Airport move tip

[trib]

Just moved my RV-6A project to the airport after painting. My wife is looking forward to parking in the garage after its use as an aircraft manufacturing facility for the past 18 years (only 12 years for the RV. The move was easy, renting a 26' U-Haul truck for $40 plus another $30 for mileage. I followed someone's previous post and built two ramps for the main wheels and used the truck's 8' ramp for the nose wheel.

Here's the tip-- the main gear ramps need to be longer than the nose wheel ramp

With equal length ramps, the nose gear starts up the center ramp first, since it leads the main gear by about 4 feet. Before the main gear reach their ramps, the tail contacts the ground from the change in attitude. Double .

Make your main gear ramps 12' long and they work nicely with the 8' long truck ramp used for the nose wheel. Looking back at photos from other RV moves, I can see the ramps are longer, but this wasn't pointed out and I didn't catch it. Hopefully, this will save someone else a quick trip to Home Depot for longer boards. I used 2x10" boards 12' long. A 2x4" board was screwed at about the center of each ramp and run vertically to the ground to minimize the flex. Clamp the top end to the truck so it doesn't move when the plane is on the lower half of the ramp, as a result of the flex.

[rbibb]

Depending on the mileage to the airport hiring a flatbed wrecker might prove easier. I moved my RV-4 acouple of times that way.

[frankh]

you get those those priceless.."OMG theres and airplane going down the road" looks from other drivers..Fortunately using a wrecker its up high so they can't normally drve into the airframe!

I used a friends trailer for the two airplane moves I did..This is a little scary cus other drivers are definately distracted from the road..We had a car both in front and behind the rig to prived a mobile crash buffer..

Frank

[MrNomad]

I have a simple solution to the problem and used it once to transport my 9A from San Diego (300++ miles) to Tucson.

I assume the wings are off and the gear is mounted. If you have access to a fork lift and a flat bed car trailer, lift the airplane from the engine mount and a band under the belly further back.

Of course, RV wheels are wider than most flat bed trailers so create a cradle out of box steel that spans the trailer. Mig weld the cradle to the trailer and then cut the cradle off when you are done.

Once the plane is on the trailer, deflate the RV tires, secure them to the cradle (which is narrower than the tire) using tow straps, and then re-inflate the RV tires which will secure the wheels into the cradle.

If you cannot locate a fork lift, any small tractor or backhoe will suffice to lift the plane or 6 strong buddies.

The border guards flipped out when we crossed from CA to AZ @ 1:30am and everyone who passed us gawked like crazy.

Here is a photo WITHOUT the trailer straps that we used to hold the wheels/tires into the cradle.

Barry
Tucson

[allbee]

Oh come on, this is the only way to do it. cost me 75 dollars to move it 7 miles.

[Rupester]

You got a bargain, Steve! That same rig is $200 minimum here for moving an aerioplane ... after you sign all the waivers they require.

[tinman]

The flatbed was $125 here in Charleston, SC for 10 miles. There were no waivers to sign. I called around until I got someone who started asking me questions which indicated that he knew about moving airplanes. Once I pulled the trigger, they made the job look simple. The boss told the driver that there were to be NO chains involved...he wanted no steel against the plane. All the tie-downs were nylon webbing. Mine is a taildragger, so we winched her up backwards. I fashioned rudder control locks out of 3/4" pvc pipe encased in foam pipe insulation which kept the rudder from wrenching over.

[Rick6a]

Originally Posted by Rupester

You got a bargain, Steve! That same rig is $200 minimum here for moving an aerioplane ... after you sign all the waivers they require.

$200? That sounds excessive. How far was the distance? When I had the -6A moved in 2005 the cost for the 15 mile trip to the airport was $100. Sure, over time prices do go up yet the cost to move the -8 last year was only $145 and neither time was I required to sign any waivers. I would think responsible wrecker firms have insurance. Same truck, different drivers and both requested a picture hauling their first airplane.

http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...ad.php?t=31584

[allbee]

Originally Posted by tinman

The flatbed was $125 here in Charleston, SC for 10 miles. There were no waivers to sign. I called around until I got someone who started asking me questions which indicated that he knew about moving airplanes. Once I pulled the trigger, they made the job look simple. The boss told the driver that there were to be NO chains involved...he wanted no steel against the plane. All the tie-downs were nylon webbing. Mine is a taildragger, so we winched her up backwards. I fashioned rudder control locks out of 3/4" pvc pipe encased in foam pipe insulation which kept the rudder from wrenching over.

I took some rags and forced them into the rudder, held it nice and tight. I later drilled a couple 1/4 holes in the stop and cable horn for inserting a desk handle, real slick. But at the time of transport, a couple rags worked great.

[Bugs66]

A friend's RV7. Wings nested in back. UHaul works.