Tie downs

[Old Koreelah]

Screwits don't work in hard soil. The driest continent in the world is mostly hard soil.

I've used Screw-it's on some pretty hard ground. It requires persistence, but the harder the soil, the better they'll hold. Possibly the lightest tie-down solution.

[rgmwa]

But a good screw-in tiedown would work satisfactorily in our hard soils,

... if you can get it in. They're easy enough to get into soft sand, but then they don't hold much. Pretty hard to screw into dense soils.

 

 

[JG3]

BMs Savannah was at Avalon when the supercell went through there a few years ago - his tiedown pegs held (sorry, don't know what system he was using) but the tiedown points built into his wings failedBP

I made those tie-downs that BM was using at Avalon. It was a violent storm front that blew several aircraft away. BM's Savannah was tied down at the junction of the strut with the wing. The force ripped the strut off the wing and flipped the aircraft on it's back. The tie-downs were still holding in the ground.

These tie-downs were meant to replace the Screw-Its. I never got around to officially naming them but they were generally called 'Whack-em-Downs'. I only made about a hundred and sold them by word of mouth, but got distracted by other projects and got too lazy to carry on with production work. Now I've handed over the design and manufacturing jigs to some one else who is now tooling up his workshop for production. Don't know when he will be in production, but there are already several potential customers waiting.

 

Those tie-downs should be in production because they really do work well. Can drive them into the hardest ground and still easy to pull with the hammer/pulling tool. Lots easier to drive and pull than the 'clam', and weigh less. Hopefully we'll see them advertised soon, watch for them.

 

 

[rgmwa]

Those tie-downs should be in production because they really do work well. Can drive them into the hardest ground and still easy to pull with the hammer/pulling tool. Lots easier to drive and pull than the 'clam', and weigh less. Hopefully we'll see them advertised soon, watch for them.

Maybe Ian could stock them at Clear Prop. I'd buy some if they're that good.

 

 

[Admin]

If I get advised when they are made then yes I will try and get them stocked in the shop

 

 

[IanR]

I have used "The Claw" for years on my aircraft. Recently we bought four sets from the Clearprop store for the four Scouts NSW Cessnas - so these days we are not using the aforementioned Boy Scout Pegs !!

 

 

[APenNameAndThatA]

The Antartica is actually the driest continent not Australia.Am going to try the 'screwit' units as they are the simplest the lightest and by all accounts wrk in most soils, nothing is perfect.

Antarctica can't be the driest because its made out of ice.

 

 

[rgmwa]

Antarctica can't be the driest because its made out of ice.

Antarctica: The Coldest, Driest Continent on Earth

 

[Admin]

Ref: Live Science

 

Dry Valleys, Antarctica

 

Average rainfall: 0

 

Though Antarctica summons a mental picture of snow-covered terrain, it's Dry Valleys are actually the world's driest spot. The valleys have extremely low humidity and almost no ice or snow cover the largest ice-free region on the continent. Nearby mountains are high enough that they block seaward flowing ice from reaching the valleys. The unique conditions are caused, in part, by powerful katabatic winds these occur when cold, dense air is pulled downhill by the force of gravity. The winds can reach speeds of 200 mph (322 kph), heating as they descend, and evaporating all water, ice and snow. The valleys are considered the closest of any of Earth's environments to the planet Mars, and scientists are studying the ecosystem to better understand the surface of the Red Planet.

 

 

[Admin]

Aargh shucks, I'v ben ninja'd by rgmwa...well done

 

 

[APenNameAndThatA]

Seriously though, someone referred to The Claw, and someone else referred to the review done in Australian Pilot. In that particular review, The Claw did badly.

