling up a ramp to a trailer. The rear of the floats and water rudders could be easily damaged.

What is the terrain like between the landing area and the ultimate destination? If it is just grass, tow it on the keels.

Are you planning to do this alone or will you have a lot of man power to help?

I have "taxied" a float plane on slippery grass after landing to the hangar door. After landing, push the stick forward to rock the plane forward on the curved portion of the keels. It moves very nicely.
 
I used my Pontoon boat trailer....it's the kind that lift from the middle....make some wooden slats to put under your spreader bars and crank it up and bring to the hangar. I did the snowmobile trailer once and it sucked....but I had 5 or 6 helpers to scoot it on.
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I used to go under the front spreader and tie a bridle to the base (at the float) of the rear spreader. Then I'd leave the trailer unhooked so it could tilt back. Used a come-along to crank it up. I worked well on a small Cessna (Birddog) A line without much stretch was the key for me, then it would just click on up.. Nylon would stretch like a rubber band then everything happened at once. Under the front and tied to the back helped the nose pitch up. You might find a different tie point will give you better pitch for your plane, but the base of any of the big struts will be strong enough.
 
Thanks for the feedback.

Most of the time a solo operation and flat, shallow slope land.

I am thinking either long ramps (to keep heels/rudders clear of ground) or the lifting method would work fine ..
 
Re float planes & trailers....
I know a guy who was using a trailer towed behind a car to launch his floatplane,
off a rather short-ish, bumpy-ish strip.
On one of the bumps, the plane bounced one float off the side of the trailer.
As you can imagine, things didn't turn out well.
So be careful.
 
Any method of launching a float plane other than taking off in the water carries a lot of luck and risk. You win some and you lose some. Been there done that, both. A bumpy-ish strip of any length would not be on my list of attempts.
 
Any method of launching a float plane other than taking off in the water carries a lot of luck and risk. You win some and you lose some. Been there done that, both. A bumpy-ish strip of any length would not be on my list of attempts.

Wise words.

As I have aged, not all with grace, I have discovered that often the method in which takes the least amount of physical effort is usually the easiest on equipment and your body.

While I have been known to taxi up onto a snow pile that sat above the deck of the trailer, then used a come-a-long to bring the plane into position, the amount of stress on the unsupported tail of the trailer and risk of the hitch letting go was high. (Did this once when caught in a storm and all water exits were frozen).

A day's rental on a high reach forklift to simply lift the plane by it's designed lifting eyes, and backing a trailer under will lower your blood pressure and possibly the amount of repairs required.

Just because we can or have did not make it a good idea.
 
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