Keep your airplane tie-down tight !!!!

April 7th 2011 we experienced up to 60 mph winds here at Boulder City ,NV AIRPORT --- I tried as I could to tighten and secure all airplanes I found to be loose on tie-down .Some aircraft have additional chains or Ropes that I added to keep everything in place . Those little ratcheting motorcycle straps are not enough to keep a 2000+ airplane in place in a 60 mph wind . Check your tiedowns and make them secure before leaving . This is not a test or joke .

I recommend you check to see if tiedown very carefully for breaks in chain or hooks -if need be inform office that you need another tiedown chain or hooks or both. I use ¾ inch green and white rope looped around the strut in addition to the airport chains. For low wings loop the rope around the landing gear. Keep them very tight or you might loose your airplane.

Bill Reid

Good on ya for watching after all those unattended airplanes, Bill

denalipilot wrote:Good on ya for watching after all those unattended airplanes, Bill

I lost a Champ tied down on my property years back--- blown off tiedown into building . My 182 was "attacked " by a fork lift by a gust of wind---and now I have a SPORTSMAN STOL kit (paid for by insurance)to keep patch hidden near left strut. I carry my own tiedowns in airplane to keep this from ever have happen again. If I can get pictures off camera I'll share them --- I have trouble posting pictures here so you might (or anyone intrested) to my email [email protected] and I'll show you how to make some of your own that will be secure and portable. I use stuff from Home Depoet or Lowes aviation isle .

Here's what I sent to Vern in Colorado

I go to Home Depot or Lowes –or construction center isle and look for flat steel concrete stakes about 1 ½ wide by 18 inches long and approx ¼ -3/8 inch thick .Get some of those screw together like chain links and 8-10 ft. of heavy ¾ inch nylon rope per tiedown. Take everything back to your man cave shop and drill a ½ inch hole in the end (pictures should be here ) and drill for link . Add your rope and you’ve got one tiedown made. You’ll need a 3-5 lb hammer or whatever to drive them at a approx. 30 degree outboard angle say 3-4 ft out board of tiedown on airplane. If you drive them in and leave 3-4 inches sticking up so you can beat them from side to side to get them out when you done. And headed for home. For a more permentant installation go flush with the ground with the stake and just leave link exposed . This will be strong enough to pull bumper off pick up .Use Good ROPE and forget those little straps to hold your motorcycle or whatever in back of pickup. You’ve got a sizeable investment in your airplane –protect it with the proper tiedown equipment. Chains are ok but have limitations of only being cut or sized for one airplane or situation. I use this every time I’m out at some Back Country Airstrip or Ranch –field operations.

I built a set of these. http://www.vintageaircraft.org/magazine ... iedown.pdf

Thet work great, take up very little room in the baggage area and the weight is minimal.... I did use 3/16" instead of 1/8" plate and alot bigger rope, but my 801 will fly in 30 mph breezes. Here is a pic of it tied down at Osh.. http://www.zenithair.com/stolch801/buil ... airv14.jpg

Long story short...............

On my way back from Osh that year I encountered 60 + mph head winds in S.D. at Murdo. Landed there at a zero ground speed and it took a fair amount of throttle just to keep from being blown backwards. Made it to the ramp area at mid field,, not a soul around and I positioned it straight into the wind and spent the next 4 hours flying the plane with the motor off to keep it from blowing away.. Between the gusts I was able jump out REAL quick and tie down the plane, one pickup point at a time. At about sunset the local sheriff drove up, I was never so happy to see a cop in my life as the airport is far from town, he must have sensed my concern as I was white as a ghost at that point.. I told him my situation. He advised me there was not a hotel room for 100 miles as Sturgis was happening that same weekend... The Sheriff called a friend who owned one of the hotels and that guy "found" me a room in the basement. The sheriff drove me to the place and let me out... The hotel guy was very understanding and even gave me a good rate on the room, and,,, lent me his wife's car to drive back cause I wanted to leave at 0 dark thirty. As soon as I got home I went to the local Fed Ex shop and sent that Sheriff a crisp 100 dollar bill..........

The only thing I did maybe a bit different, is to pack a hatchet, rather then a dedicated hammer, with a composite handle and a good sharp edge, that also has a decent striking head. It comes in handy for other stuff. I wanted to pack my Vaughn 28 oz. waffle headed framing hammer, that would really drive my 3 skewed spikes in, but just am too weight concious!