Why tie-downs are important

[IanR]

Camden yesterday

 

 

 

[Tomo]

Wouldn't that make you sick, turning up and finding your plane like that.

 

I even tie down the C206 when I bring it home, only takes a few minutes and it can save you some serious sweat!

 

 

[facthunter]

Really depends on what you tie it down to, as well. best I've seen is a set of parallel cables tied to the ground that a whole row of planes can use. Nev

 

 

[brilin_air]

We use screw-its and tied down at 4 points.

 

1 each under the wing, 1 at the rear and 1 off the front nose leg. If there is a parallel cable we use that and still do the front and back tie downs.

 

After the incident at Avalon a few years back when the mini tornado went through, this is the only way we leave our plane tied.

 

-Linda

 

 

[IanR]

We now use the yellow three point tiedowns - from memory called the Claw. As tension increases the pegs take on a great angle.

 

 

[flyerme]

Im currently using the screw ins, tied at the wing strutts and tail wheel,also chocked main and tail wheel.....

 

 

[Admin]

Great that this thread has started and we have all heard many stories about aircraft being flipped over but what is of interest to me is I am currently talking to a manufacturer about tie downs and getting them made. The Claw is the best tie down that I know of and it will take a cyclone to impact that savage thing but they are not a light piece of gear to be carrying around with you...about 5kg. The screw into the ground tie downs that I am looking at getting made will be very strong and made out of thick metal that will screw into the ground and at this stage they will probably only be priced at just a few dollars each...you will be able to get any number of them that you like. Would make for great give-aways in the shop here with orders over $100 for example

 

So, the question is...do you think the screw into the ground type of tie downs are something that you would consider using if they were cheaper then anything else or similar products at a higher price on the market

 

 

[flyerme]

Great that this thread has started and we have all heard many stories about aircraft being flipped over but what is of interest to me is I am currently talking to a manufacturer about tie downs and getting them made. The Claw is the best tie down that I know of and it will take a cyclone to impact that savage thing but they are not a light piece of gear to be carrying around with you...about 5kg. The screw into the ground tie downs that I am looking at getting made will be very strong and made out of thick metal that will screw into the ground and at this stage they will probably only be priced at just a few dollars each...you will be able to get any number of them that you like. Would make for great give-aways in the shop here with orders over $100 for exampleSo, the question is...do you think the screw into the ground type of tie downs are something that you would consider using if they were cheaper then anything else or similar products at a higher price on the market

id buy them as the ones im using are borrowed...they are easy to install (no need for a hammer) just screw them in and light weight.,My plane was hit by some nasty winds and they have not budged in soft muddy ground... there stainless steel

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

I use 3 Screw-it's and find they are light and work fine

 

 

[Guernsey]

I've used several different types but found that the screw-its are the best because of their simplicity, no hammer required and they are light weight.

 

Alan.

 

 

[Yenn]

Can you get scre in tie downs into very hard ground? I have a home made one that will not go into our ground when it is dry, which is most of the year.

 

 

[brilin_air]

Yenn.

 

The only place we couldn't use the screw-its was at Oodnadatta, the ground there was as hard as a cats' head. Every where else they have been great.

 

-Linda

 

 

[Gnarly Gnu]

For something totally permanent and super heavy duty try Ancorloc - I used their duckbills to tie down a tension fabric structure, easy to fit (they loaned me the drive pin, just hammer it in) and will take off the scale loads if required.

 

 

[bushcaddy105]

3 Screwits held my plane down at Avalon 2009 while 2 star pickets (fence droppers) failed to hold down the aircraft 3 feet off my left wingtip. I believe this was purely due to the nature of the wind event - my aircraft may have been just on the edge of the wind stream. Close inspection of the damage to 2 other overturned aircraft (I helped dismantle one of them the following day) suggests that had they been tied down any more securely the wings may well have been torn from them, such was the intensity of the sudden lift forces. Both had struts torn from the wing spar at the attachment point.

 

My conclusion is that there is a limit to what you can expect from portable tiedowns, and there is little that can be done to combat freak events of nature, hence the option of insurance!

 

 

[Admin]

Looks like I will go ahead and get the screw in tie downs manufactured...thanks for the comments

 

 

[old man emu]

You should never knock back a good screw!

 

AN525; AN526, and my favourite: 10Rx 1/2 THA, SS

 

OME

 

 

[Yenn]

S you like them truss headed. Personally I preferAN515.

 

 

[old man emu]

S you like them truss headed. Personally I preferAN515.

Panheads are OK, but nowhere near as good as a 45" Flathead.

OME