We're looking at buying a new Lektro tug/gpu unit....are they any good? would like to know how they are in the winter....and reliability and parts? any comments would be appreciated!
Would like to speak to someone on the phone about them so pls msg me ...thanks.
LEKTRO TUGS....GOOD BAD?
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AEROMONKEY
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turbine works fine
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lektro tugs are a great asset to have when it comes to aircraft moving. They work extremly well in the winter with chains on the front tires. I believe yale forklifts can provide servicing for them.....but all in all...an excellent tool to have. You need some time to adapte to the steering of the unit, but it comes quick. We move everything from challenger, Falcons, DASHs, Saabs down to 172`s..
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invertedattitude
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Lektros
I used lektros for 5 years, they were pretty solid units. Depending on which a/c your planning on moving you may need to invest in a small arsenal of add on bits in order to more your aircraft properly, as the scoop of the unit, combined with poor operator technique has damaged more then a few sensitive nose wheel assemblies in its day.
I've seen the batteries give lots of juice all the way down to -25 or so, but the note above about chains on the fronts is a good point, the tires aint worth diddly on ice. They work in all weather, but dont leave them parked in the rain if you can avoid it. We had an incident once where water got into the electric throttle control, and it failed to full throttle while trying to put a kingair into the barn, driving it into another a/c
Those are about the only bad points I can think of, they were solid units in my mind.
Oh and if you get a stand up unit as soon as it arrives rip the arm rests off or tape them out of the way, the only purpose they serve is to stab you in the kidneys every time you try to get off it.
I've seen the batteries give lots of juice all the way down to -25 or so, but the note above about chains on the fronts is a good point, the tires aint worth diddly on ice. They work in all weather, but dont leave them parked in the rain if you can avoid it. We had an incident once where water got into the electric throttle control, and it failed to full throttle while trying to put a kingair into the barn, driving it into another a/c
Those are about the only bad points I can think of, they were solid units in my mind.
Oh and if you get a stand up unit as soon as it arrives rip the arm rests off or tape them out of the way, the only purpose they serve is to stab you in the kidneys every time you try to get off it.
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Ernie Cryinghead
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5400AirportRdSouth
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Good point on the armrests tdawe, completely useless.
The sitdown model is nice and all, but the little standup can pretty much do the same job, right up to challenger size a/c.
Batteries can die if not charged as per Lektros' recommendations, particularly during break-in. Eventually they just wont hold a charge for more than an hour or two of use...
A few a/c do not like the lektro, the only one I can think of off the top of my head is the LJ45, as it has a funny little nosewheel steering piece that the strap tends to mangle. I've seen more than one crew refuse the lektro and request a tug/tow bar...usually due to " this one time in wisconson, the line guys ....blah blah blah... "
Towing is a lot easier and more responsive to steering inputs, IMHO, so training the guys to use it should be quicker/easier.
oh yeah, and when the boss is away you can play Lektro Rodeo and see who can surf the deck while in a high speed, full tilt turn and stay on...yeeehaaw!
5400
The sitdown model is nice and all, but the little standup can pretty much do the same job, right up to challenger size a/c.
Batteries can die if not charged as per Lektros' recommendations, particularly during break-in. Eventually they just wont hold a charge for more than an hour or two of use...
A few a/c do not like the lektro, the only one I can think of off the top of my head is the LJ45, as it has a funny little nosewheel steering piece that the strap tends to mangle. I've seen more than one crew refuse the lektro and request a tug/tow bar...usually due to " this one time in wisconson, the line guys ....blah blah blah... "
Towing is a lot easier and more responsive to steering inputs, IMHO, so training the guys to use it should be quicker/easier.
oh yeah, and when the boss is away you can play Lektro Rodeo and see who can surf the deck while in a high speed, full tilt turn and stay on...yeeehaaw!
5400
I was pushing a PC12 out of the hangar with the stand-up model once and had a scary experience.
Another guy (new guy - that I had trained) had hooked up the aircraft but wasn't comfortable pushing it through the hangar door. So I jumped on and headed out.
When the tug hit the bump at the door threshold the nose gear tire jumped up and out of the scoop. The nylon strap and handle wasn't locked properly and the ramp was on a slope so the PC12 started rolling backwards down the apron toward other planes picking up speed.
The handle was spinning too fast to grab it, and there was no one at the brakes so all I could do was watch and wonder if the strap would hold when the 12 go to the end of it's leash, or if the tug was heavy enough to stop the airplane.
Luckily, when the strap completely unwound everything held and the airplane jerked to a stop about 10 feet from another aircraft. In the 20 seconds it took for all of this to happen I had already re-written my resume in my head.
This had nothing to do with the quality of the tug and everything to do with not having anyone at the brakes of a towed aircraft and not checking the lock on the strap.
