Tying down the bird

Hi group
I need some basic instruction.... I've been noticing tie down ropes. The
knots folks use are all over the map. Is there a basic "best" knot for tying
down the bird? We're looking at windy weather here in the NE this weekend.
The ropes here on the Vineyard are poly-something.
A link to a picture would be nice.
Dave

I have always been "knot challenged". For about $15 I got a set of nylon
tiedown straps with vinyl coated hooks from Costco. Set of 4. Two long and
two short. The long ones work great for the wing tiedowns on my 182 short
one for the tail. Worked great during a tropical storm in LaPaz.

Howard

"david whitley" wrote in message
...
Hi group
I need some basic instruction.... I've been noticing tie down ropes. The
knots folks use are all over the map. Is there a basic "best" knot for
tying
down the bird? We're looking at windy weather here in the NE this weekend.
The ropes here on the Vineyard are poly-something.
A link to a picture would be nice.
Dave

"hnelson" wrote in message m...
I have always been "knot challenged". For about $15 I got a set of nylon
tiedown straps with vinyl coated hooks from Costco. Set of 4. Two long and
two short. The long ones work great for the wing tiedowns on my 182 short
one for the tail. Worked great during a tropical storm in LaPaz.

Only if they have closed hooks. I had my plane bust loose at Oshkosh the
first year because I used tie downs with open hooks. Just takes some slackening
of the rope to get them to pop out of the eye.

david whitley wrote:

I need some basic instruction.... I've been noticing tie down ropes. The
knots folks use are all over the map. Is there a basic "best" knot for tying
down the bird? We're looking at windy weather here in the NE this weekend.
The ropes here on the Vineyard are poly-something.

I usually use a canoe hitch. Before the storm hits, I will head out to the
airport and change the knots to as many half hitches as I have rope for. I may
have to cut them loose later, but I'm not leaving slack in the ropes or using
a knot that might slip and produce slack. Some posters recommend a knot called
a "hurricane hitch", and links to photos have been posted in the past. You might
run a Google search for that.

My usual tiedown ropes are 5/8" nylon. They were sold as boat hawsers and came
with loops braided into the ends. I have run those ends through the tiedown
anchors. This week, I will also be running doubled 1/2" nylon ropes from the
anchors to my wing struts as backups.

If your ropes are polypropylene, I would replace them with nylon. Poly will not
stand up to sunlight very well and deteriorates in only a few years.

George Patterson
A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something that cannot
be learned any other way. Samuel Clemens

The important thing to remember is to tie it down tight. You don't want any
slack in the ropes at all which the wind can exploit and rock the airplane
around. I typically use a round turn and two half hitches (standard
sailor's knot) and don't leave the extra rope dangling as it can become a
whip in a high wind and damage the airplane. Make sure you tie down the
tail, too - just doing the wings isn't enough.

Good luck!
Shawn
"david whitley" wrote in message
...
Hi group
I need some basic instruction.... I've been noticing tie down ropes. The
knots folks use are all over the map. Is there a basic "best" knot for
tying
down the bird? We're looking at windy weather here in the NE this weekend.
The ropes here on the Vineyard are poly-something.
A link to a picture would be nice.
Dave

Best tiedowns I've ever used were made of seatbelt webbing with a hook on each
end. Had the seat belt buckle and everything. Tighten just like the one in your
plane. It won't loosen.

Best regards,

Steve Robertson
N4732J 1967 Beechcraft A23-24 Musketeer

david whitley wrote:

Hi group
I need some basic instruction.... I've been noticing tie down ropes. The
knots folks use are all over the map. Is there a basic "best" knot for tying
down the bird? We're looking at windy weather here in the NE this weekend.
The ropes here on the Vineyard are poly-something.
A link to a picture would be nice.
Dave

do not use open hooks especially with high winds..

look at www.aviation-salvage.com/n51Y.htm for results of open hooks letting
go in a 57knt gust front..


"hnelson" wrote in message
m...
I have always been "knot challenged". For about $15 I got a set of nylon
tiedown straps with vinyl coated hooks from Costco. Set of 4. Two long and
two short. The long ones work great for the wing tiedowns on my 182 short
one for the tail. Worked great during a tropical storm in LaPaz.

Howard

"david whitley" wrote in message
...
Hi group
I need some basic instruction.... I've been noticing tie down ropes. The
knots folks use are all over the map. Is there a basic "best" knot for
tying
down the bird? We're looking at windy weather here in the NE this
weekend.
The ropes here on the Vineyard are poly-something.
A link to a picture would be nice.
Dave

On Mon, 15 Sep 2003 14:31:13 +0000, david whitley wrote:

I need some basic instruction.... I've been noticing tie down ropes. The
knots folks use are all over the map. Is there a basic "best" knot for tying
down the bird? We're looking at windy weather here in the NE this weekend.

Go to the FAA's site and get a copy of AC 20-35C, it has good info on
tieing down a plane. The best advice being to fly it out of that area,
first.

In my opinion, use ropes and not any sort of hook because many of them are
made of cheap metal and much weaker than the rope attached to it. I don't
like straps since I've seen many that look tough, but have a low breaking
strength. Whatever you use, make sure it can handle at least 3,000 lbs or
find something else.

There are pictures of knots in that circular I posted about. It's worth
the time to get it.

Go check out www.fepco.com. A "real" bush pilot will tell you how to do
it.

- Carl -


"Matthew P. Cummings" wrote in message
news
On Mon, 15 Sep 2003 14:31:13 +0000, david whitley wrote:

I need some basic instruction.... I've been noticing tie down ropes. The
knots folks use are all over the map. Is there a basic "best" knot for
tying
down the bird? We're looking at windy weather here in the NE this
weekend.

Go to the FAA's site and get a copy of AC 20-35C, it has good info on
tieing down a plane. The best advice being to fly it out of that area,
first.

In my opinion, use ropes and not any sort of hook because many of them are
made of cheap metal and much weaker than the rope attached to it. I don't
like straps since I've seen many that look tough, but have a low breaking
strength. Whatever you use, make sure it can handle at least 3,000 lbs or
find something else.

There are pictures of knots in that circular I posted about. It's worth
the time to get it.




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In article ,
"david whitley" wrote:

Hi group
I need some basic instruction.... I've been noticing tie down ropes. The
knots folks use are all over the map. Is there a basic "best" knot for tying
down the bird? We're looking at windy weather here in the NE this weekend.
The ropes here on the Vineyard are poly-something.
A link to a picture would be nice.
Dave



Years ago, I read articles on tying down for tropical storms. What I can
remember is:

1. Tie down both the tail AND nosewheel (for tri-gear planes).

2. Stretch a 2x4 spanwise on each wing at the spar to kill lift and
attach it with ropes. (150 kt winds will cause a lot of lift.)

3. Make sure that all control surfaces have gust locks.