We hear a bad news about the aging pilot population and its effect on the decline of general aviation. For one segment of the market, aging is, in the short run, a good thing. Aircraft tug sales are up because pilots who used to be willing to shove their airplanes up uneven ramps into hangars have decided that doing so isn’t as easy as it used to be. The airplane’s obviously been getting heavier, so it’s time to buy a tug.
We surveyed available tugs for airplanes weighing up to 6000 pounds and found a wide variety with competitive prices. Battery-powered tugs are increasingly popular because of simplicity of operation and improved battery technology. We also found that the combination of the airplane and the environment means that no one size fits all when it comes to selecting a tug. What may work for a Bonanza on a flat ramp in Tucson may not for that airplane on a sloping ramp in Duluth.