Like Vaughn said:

" More than that, if the plane is allowed to rotate, the wing can
generate
enough lift to break a rope or, perhaps worse, cause structural damage to
the
airframe if the rope holds."

Back in 1985, when hurricane Gloria hit Long Island MacArthur APT, we found
an Archer that had "flown" into a drainage sump, some 200 feet away from its
tiedown spot. The wing tiedown rings had actually broken! One could have
used the best ropes/chains in the world, and it wouldn't have mattered.

for just this reason.

"Vaughn" wrote in message
...

"Icebound" wrote in message
news

The standard for tricycle gear GA planes seems to be wings and tail.

Having been to my own airport, I can see that most of the tail ropes are
usually the rattiest you can find.
Besides, even if the tail tiedown holds, it does nothing to prevent the
A/C
rotating on the main gear and bouncing onto the tail and back onto the
nose
gear until one or the other gives way.

More than that, if the plane is allowed to rotate, the wing can
generate
enough lift to break a rope or, perhaps worse, cause structural damage to
the
airframe if the rope holds. Gliders are often tied down with the tail
raised
just high enough for the wing to present a zero AOA for just this reason.

Glider owners often also add a front tiedown rope to the tow hook to
ensure
that the nose can't raise in a wind. I suppose a tiedown to the nosegear
of a
trigear plane could serve that same function, but I might talk to an A&P
first.

I have also seen some innovative strap-on spoilers on parked
gliders, and
even power planes as large as DC-3s, that are obviously intended to reduce
the
lift on the airframe and keep the plane on the ground in high winds.


I am also wondering that even if the tail tiedown stays tight, do the
forces
become great enough such that the fuse breaks at its weakest point,
somewhere just in front of the tail feathers?

Never seen it happen.

Thus I wonder if leaving the tail loose, and tieing down at the nose
gear
would make more sense.

Only if you can guarantee that the wind will always be coming from
the
front of the plane.


Vaughn