Tugs
The club has 2 tow planes that are used for aero-towing.
VH-MRP is a Callair and was originally designed for crop spraying. Because of its excellent power-to-weight ratio and rugged design, it is an excellent glider tug. It is powered by a Lycoming 235HP engine.
VH-FOO is a Piper Pawnee and, like the Callair, was originally built for crop spraying. It also has a 235hp Lycoming engine.
Both tugs offer fast and efficient towing up to 2,500ft agl or higher, while at the same time allowing the club flexibility in scheduling maintenance around operational requirements. In busy periods two tugs also give us the capacity to cope with increased demand for tows. During regattas, competitions and training camps, the club also has the ability to bring in extra tugs from Bathurst, Armidale or Warwick in Queensland.
Winch
Although the club predominantly uses aerotow launches, it does have a winch which is regularly used.
The winch was built by club member Harry Medlicott in 2009 and is powered by a 454 cubic inch V8 motor with a Hurst gearbox. The winch is equipped with dyneema winch cable which allows tows to an average of 1,600ft for a two seater and 1,800ft for single seater. The winch is generally used on club winch weekends or it can be used in the extremely rare event that both tow planes are unserviceable.