Performance

Operational performance and safety are significantly improved, both of the towplane and for gliders:

With a 60% increase in static thrust, ground acceleration is far higher. This makes wing-running impossible, immediately achieving aileron authority so wing drop is considerably less likely.
Higher climb rate enables end-fence clearance to be substantially increased ensuring safe return to the departure runway in the event of a tug failure.
Fuel injection means that mixture adjustment and carburettor fires are things of the past. Immediate starts are normal.
The pilot has no shock-cooling instruments to monitor, so the descent can be done with eyes constantly outside checking circuit traffic.
No lead is added to the atmosphere.
eTug is more fun to fly While it flies like a Lycoming-engined PA-25, the increased climb and substantially increased descent rate with deliberate engine-off landings are enjoyable and encourage pilots to develop skills in flying even more efficiently

When we embarked on the eTug journey, we looked in some detail at the aircraft types that were available for consideration as glider tugs. To download or view a copy of the analysis and comparison document, click on the link

here

For a look at how the first eTug - VH-CUR - went into service as a tug at GCV Benalla, download or view the document

here