URGENT: DeFuniak Springs Hangar

Chrisgoesflying

Chrisgoesflying

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Chrisgoesflying
I am currently tied down in DeFuniak Springs (54J). They are forecasting severe thunderstorms tomorrow night and into Sunday morning. Do any of you guys happen to know someone at that airport with hangar space available? I can come out to the airport anytime tomorrow to move the plane. It doesn't look like it'll be flyable weather tomorrow, all TAFs in the area forecast IFR conditions all day but the storms won't spruce up until the evening.

If I can't get the plane into a hangar, any tips/tricks/advice on how to properly tie it down? I have two ratchet straps for each wing. Right now, I'm using the regular strap that's supplied by the city for the tail.

Lastly, how do you deal with your plane being outside in bad weather? Am I tripping too much about this? I'm always stressed, make phone calls trying to organize hangar space and spend a ton of money (and time) when/if I find hangar space in these situations. At home base I have a hangar, but obviously, when I'm traveling, I usually don't. I once was parked outside on a trip, severe weather approached, the FBO pulled me into the hangar and it was like $100 per night, ended up being in the hangar for 5 nights that trip. Happy to pay it and would do the same tomorrow - but am I tripping? Do you just strap it in real good and let the insurance handle it if something ends up happening?
 
I think you are tripping too much.. We kept our 182 tied down outside for 20+ years in upstate NY through everything from severe thunderstorms in the summer to six inch snow/ice covered wings in the winter requiring snow removal and preheating before flying.. After all those years the only parts of the plane not under regular maintenance that really needed replacing were avionics and plexiglass.
 
Chrisgoesflying said:
I once was parked outside on a trip, severe weather approached, the FBO pulled me into the hangar and it was like $100 per night, ended up being in the hangar for 5 nights that trip. Happy to pay it and would do the same tomorrow - but am I tripping? Do you just strap it in real good and let the insurance handle it if something ends up happening?
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With plenty of money to spend on hangars maybe you should increase the hull coverage to the max. ;)

Just kidding ... we love our planes and don't want them to get harmed. Hopefully all will be well but if not maybe there's a Bonanza in your future! :eek:

*ducking and runing for cover*
 
Some tips: Secure your control surfaces, such as with a seat belt around a yoke. Secure the tie downs to the airplane and to the ground, because the hooks on a typical ratchet strap can come off in a storm when things get wild. Don’t obsess too much. There’s a limit to what you can do and worrying beyond that limit will not improve things but might prevent you from protecting something else.
 
You could use covers for the plane. They can be costly (not a concern for big $$$ guys) and the room and weight for storing them might be a hindrance as you would be carrying them all the time and not needing them most of that time. You may already have a canopy cover and if not that would be something you might consider.
 
Daleandee said:
You could use covers for the plane. They can be costly (not a concern for big $$$ guys) and the room and weight for storing them might be a hindrance as you would be carrying them all the time and not needing them most of that time. You may already have a canopy cover and if not that would be something you might consider.
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I thought about covers but they would take up so much space and I am usually full with baggage, people and pets already :-/
 
This link shows how i like to do it:

www.aopa.org

Tiedown tying tips

Proper aircraft tiedown technique is essential whether you’re securing your aircraft on the ramp at your home airfield, exploring new airfields, or aircraft-camping under the stars.
www.aopa.org

Tie it down tight. You might remember from physics class that it takes way more energy to start something moving than to keep it moving. Don't let the plane get moving before the rope gets taught.

Get 100' 3/8 braided nylon rope and cut 3x 25' sections. Melt the cut ends. If you want it really nice, a little heat shrink tubing at each end keeps it from fraying and makes it easier to pass through things. Get 3 load rated carabiners and tie them to one end of each rope using a bowline. Now you have a set of nice tiedowns that can live in the plane and work anywhere there's a tiedown, including cables or the recessed ones filled with mud. The ring on your plane will fail before those ropes do if you tie them correctly.

As for hail, you just can't do much besides a hangar or prayer. Even a fuselage cover doesn't help much because the thin wing and control surface skins take the brunt of the damage. I put my gust lock in and try not to lose sleep. My plane already has hail dents, so it'd take a pretty good storm to make it worse.
 
iamtheari said:
Some tips: Secure your control surfaces, such as with a seat belt around a yoke. Secure the tie downs to the airplane and to the ground, because the hooks on a typical ratchet strap can come off in a storm when things get wild. Don’t obsess too much. There’s a limit to what you can do and worrying beyond that limit will not improve things but might prevent you from protecting something else.
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Beleive me I know that. My first trip to Oshkosh had my (rental) plane bust lose because of those dang hooks (the club owner had given me the tiedowns). Fortunately, heard it go and I had brought rope with me, so I'm out there in the storm retying the dang thing.
 
You can get good ratchet straps that has a spring keeper on the hook, that keeps them from falling out of the tie down rings.

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I believe you're over concerned. "Severe thunderstorms" is a very common Florida forecast and many airplanes remain on the ramp through them without harm. Just be sure it's tied down well, as others have mentioned. Cowl plugs would be good to prevent leaves and sand from being blown in. Not much you can do about hail, but large, vehicle-damaging hailstones are uncommon in Florida. They do happen, but it's sort of a once per decade kind of thing.

If you get access to a hangar, great, but don't get SI-triggering anxiety if you don't.
 
I was here during last year’s tornado where the street right next to ours got wiped out. I guess that’s still fresh :-/
 
Chrisgoesflying said:
I was here during last year’s tornado where the street right next to ours got wiped out. I guess that’s still fresh :-/
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Yeah, I can imagine that would alter your point of view! :) It's a pretty rare thing, though, and a tornado could just as easily destroy a hangar and the contents.
 
Found a hangar :) I just got done strapping the plane down real good when I saw a guy from the air rescue team. He put the plane in their hangar under the helicopter rotors. Their hangar is hurricane rated so i guess the Comanche will be safe and sound tonight :)
 
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