Another guy (new guy - that I had trained) had hooked up the aircraft but wasn't comfortable pushing it through the hangar door. So I jumped on and headed out.
When the tug hit the bump at the door threshold the nose gear tire jumped up and out of the scoop. The nylon strap and handle wasn't locked properly and the ramp was on a slope so the PC12 started rolling backwards down the apron toward other planes picking up speed.
The handle was spinning too fast to grab it, and there was no one at the brakes so all I could do was watch and wonder if the strap would hold when the 12 go to the end of it's leash, or if the tug was heavy enough to stop the airplane.
Luckily, when the strap completely unwound everything held and the airplane jerked to a stop about 10 feet from another aircraft. In the 20 seconds it took for all of this to happen I had already re-written my resume in my head.
This had nothing to do with the quality of the tug and everything to do with not having anyone at the brakes of a towed aircraft and not checking the lock on the strap.
Most of what's here is spot on, but I have a few points. I worked with lektros, both the stand up and sit downs for a couple years and we used them to move everything from C206s all the way up to MD80s and 727s. As for the rain comment, if we ran our Lektros in the YVR rain all the time, often they'd get left out overnight, and they never gave us any problems. As with any towing unit, drivers should double check the hookup before they move at all. I would say one of the downsides of the lektro is that it makes it almost too easy to move stuff so its easy to get complacent. They're versatile and capable machines though.
As for the Lear 45 thing, you can get a tow-head that attaches to the Lektro cable that will let you safely tow one no problem. There are similar heads for falcons. The last point, their performance in snow is piss-poor without chains. Operating in YVR we never put chains on them but we did get snow every once in a while and it was an adventure. If you have some weights lying around you can stack them on top of the drive wheels too and that helps.
Overall great machines. They required little servicing and the battery held decently in cold weather, the only time I seriously depleted it in one tow was towing a fully fueled G5 ~10,000 ft in -15 degrees when it wasn't charged the night before. Its easy for new people to learn to drive them (have them practice with helicopter pads), and they can handle just about anything.
As for the Lear 45 thing, you can get a tow-head that attaches to the Lektro cable that will let you safely tow one no problem. There are similar heads for falcons. The last point, their performance in snow is piss-poor without chains. Operating in YVR we never put chains on them but we did get snow every once in a while and it was an adventure. If you have some weights lying around you can stack them on top of the drive wheels too and that helps.
Overall great machines. They required little servicing and the battery held decently in cold weather, the only time I seriously depleted it in one tow was towing a fully fueled G5 ~10,000 ft in -15 degrees when it wasn't charged the night before. Its easy for new people to learn to drive them (have them practice with helicopter pads), and they can handle just about anything.
I used one when I was working on line crews in YHM, both companies were FBO's, so the largest we ever towed with one was a Global 5000, but it handled it no problem (that time was a larger sit down tug). I also towed with the gas tug, I found Lektro to be safer, more reliable, more responsive and more useful than the gas tug. I also found it looked more professional than the old gas tug.
As for the Lear 45, we had one show up one day, I think it was a holiday, the person on shift wasn't signed off for towing, so I got called in. I got on the Lektro, pull up to the plane and the co pilot said I had to use the gas tug. I start to head away and the pic says it's ok to use the Lektro, so I do. I put it in the hangar, no damage caused, now that I'm in the light while I'm unhooking it I can see a sticker that said something to the effect of "the use of towbarless tugs is not recommended and voids the warranty". After that I never did that again! However at the other company I worked for we had an adapter that allowed us to use a towbar on the Lektro, worked out quite well, you just have to reteach yourself on how to tow!
If I had the choice I'd always use a Lektro, however, like I said before, all my experience has been with small to medium sized aircraft. If you're towing anything like a Piper Meridean or a Sikorsky (spelling?) S-76 you will need a special extension adapter to prevent damage to the a/c, I don't know if that comes standard with the tug or not.
As for the Lear 45, we had one show up one day, I think it was a holiday, the person on shift wasn't signed off for towing, so I got called in. I got on the Lektro, pull up to the plane and the co pilot said I had to use the gas tug. I start to head away and the pic says it's ok to use the Lektro, so I do. I put it in the hangar, no damage caused, now that I'm in the light while I'm unhooking it I can see a sticker that said something to the effect of "the use of towbarless tugs is not recommended and voids the warranty". After that I never did that again! However at the other company I worked for we had an adapter that allowed us to use a towbar on the Lektro, worked out quite well, you just have to reteach yourself on how to tow!
If I had the choice I'd always use a Lektro, however, like I said before, all my experience has been with small to medium sized aircraft. If you're towing anything like a Piper Meridean or a Sikorsky (spelling?) S-76 you will need a special extension adapter to prevent damage to the a/c, I don't know if that comes standard with the tug or not.