 

 

[Admin]

Probably because "The Claw" doesn't advertise in that magazine...when all said and done it may well just come down to the person using any device

 

 

[Head in the clouds]

...when all said and done it may well just come down to the person using any device

Yes, and also the type of ground makes a massive difference, some ground anchors being much better than others in different types of ground. Not many of them are much good at all in sand, but those spade types are not bad. And combining three pegs as onetrack mentioned in post #6 makes them hold many times better than used singly -

 

Wet ground is surprisingly bad. You can screw the screw types in fine but the jiggling of a plane rocking in the wind pops them out effortlessly, same with the claw.

 

 

[onetrack]

HITC has nailed the problem - the type of ground you're anchoring into, can be highly variable, and needs to be taken into account, when installing anchors.

 

In virtually all regions (even in remote, and normally parched zones), heavy rain can soften initially-hard ground, very rapidly - and heavy rain often accompanies strong winds.

 

So it's important to understand that your initially-good installation of tie-downs can rapidly become weak, as regards their grip on the ground, when it has rained to any serious extent.

 

To that end, multiple pegs - either as indicated in the holdfast diagram - or angled in different directions - provide good resistance to loosening, even if the ground has become softened with moisture.

 

You should not have your tie-down ropes or straps that loose, that they can allow enough aircraft movement to constantly jiggle pegs.

 

 

[jetjr]

Ive used screw in ones a bit and if screwed in at 90 deg to the pull (like any other peg setup) they dont come out that ive seen?

 

 

[Cobalt]

I use plastic T handle screw in pegs from Ebay under $10 for 5, they work fine on grassed areas, I couldnt pull them out or break them, and there are metal versions for hard ground and the best part no hammer needed.

Can you provide a link to these screw in pegs or know the brand name?

[boleropilot]

seems to me the best idea is that If you see a storm coming, jump in, put your belts on nice and tight, then hang on.....maybe even start the motor (optional)

 

and if the altimeter goes past 14,000, take a deep breath and hang on even harder.....

 

could work - couldn't it ?

 

 

[Happyflyer]

seems to me the best idea is that If you see a storm coming, jump in, put your belts on nice and tight, then hang on.....maybe even start the motor (optional)and if the altimeter goes past 14,000, take a deep breath and hang on even harder.....could work - couldn't it ?

Like this?

 

 

 

[Mewp]

Don't know when he will be in production, but there are already several potential customers waiting.

Any progress on the manufacture of the "scout tent pegs" They look to be the answer for me.

 

 

[JG3]

Any progress on the manufacture of the "scout tent pegs" They look to be the answer for me.

Yeh, Peter Gillespie, the new Savannah agent has taken on the tie-down project. He has them in stock now.

 

0408 376 540

 

 

[skippydiesel]

The Antartica is actually the driest continent not Australia.Am going to try the 'screwit' units as they are the simplest the lightest and by all accounts wrk in most soils, nothing is perfect.

"Picky" - not many ultralights/sport aircraft in Antarctica (he should have said inhabited/settled)

 

 

[Downunder]

Don't buy one of these.

 

I broke the head off one peg ( brittle aluminium) and the plastic spanner slips on the head if ground is hard....

 

 

 

[pmccarthy]

Screw in pegs don’t seem to work in Australian soil. I have yet to find a spot where they do.

 

 

[skippydiesel]

Screw in pegs don’t seem to work in Australian soil. I have yet to find a spot where they do.

Cant say I agree (although I have never experienced very high winds while away from home) - 'Don't know what mine are called (came with aircraft in yellow plastic satchel) there are 4 screw in pegs, about 300 mm long, that require a thick dowel (or similar) to be inserted in the looped above ground end (making it like a wine cork remover/same action). I screw them in , at an angle in the ground, at the four cardinal points and then, using wing tip, tail built in tie down points and the forth round the prop flange, tie down to the exposed loops . I make my tie downs straps firm (no slack for wind gusts to "work" the pegs) Its rarely easy to get them in/out but then this gives me reassurance that they will withstand considerable lifting force. I don have "gust locks" so strap the joy stick and hope the nose wheel on round will inhibit rudder movement.

 

 

[pmccarthy]

These are the ones that don't work for me.