Just beat the cold front

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ScottVal

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Scott
Flew a long cross-country yesterday, 570 nm. There was a cold front moving into my destination Airport. When I landed the winds were around 7 knots, but within an hour winds were 30 gusting to 40. So I feel that I cut that one close. Lesson learned: take a look at the surface prognostic charts, to be clear on where the fronts are.

This also got me thinking about which alternate airports I could have used, which was a good learning experience. (I haven't yet had to use an alternate airport.)
-Scott
 
I'm planning a trip to a small airport without tie downs. I presume they have hooks in the ground and will verify.

But what is considered a good tie down kit? Straps with ratchets and hooks? Rope with a carabiner for the ground hooks and just tie off the plane? Chains? Static rappelling line?

Thanks!
 
Monpilot said:
I'm planning a trip to a small airport without tie downs. I presume they have hooks in the ground and will verify.

But what is considered a good tie down kit? Straps with ratchets and hooks? Rope with a carabiner for the ground hooks and just tie off the plane? Chains? Static rappelling line?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
I use marine line with the 12 to 18 in stakes from Home Depot. Then 4 links of the heaviest chain link (3sets, one for each tie down). Three stakes, one in each link, the run the line thru the 4th link to the tie down point on the airplane. Total cost about $40.

What ever you use, must be able to hold 1/3 the weight of the airplane in very high winds. Example, at max gross the cherokee is 2400 pounds, so I assume 800 pounds x 3= 2400 pounds. Make sure the line and the carabiner or links or rachet hooks are rated to 2400 pounds.
 
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Not only prog charts,but should plan an alternate on the ground before flight. The prongs can be off a little. For tie down I use dog tie downs with straps. Not a good choice if the ground is too soft.
 
frfly172 said:
Not only prog charts,but should plan an alternate on the ground before flight. The prongs can be off a little. For tie down I use dog tie downs with straps. Not a good choice if the ground is too soft.
Click to expand...

The prog charts can be more than a little off.

When I was planning a 350 mile trip to LA, the forecast showed me departing after a cold front had already passed the destination (so, it was clearing weather down there). There was persistent marine layer down there, so I couldn't talk the wife into waiting it out in Bakersfield and we drove. We passed through the front more than 200 miles short of LA. And then arrived in Burbank by car in severe clear weather…
 
Never use open hooks on a tie down. Wings flex, bounce in wind gusts. No matter how tight it could bounce free. Watched a plane cartwheel in the gust front when that happened.

Depending on strength of the hook, it could be pulled straight, unbend.
 
Monpilot said:
I'm planning a trip to a small airport without tie downs. I presume they have hooks in the ground and will verify.

But what is considered a good tie down kit? Straps with ratchets and hooks? Rope with a carabiner for the ground hooks and just tie off the plane? Chains? Static rappelling line?
Click to expand...

Ideally the airport has hooks in the ground.... when they don't, I use The Claw.
 
ScottVal said:
Flew a long cross-country yesterday, 570 nm. There was a cold front moving into my destination Airport. When I landed the winds were around 7 knots, but within an hour winds were 30 gusting to 40. So I feel that I cut that one close. Lesson learned: take a look at the surface prognostic charts, to be clear on where the fronts are.

This also got me thinking about which alternate airports I could have used, which was a good learning experience. (I haven't yet had to use an alternate airport.)
-Scott
Click to expand...

Went to a flying breakfast Sat. Landed winds were calm, in 2 hours they were 25 qusts to 30 right down the runway. I taxied out and hit the power and was airborne in less than 75 feet. :eek: Caught me by surprise, but hey, fly the airplane.

I landed at the home drome 30 mins away and winds were 3 Knots.

Lesson learned? Don't freak out about winds. If they are too strong to land figure out where they are blowing less, land, tie down.
 
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MSPAviator said:
Ideally the airport has hooks in the ground.... when they don't, I use The Claw.
Click to expand...

revealed-the-odds-that-youll-win-a-toy-playing-the-claw-arcade-game.jpg
 
MSPAviator said:
Ideally the airport has hooks in the ground.... when they don't, I use The Claw.
Click to expand...
Helen of Chesapeake Sport Pilot made the same suggestion: "buy a "Claw" for tie down and never leave home without it".
http://theclaw.com/the-claw/aircraft-claw-c100.php

Ironically, having saved Helen's suggestion years ago, I have not yet landed at an airport that did not have permanent anchoring devices installed. We just don't have grass strips around here.
 
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Geico266 said:
Went to a flying breakfast Sat. Landed winds were calm, in 2 hours they were 25 qusts to 30 right down the runway. I taxied out and hit the power and was airborne in less than 75 feet. :eek: Caught me by surprise, but hey, fly the airplane.

I landed at the home drome 30 mins away and winds were 3 Knots.

Lesson learned? Don't freak out about winds. If they are too strong to land figure out where they are blowing less, land, tie down.
Click to expand...


I can get in with nasty winds, but I hate opening the bifold hangar doors when its 35 knots or gusting higher :eek:

Then comes the turn and pushback into the hangar :(

Yuck.
 
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