Tie Down Ropes Dangerous? Yes!

PilotAlan said:
Chains are also really bad for your plane. No give at all means that rocking and swaying stops instantly at the end of range, and all the momentum gets transferred to the plane structure. So your plane "gives", not the rope.
Now at KAPA where the chains are connected to a long cable secured to the ground at intervals, the cable "gives", so it's not so bad.

Also, chains are a stress riser, focusing all the force on an infinitesimally small area of the tiedown ring where the two pieces of curved metal (ring and chain) contact one another. Lots of broken tiedown rings out there from use of chains.
With the KAPA chain to cable system, I could put a piece of rope between the chain and tiedown ring.
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That is what I have always though. However, I don't own an airplane, and I don't have much say in the matter :dunno:
 
I've had lunch at the airport Medford. Good food, hot waitress. Too bad I had to leave.
 
I guess I was lucky. I had a CFI tell me early on never to taxi over a tiedown rope, lest the situation you described occurred.

AFA ropes/straps/chains -- well, straps are only as strong as the hooks holding them, and chains, well, the point was made above. When I show up at an FBO that uses ancient ropes, straps of any age, or chains, I know they don't give a stinky poop about my airplane.
 
Re: Straps...

A lot of airports seem to be trying out those seat-belt retractor things that have a strap.

Seen 'em now at KGXY and KGEU. Both airports had the option of using ropes and/or chains instead of the strap things. The connectors on the ends of them were not hooks, they were locking hooks similar to you see in mountain climbing.

If they are working correctly (one of GXY's is broken and the line folk know about it, and apparently no one is fixing it), they can't "fall off". I'd be more concerned about the airplane hopping around and tricking the inertia reel into doing bad things like letting out slack...

Interesting concept, not sure I'm "sold" on it for bad weather, but it seems convenient enough for a couple of hours on a nice day. Those giant holes they put the inertia reels in seem to always be full of nasty water and probably in some areas, critters are going to end up in there... was kinda leery in PHX at GEU that there'd be a fat ol' spider or ten hiding out in there, or other desert creepy-crawlies staying out of the hot sun on the ramp.
 
Ron Levy said:
Insurance should cover the inspection and any parts needed to comply with the AD.

The insurance company should cover the mandatory inspection and damage attributable to the prop strike. If the engine is close to overhaul, and an overhaul is desired, the insurer should prorate anything beyond the damge-related costs based on mfr's recommended TBO.
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If you carry a $5000 or greater deductible, you won't get much of a check.
 
denverpilot said:
Re: Straps...

A lot of airports seem to be trying out those seat-belt retractor things that have a strap.

Seen 'em now at KGXY and KGEU. Both airports had the option of using ropes and/or chains instead of the strap things. The connectors on the ends of them were not hooks, they were locking hooks similar to you see in mountain climbing.

If they are working correctly (one of GXY's is broken and the line folk know about it, and apparently no one is fixing it), they can't "fall off". I'd be more concerned about the airplane hopping around and tricking the inertia reel into doing bad things like letting out slack...

Interesting concept, not sure I'm "sold" on it for bad weather, but it seems convenient enough for a couple of hours on a nice day. Those giant holes they put the inertia reels in seem to always be full of nasty water and probably in some areas, critters are going to end up in there... was kinda leery in PHX at GEU that there'd be a fat ol' spider or ten hiding out in there, or other desert creepy-crawlies staying out of the hot sun on the ramp.
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You sure they're inertial reels and not ratchet straps? They look very similar from the side....
 
Henning said:
You sure they're inertial reels and not ratchet straps? They look very similar from the side....
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Definitely inertial reels. I've used 'em at both airports. The reel is in a big metal round "box" in the ground and you reach in and pull it out like a seat-belt, put the hook through your tie-down eye, and then slide the collar up on the open side of the hinged hook, and twist to lock.

If you give the strap a tug, it locks. Just like a seat belt. To get it off the airplane you pull slowly, just like a seat belt, while you undo the "cuff" on the hook.

Interesting setup. Like I said, not sure if I trust it in a howling gale, but they're quick and easy for a stop for lunch on a nice day, etc.

A quick Google search turns up nothing -- I'll see if they have a manufacturer's name on them somewhere next time I'm up at KGXY.
 
denverpilot said:
... The reel is in a big metal round "box" in the ground ...
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Oh yeah, sounds like those are gonna work really well when ... ahem ... "winter" shows up in CO again? Snow, freeze, melt, freeze - lather, rinse, repeat.
 
"looks just a little up and west" ... no, I guess not ... A-Basin re-opened the slopes for more skiing
 
Aspen just annouced that they are going to open the top of the mountain on Memorial Day Weekend. This has truly been a long dreary wet spring in the mountains!
 
I use friction straps on my plane and those seem to hold pretty good.
 
I never thought of this before. This is an important thread, it should be moved to a more conspicuous forum, flight training or flight following.

John
 
Glad this got posted ! Gives me another - Beware of the Prop subject for the students...

I landed in Belen, NM one hot August and the chains had melted down into the asphalt. From that point on I have carried those little hand wipes in packets in the plane. Talk about icky!
 
I've seen chains at Aberdeen, SD and Wall, SD but I can't think of any closer than that.
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Atlantic Aviation at MDW has nearly all chains.
 
Chains in front of the cafe at PWT. Chains at the FBO at PUW. Rope at OLM, not that I worry about it, club planes are hangared there. :D
 
Just gonna say it. I have never worried about taxiiing over ropes before and never had a problem. Now, I am paranoid about it and cross them as slow as possible with as little rpm as possible.
 
Question: It was posted in this thread that there is a difference between a student who is pre-solo and a student who has already solo'd.

Is this with or without the CFI on board? Meaning, is it the CFI's fault if the person in the left seat is pre-solo and causes damage? But not if the CFI is on board and the person on the left is post-solo but on a dual flight?

I recently bought renter's "just in case" from AOPA but am curious as to what is / is not my fault, what is an accident, what would be blamed on my CFI for not saying "don't taxi over that" etc.

Kimberly
 
If your CFI is onboard, during an incident/accident, i dont think it matters if you are pre or post solo primary student. Your CFI is the PIC and will be held responsible.

If you are post solo, on a solo flight, and something happens, it depends. You and/or your instructor could be held responsble, depending on what happened.
 
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