MONTY THE ANSWER MAN ARCHIVE...
Trailering a Swift

OK GANG, WRITE THESE NUMBERS DOWN AND KEEP THEM HANDY... (010400)
From: "Thomas N. Veres" <airbum@hotmail.com>
Subject: Dimensions of Swift Landing gear.
Hi, My Name is Thom Veres and I am a new member of the Swift Club on Yahoo.Com . I was told that I could E-Mail You and possibly get the information that I need so that I can transport a Swift by trailer so I can get the Darn Thing Home. What I need is the dimensions of the main gear inside Right to inside Left and the C/L measurement main wheel to main wheel. The dimensions of C/L of the main axles to the C/L of the tail wheel axle. Also the Length of the plane with the Horizontal and Vertical Feathers Removed to the Front of the Propeller Hub. And Last of All the diminution of the aircraft width from the ends of the wing attach point to wing attach point. If you can please help me find this information it would be very helpful for preparation for my 700 mile trek to get her home this coming weekend. I will be more than grateful for your help. THANK YOU MUCH, Thom Veres

(Following reply from guest "Answer Man" Don Bartholomew <spectro@nanosecond.com>
Hi Tom,
Here are the dimensions you requested. Main gear inside Right to inside Left 105.5" The C/L measurement main wheel to main wheel. 117" The dimensions of C/L of the main axles to the C/L of the tail wheel axle. 160" Also the Length of the plane with the Horizontal and Vertical Feathers Removed to the Front of the Propeller Hub. 221" And Last of All the diminution of the aircraft width from the ends of the wing attach point to wing attach point. 127" For transporting a Swift, I: Remove the outer wing panels, and put a piece of angle iron on the center section wing attach points on one side to use as a foot. Bolt a 3' piece of angle to the wing attach point on the other side to attach tie straps to. Turn the plane knife edge on the trailer. Put a tail stand under the aft fuselage. Tie everything down.  I do it this was so I don't have to deal with oversize permits and restrictions and I feel it is more stable than carrying it on a 45 degree angle. There are a couple of pictures of my setup on Denis' GTS Homepage. Good Luck, Don

SWIFTS ON TRAILERS... (040200)
Snap Lemon, Athens, TN, is doing a lot of work lately picking up Swifts for Swiftworks. His current rig of choice involves a 2001 Dodge Pick-Up with a 24 valve, turbo charged, 359 cu.in. inline 6 cylinder Cummings diesel. The trailer is a custom built 20 footer built by Snap. According to Snap the rig, with a Swift on board the trailer, pulls with no effort at all "at any speed" while maintaining 19 mpg. Said Snap...

"A Swift can be EASILY loaded by ONE person with this trailer. And for some reason being 10.3" wide is NOT bothered by any Highway Patrolman. Have even had them ask me about the plane in truck stops and gas stations in six states. They have followed me, passed me, and waved to me. But never stooped me. Flat hauling (as opposed to canted) is the best and safest way to haul a Swift, and it is the only way you can haul one with the engine on"

To see the photo of Snaps current set-up with Globe Swift s/n 4 on board, go to the GTS Homepage and the section "The Swift In Words & Pictures". Click on "Swift Photo Essays" where you will then find the "Swifts On Trailers" photo essay. Or, you can link direct by typing the following address in your browser... http://www.napanet.net/~arbeau/swift/trailer.htm

HERE'S A VOTE FOR TRAILERING SWIFTS SIDEWAYS...(040300)
From: "Dick Marlow" <dick@themarlows.com>
Subject: RE: April #2 GTS Internet Update
Hi Dennis, I do not think the following "SWIFTS ON TRAILERS" article is correct. I was able to easily load my Swift sideways on my trailer and had no problem moving it 400 miles behind a Ford F150 and was road legal all the way. I also had to climb from sea level to 5200' through the mountains. My only speed restriction was the posted speed limits and the hills I had to climb. I personally think this is absolutely the best way to move a Swift. It is easy to load, requires very little special equipment, is safe and most of all absolutely "LEGAL". Of course I did not get MPH as I was driving a California gasoline powered truck. -- Dick Marlow

HAVE PICKUP... WILL TOW... (080200)
From: P51pilot44@cs.com
Subject: Transporting Swifts
My Grandfather and I planning to transports his Swift soon and need some help. We want to move it about 3 miles from the airport to his garage. He's got the wings off, and were planning to put the engine on before we move the Swift for better access and maintenance. I would like to know the best and safest way to transport it with the engine on it. He doesn't have a trailer to put it on, so were thinking of towing it behind us on the main gear the the tailwheel propped up on the tailgate at 4:00 in the morning. Were wondering, though, if we are going to have enough clearance for the Vertical and horizontal stabilizers. Thanks a lot, Austin Smith

Austin,
For a short trip like that I have put the tailwheel up on a pickup truck tailgate and transported a Swift on it's own wheels. Use caution when turning to avoid hitting the stabilizer on the sides of the pickup. Also the stabilizer is about 10' wide, so be careful. I live about 1 1/2 mi from the Lake Elmo airport and have brought a lot of Swifts home to work on them. Be sure the brakes are not dragging. I once pulled one 20 some miles on its own wheels and removed the brake disks first. -- Jim

TRAILERING A SWIFT...(JAN 04)
From: Tim Mitchell <Flynhitim@aol.com>
Subject: Swift's on trailers
What I'd like to know if how they got those Swift, loaded on the gear like that, I need to go pick up the Swift I just purchased in Calf. and get it loaded like that for the trip home to AZ, A friend of mine said I should retract the gear and haul it on its belly on top of two mattresses? Any thought or ideas? Tim

Tim
I've done it all ways. When the gear was torn off, I put them on their belly on a mattress or old car tires. When I trailered them flat I usually left the gear down and off to the side of the trailer and did the same thing. As I got older, I got more afraid of getting a ticket for an over width load, so I either tipped the Swift up at an angle or removed the centersection. Removing the centersection is a LOT of work. To get the Swift up at an angle, I have used a hoist, an auto tow truck, and just plain manpower. (with the engine and wings removed a Swift is not so awful heavy) Study the photos in "Swifts on Trailers". -- Jim