Devon Tandberg

     In general aviation, tow bars are a necessity for every pilot and every plane. The ability for a pilot to maneuver their aircraft much easier on the ground either prior to starting the engine, or after engine shutdown, allows for a plane to be in the correct and safest position both for the plane, the pilot, people, buildings, and other objects in the vicinity of the area.  

     Tow bars in aviation come in 2 main designs. The main design is a piece of metal with an attachment side that connects to a plane, and allows you to push, pull, and turn the plane using one’s own strength. This design is nice because these designs are small and light, and thus can be stored in the plane and taken with the pilot on trips. The second design is something called a tug, which is a much larger, electrically powered version of a tow bar. This design allows the user to have a much easier time maneuvering their airplane because all the work is down through a motor instead of the pilot doing all the work. However, these designs are big and heavy, and thus can’t be taken with the pilot on trips, it can only be stored elsewhere and used only in that location. They are also exceptionally heavy, making them much less common in general aviation.

     The goal of this project is to find a way to combine these two designs. Create a device that is light weight and can be stored in an aircraft, but still electrically powered so the pilot has a much easier time maneuvering the aircraft as well.