Welcome Guest. Sign in or Signup

2 Answers

The right way to pull an airplane

Asked by: 3722 views
General Aviation, Private Pilot

Every time I pull my airplane out of the hangar, I fill like I don't know where to put my hand except the bar connected to the front wheel. I read that pulling the airplane by the propeller is a very bad habit but in the same time I see many people doing it. What would be your recommendations about the proper way to pull an airplane? That sounds like a stupid question (again from me) but I really don't want to hurt the airplane!

Ace Any FAA Written Test!
Actual FAA Questions / Free Lifetime Updates
The best explanations in the business
Fast, efficient study.
Pass Your Checkride With Confidence!
FAA Practical Test prep that reflects actual checkrides.
Any checkride: Airplane, Helicopter, Glider, etc.
Written and maintained by actual pilot examiners and master CFIs.
The World's Most Trusted eLogbook
Be Organized, Current, Professional, and Safe.
Highly customizable - for student pilots through pros.
Free Transition Service for users of other eLogs.
Our sincere thanks to pilots such as yourself who support AskACFI while helping themselves by using the awesome PC, Mac, iPhone/iPad, and Android aviation apps of our sponsors.

2 Answers

  1. Best Answer


    Kris Kortokrax on Jan 17, 2015

    The propeller creates thrust which pulls the airplane through the air. I doubt that the force required to overcome rolling resistance with properly inflated tires would overstress the propeller or crankshaft.

    However, if one were to move the propeller in the plane of rotation while pulling the airplane and the mags are not off (or there is a broken P lead), the engine could start and injure you.

    The best way to move the airplane is with the towbar. It only takes a minute to hook it up.

    +1 Votes Thumb up 1 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  2. Bidochon on Jan 17, 2015

    Thanks Kris. Of course, I forgot about the P lead.
    I’m already using the towbar but used to have one hand on the twobar and another on the propeller… I will keep both hands on the towbar in the future.

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes


The following terms have been auto-detected the question above and any answers or discussion provided. Click on a term to see its definition from the Dauntless Aviation JargonBuster Glossary.

Answer Question

Our sincere thanks to all who contribute constructively to this forum in answering flight training questions. If you are a flight instructor or represent a flight school / FBO offering flight instruction, you are welcome to include links to your site and related contact information as it pertains to offering local flight instruction in a specific geographic area. Additionally, direct links to FAA and related official government sources of information are welcome. However we thank you for your understanding that links to other sites or text that may be construed as explicit or implicit advertising of other business, sites, or goods/services are not permitted even if such links nominally are relevant to the question asked.