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Best Tugs: Advanced Towing
by Rich Pickett
We are fortunate in aviation to have a number of innovative companies to support our industry. One company in particular caught my eye a couple of years ago as I searched for a replace- ment tug for my aircraft. I scoured numerous options but upon approaching Best Tugs at
EAA AirVenture in 2017, I selected their electric Best Tugs Bravo 5. After seeing the whole product line, I felt they broke the mold on a product we owner-pilots all utilize.
Best Tugs, based in Spanish Forks, Utah, was launched in 2015 by broth- ers Mark and Mike Petey, both en- gineers. The pair had recently sold their electric hybrid transportation design and manufacturing business, Prodigy Engineering – a company known for high quality, and very unique, electric vehicle propulsion sys- tems. Mark and Mike have always had a passion for aviation, having built 13 airplanes as well as owned and piloted a variety of aircraft including light jets and helicopters.
The brothers became interested in building tugs when they realized they were moving high-value aircraft with relatively basic equipment. Mark’s wife Suzy, also a pilot, found it a hassle to move her SR22 using a basic tug into a tight hangar. Being pragmatic, Mark knew there had to be a way to develop a more advanced tug.
They built their first version, the B5 which is capable of towing 5,600 pounds, in a shop by their house. The
official launch of their tug was in April 2016 at Sun ‘n Fun in Lakeland, Florida. Mike and Mark originally estimated they would build and sell 3 to 5 per month. Today however, they produce 3 to 5 per day, and have expanded to their third manufacturing facility within two years.
A Tug for Almost Any Aircraft
Best Tugs now offers five major prod- uct lines: Alpha, Bravo, Echo, Romeo, and the latest, Sierra which is under development. Within each product line, there are models with varying load capacities and capabilities, along with a variety of options including cup hold- ers, helicopter lifts, air compressors and even fire extinguishers.
The Echo series sports an all-weather touch panel to control the tug’s numerous features.
24 • TWIN & TURBINE
February 2019
PHOTO BY AUTHOR
PHOTO COURTESY OF BEST TUGS
