Away-from-home-tiedowns

[Dave S]

This thread is in part a response to Wayne T (AKA Twister) who queried in a different thread a while back about what people do to tie down on remote strips they visit. I didn't have any photos at that time, but, here goes.

I fabricated a set of three tiedown anchors patterned after the EAA example which they have on their website.

Photo 4368 shows the stakes (which are 5/16" Diameter HRS rather than 1/4"; and, 24" long rather than 18" shown on the EAA design) and the tiedown anchors.

Photo 4370 and 4372 show the detail of the attachment point....the triangle is 14 gauge 4130 rather than the 1/4" HRS example of the EAA design. Washers and reinforcement on both sides. U-bolt is a narrow 1/4" one.

Photo 4371 is the details of both ends of the rods.

Photo 4367 shows how the stakes would go through the plate and into the soil in a Teepee fashion.

The whole business has three anchor plates and 9 rods. I use my trusty geologists hammer/pick to pound them in and pry threm out. The EAA design shows a small rope puller to wrap around the ends and yank.

A person should angle the tiedown rope rope at least a 45 degree angle....not straight up from the anchor---much less succeptible to being pulled out then.

This doesn't work everywhere, but it works most places.

Sincerely,

Dave S
KF7 Trigear - Flying
912ULS Warp Drive

[Dave F]

anyone who was a sun n fun a few year ago realizes that good tie downs a a great asset

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9c_o2mEfGg

[Av8r3400]

...and "dog screws" aren't worth their weight in dog boogers for tie downs.

Ask the guys at the Zenair booth if you don't believe me.

[DesertFox4]

At AirVenture 2012- 3 Kitfox factory demo aircraft survived approx. 70 mph winds and driving rain using newly purchased Claw brand tie downs. One Kitfox was facing directly into the wind , one was a direct broadside and the other tail first into the wind. Good test, although a little unsettling to watch as the one into the wind was "flying" enough to lift both main gear off the ground. No damage to any of the 3 aircraft.


I have the same opinion of "doggy cork screws" as Av8r3400.

[Av8r3400]

I use a "Claw" set also. They are very nice, work excellent, but at 8 pounds a little heavy.

We may have to agree to disagree about the rope placement. IMO, speaking as a recovering engineer, vertical to the tie down is definitely strongest for the airplane structure and the dynamics of the anchor.

I've often thought of making up a set of those EAA tie downs. Maybe that will be part of my project plane...

[SkySteve]

I made and use the EAA style tie downs that Dave S made. They are light weight and fit nicely in a nylon drawstring bag. Although I've never tried them in a hurricane, I have had them in some strong winds and micro bursts that did flip other planes over and they held very well. I use 3/8" rock climbing ropes with a breaking strength of 4-5,000 lbs each. I position the tied downs directly below the wing strut and loop the ropes thru the strut tie loop, around the strut then back thru the strut tie loop again. The knot I use is the standard airplane double half hitch slip knot that can be adjusted by sliding it up or down the tie rope, then add another single half hitch for safety. Place a "pointy end" toward the plane so you have 2 stakes toward the wing tip.