New Caravan and hauling airplanes

[Bob Reeves]

Anyone else moved from a 4th generation Caravan or T&C to the later one and discovered they made the rear hatch allot smaller. Think it's all the motorized hatch stuff I don't have on my 05 but sure makes it difficult to use the rack I had in my 05 in my 2013. Trying to get ready for the Brodak trip and right now it looks like I'll just have to stack airplanes in the best way I can.

So how do you haul two big stunt ships in your 2011 to 2014 Caravan or T&C?

[john e. holliday]

I stack planes on top of all the luggage with blankets between the planes.

[John Stiles]

So how do you haul two big stunt ships in your 2011 to 2014 Caravan or T&C?

A small u-haul trailer?

[peabody]

I have a rack similar to the one that Mike Ostella uses...

[Gerald Arana]

I use my Oddyssey...........

Jerry

[Frank Imbriaco]

My 2001 Oydssey was a fantastic airplane mover. Swallowed ukies and my 35% Carden with ease. Bicycles and more to the Jersey Shore.
But, after 12 years, I bid her goodbye for something new
A Jeep   Wrangler JKU- roomy, but nowhere near as. But the tradeoff is a softtop that gives way to  practical and fun open air motoring. Something I always wanted. Almost like flying !

That said, if the next Odyssey has fold in floor seats, I'll try to convince  the wife get one and borrow it for the big trips.

[Gerald Arana]

Frank,

The back seats fold almost flat (about an inch from level) and I haven't tried to get the middle seats out yet (It's a '14 bought in Dec.). On my 2000 Odyssey the seats fold flat and the middle two come out easily although they are heavy. Sparky, you'd hate that because I know you like light!

When the need arises I'll figure out or ask how the seats come out. But until then I'll refrain from getting a hernia!

Tight lines, Jerry

[Frank Imbriaco]

Jerry:
As you've discovered , Odysseys are quality through and through. I found the middle seats heavy for routine in and out , so I left them out for 10 years and my herniated L4-L5  disc and old hernia repairs thanked me for it.

Good luck with the 2014 !

Regards,
Frank

[Joseph Patterson]

    Bob, as the DOC says the blanket method on top of luggage, or whatever works very good. Someone here on the forum, I believe, Dan McEntee, used the blanket deal for years to haul 7-10 planes to contests when they were involved in racing, stunt, and other events. My flying Buddy and I have used the blankets to carry planes to contests in a Ford P/U and a 2010 Odyssey van with no problems. In the future I'll keep doing it. It ain't pretty and it ain't cool, but it works. They even stay put during a panic stop!
              Doug  

[Paul Taylor]

I would not recommend the blanket stacking method with more then a few planes.  We did that with about ten planes   The weight of all the blankets and porky planes seems to put a little stress on the bottom of the pile. 

[Bill Heher]

1 sheet of 4 x 8 x 2" white foam from home depot, an electric craving knife and a shop vac - keep the shop vac going and use the electric knife to carve and shape in place a pair or 2 of multi slot cradles that will hold then nose down and wingspan running front to back.
I know with with a bit of planning you can get 1/2 a dozen in a 2 door Explorer, so a T&C should be no problem. if needed you can make a cardboard and lath strip shelf to slide you luggage under on the floor and put the cradle / shelf on top for the planes.

[Scott Richlen]

Find yourselves either a used GMC Safari or used Chevrolet Astrovan.  Unless you buy a full-sized van ($$$$), you won't find a larger space for hauling airplanes.  It is bigger than the Caravans, any of the Toyotas or Nissans, or Fords.  It has a wider and taller space than either the Tahoe or the Suburban.

Scott

[Guy B Jr]

Bill,
Could you show a photo of how the finished foam sheet looks?

[Bill Heher]

Don't have pics, sorry. I made some for the Exploder,  but trashed them when done.
Think about a pair of big dish washer racks or wide tooth combs side by side about 18-14" apart, made of foam that hold the planes by the leading edge with the nose down/ tail up. You can adjust size, shape and spacing of vertical "teeth" to fit and hold plane where you want them

Some towels or rags taped to the foam will give you extra cushion, if you want you could make a couple cross braces from foam and tab/ slot them in place to keep the spacing between the 2  combs constant.

[Mike_Ostella]

Open the Photo in Peabody's post earlier in this string and blow it up. It shows how the slots in the foam holds the wing while the nose of the plane rests on the protective carpet that I put in the van.  If you remove your landing gear you can fill all the slots, otherwise, for less hassle of removing L.G. I just take fewer planes and space the planes out. When I bought my Van, I brought the Hawker Hunter  with me to the dealer. The biggest challenge was clearing the storage console they have in the ceiling of the Van. The Hawker just made it in. If you need a photo of the rack out of the van, let me know and I'll take one for you.
Mike Ostella

[Randy Cuberly]

Open the Photo in Peabody's post earlier in this string and blow it up. It shows how the slots in the foam holds the wing while the nose of the plane rests on the protective carpet that I put in the van.  If you remove your landing gear you can fill all the slots, otherwise, for less hassle of removing L.G. I just take fewer planes and space the planes out. When I bought my Van, I brought the Hawker Hunter  with me to the dealer. The biggest challenge was clearing the storage console they have in the ceiling of the Van. The Hawker just made it in. If you need a photo of the rack out of the van, let me know and I'll take one for you.
Mike Ostella

Hi Mike,
I used a rack just like this for many years that I got from our mutual Buddy Lou Wolgast.  I guess somebody from that neck of the woods had something to do with it...You maybe?

Works great and is very easy to put in the van and remove quickly.

Thanks,
Randy Cuberly

[Mike_Ostella]

Yes Randy, I believe Bob Hunt and Lou Wolgast came up with the concept, and there was no shortage of foam board at Hunt's shop.
Cheers, Mike

[Jim Kraft]

What do you use in the foam slots to cushion the wing? I see something in there on Peabody's picture but cannot tell what it is. I would think the white foam would be a little harsh on wings without a cushion of some sort.

[Mike_Ostella]

Yes Jim,
Foam rubber in the slots
Check the photo
Mike

[Jim Kraft]

Thanks Mike. That picture as they say is worth a thousand words.

[john e. holliday]

You should be here at Brodaks to see all the different ways of doing hauling of planes and equipment.   My carrier has he rear seat all to it self,   

[Mike_Ostella]

Doc, I have seen many of them, at Brodak's and elsewhere as well. I have been using this one since '03. I believe Hunt and Wolgast made the first of it's kind @ '79.
Mine has a lot of slots so that more planes can fit with the landing gears removed. (all my planes have removable LG)

Jim, If it ever stops raining here I'll take photos of it positioned in my 2011 T&C.

Cheers
Mike

[Shug Emery]

I like that foam plane holder. Gonna have to make one for my sexy lil' mini-van. Terrific idea.
My fleet is expanding....
Great thread.

[Bob Reeves]

Made it to Brodak's and back using the blanket method, worked out ok, no airplane damage but for next year I will be building a custom rack for the van.

I know everyone is proud of whatever make van they purchased but I'll stay with Chrysler/Dodge. You can't beat the bang for the buck and all the others are just copying what Chrysler does. I've owned 4 Caravans, the 94 went 260,000 without anything major and as far as I know it's still going. The 05 my wife drives only has 40,000 but so far no issues, the 2013 is simply an animal. That 260+ horse V-6 is a monster, we averaged 25 mpg over the 2000 mile trip running 75 to 80 mph. Thanks but no thanks I'll keep my Dodge.