On Wednesday, May 11, 2016 at 3:55:21 PM UTC-7, MNLou wrote:
I will by flying my LAK17at at contests and camps this summer. I will need to tie out the glider.

I am trying to figure out a good way to tie down the wings. With 18m wingtips, the ailerons extend almost to the end of the wingtip. I am concerned about damaging the aileron if I just throw a strap over the top and tighten down.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

(I did post a question on the LAK17a Yahoo group as well.)

Lou

Most glider manufacturers neglect this minor detail as any sort of option.

Gliders with a single wing panel per side are usually easy. One approach there is a webbing "bra" over the tip. Not just one loop, there should be a strap to stop the bra from creeping inboard to the ailerons. Had those for LS4 and LS6.

Can you put a tube through the wing at the outboard end of the inner panel, bonded to the tip rib and spar if possible?
Run a forged eyebolt with padded washers through it for tiedown.
Tape over the holes in flight. That mod on Nimbus 3 worked extremely well, worked with typical GA tiedown area points and was at the break point in the covers.

A similar approach: Bond a piece of T3, threaded for an eyebolt, into the outer end of the spoiler boxes. Only one hole per wing to tape. Not at a break point, so you need to have holes cut in the covers to accommodate this.

All of those can be packed in your landout kit.
Jim