I think I'm going to try flyties. Now just need a lightweight hammer to drive them in with.

tcj wrote:

1SeventyZ wrote:If it starts blowing too hard, you can always tuck the wings on that Avid

That's what I plan to do if ever caught out in a high wind. Raising the tail up would be the best...I think. The wings have a high angle of attack lengthwise when folded with the tail on the ground. Then tie all three wheels down.

Wings folded, Tail up

Impressive rig.....
Take a two place snowmobile trailer, lenghten the tongue with a channel shaped beam that contains the tailwheel, add a winch, make some lighweight ramps and walla....... One nice set up.......

Congrats.

Ben.

AvidFlyer wrote:I think I'm going to try flyties. Now just need a lightweight hammer to drive them in with.

I have those, but haven't used them yet. I got a small hatchet to fit in the bag with the tie downs, so I can use the back end to hammer in the stakes, or use the hatchet for getting fire wood or whatever else might need cutting if I'm out in the sticks.

Tadpole wrote:

AvidFlyer wrote:I think I'm going to try flyties. Now just need a lightweight hammer to drive them in with.

I have those, but haven't used them yet. I got a small hatchet to fit in the bag with the tie downs, so I can use the back end to hammer in the stakes, or use the hatchet for getting fire wood or whatever else might need cutting if I'm out in the sticks.

+1.

once&futr_alaskaflyer wrote:+1.

Woo! I got a bonus point!

Tadpole wrote:

once&futr_alaskaflyer wrote:+1.

Woo! I got a bonus point!

I was just thinking that you would be hard pressed to make a kit much lighter or more compact than the Flyties. Corkscrews wouldn't need a hammer or hatchet I suppose.

AvidFlyer wrote:Now just need a lightweight hammer to drive them in with.

Avid

I once worked on an overseas construction site where I met a guy who was the bouncer at the Korean Club. I saw him once drive a big nail through a 2x4 with his forehead. OK, he did put a folded up towel over the nail first, but you get the picture.

Just a thought.. but then again... that guy would weigh a lot more than a hammer, and by the time you added in the towel...

nah, forget about it.

BTW: To my recollection, they never had ANY trouble at the Korean Club.

YB

once&futr_alaskaflyer wrote:I was just thinking that you would be hard pressed to make a kit much lighter or more compact than the Flyties. Corkscrews wouldn't need a hammer or hatchet I suppose.

And I don't even have a plane!

Home made tiedowns..1/2 steel rod 20" long with chain links welded on..2 lb sledge..works well for many years. HC

Hello Backcountry Pilots,
Here is my "poor man's" version of tie-downs made with 1/2 inch threaded stock. Got everything I needed from the local Ace Hardware. There is no welding required, however I wish I could weld like HC. These work a lot better in rocky soil than the "dog screw" type.

I got the claw hammer at Harbor Freight for about $4, so my tie-down kit cost me less than $20. The pull straps were extra.

James
Spokane

Sweet pant leg, HC.

1SeventyZ wrote:Sweet pant leg, HC.

That's where I carry my third leg Z

Something to look at for tie-downs

www.abesaviation.com

I crack up when I hear pilots who've spent $50 to $100 K on an airplane, and they're really worried about saving $30 on tiedowns for it....

I think the Flities and the Claw are pretty good starts to this process.

BUT, the bottom line is YOU have to be there to tend the tiedowns as well. All night if necessary.

MTV

Tadpole wrote:

AvidFlyer wrote:I think I'm going to try flyties. Now just need a lightweight hammer to drive them in with.

I have those, but haven't used them yet. I got a small hatchet to fit in the bag with the tie downs, so I can use the back end to hammer in the stakes, or use the hatchet for getting fire wood or whatever else might need cutting if I'm out in the sticks.

I found a real nice hatchet with a light composite handle, a little grinder work on the head made it into a good enough hammer for the fly ties. For an emergency survival type use (bear/cougar/bar fight/making a shelter) this thing will be a lot handier then a regular hammer.

I actually got to use it a couple weeks ago on one of the last of my ski landings: I'd landed on a narrow uphill clearing, and could not get the tail around for takeoff without sliding sideways. The snow was real hard and icy. I kept side slipping instead of turning, and I was running out of room fast. I stopped, got out and grabbed my handy axe, and cut a few branches off of a conveniently located fir tree, using them for a non slip pathway I got enough "traction" to make the turn.

Thanks Bighorn for the plug for our product...Long story short, I didn't join this forum to advertise, but rather to glean flying experiences from pilots way better than me and from folks who have been willing to share their back luck stories in hopes of me not making the same mistake...anyway back to tie downs...

Over the last several years, I've seen some great homemade systems that I think are just damn good, but MTV is correct, there is no portable tie down that will do the job without you being their for the duration...period...I'm in hopes of bringing my pull tester to Johnson Cr. for the June fly-in and if anyone of you want to see how your particular tie downs compare to the others, we'll put them threw the test...

I'm in hopes of taking the most popular tie downs to some of the most often used backcountry strips and pull testing each one under the same conditions and putting the results on my web site by early this fall. Everyone always asks How much can this or that tie down hold...well you gotta compare them under the same conditions, anyway that is what I'm doing as we speak...damn good excuse to go flying to ...Hope to see you at Johnson Creek in June...

I happen to read this in the EAA mag last month:

http://www.sportaviationonline.org/spor ... 1004/#pg96

ASW wrote:Has anyone used the tiedowns that are a wide nylon ribbon with hooks on either end, and a lock for the ribbon? Are they better than rope? http://www.aircraft-tiedowns.com ASW.

I gave up on ropes years ago- the cheap nylon ropes won't hold a knot, & are bulky to boot. Even with good ropes, I've seen too many funky "secret tie-down knots" loosen up.
I bought a pair of nylon-strap "bike binders" from Harbor Freight or somewhere, they work great. Like Gump pointed out earlier, the hooks on the end are the weak point. I tied a loop in the long end & wrap it around the tiedown anchor, and use a clevis (shackle) on the end I attach to the airplane. Takes up less room than a suitable rope, and IMHO is more secure. I just had to use them to tie down at a friend's grass strip yesterday when I couldn't get back into my home airport -- 90 degree crosswind @ 18G29, no thanks. Luckily he has good tiedowns for visitors to use-- I think they're mobile-home tie-down anchors.

Eric

ASW wrote:Has anyone used the tiedowns that are a wide nylon ribbon with hooks on either end, and a lock for the ribbon? Are they better than rope? http://www.aircraft-tiedowns.com ASW.

I checked the link-- $60 incl shipping for three bike-binder style tiedown straps. Sounds kinda spendy. I'd rather spend about $15 at the hardware store & provide my own carrying bag.

I recently discovered a product called "Orange Screw" that makes an excellent tie down anchor. They are not intended for aviation, but they are very well designed and perfectly suited for tie down anchors in the wilderness. They are functional, lightweight, inexpensive, durable, easy to drive in to the ground and very difficult to pull up from most earth that I have driven them in to. I would highly recommend these for anyone's airplane wilderness tie down kit.

http://www.orangescrew.com/