float plane
- Thread starter Yard Dart
- Start date
Gary Reeves
SPONSOR
Lake Clark National Park, Alaska
Dart,
I've thought about this before.
I always - always - put my nose to the water and the tail on the beach, however I have a good friend that puts his on a trailor much like you described and keeps the tail low and on the down slope.
If you point the nose down the beach, I advise a tail tie down safety since the backend may be way above the comfort level already. Actually, the same on the upslope in case the wind gets under the tail.
Either way on tracks, tie the tail too. I've seen two that did not.
GR
I've thought about this before.
I always - always - put my nose to the water and the tail on the beach, however I have a good friend that puts his on a trailor much like you described and keeps the tail low and on the down slope.
If you point the nose down the beach, I advise a tail tie down safety since the backend may be way above the comfort level already. Actually, the same on the upslope in case the wind gets under the tail.
Either way on tracks, tie the tail too. I've seen two that did not.
GR
float plan tiedowns
Whatever you do, do not just tie off the cleats to something on one side of the aircraft and expect it to work. I watched a gust of wind hit a 206 on 3430s at Bush Carriers on Lake hood and lift it straight in the air about 30 feet where it stalled out and went straight in trailing the dock lines, cleats, and the 2x6 decking that they were screwed into. It had been light and variable when the gust hit. The only one all day.
I was leaning into the door of a 185 bolting in the lamb chops for a float changeup when the williwaw hit. I had the tail tied down to a 500 lb concrete block and the airplane on a boom truck. I found myself hanging on by my elbows as it went into the air, but the tail line held since it was directly into the gust.
When we get the occasional windstorm in Anchorage, I have always been amazed at those that will tie a $50 to 250 thousand dollar aircraft to a couple of concrete blocks that they could easily load into the plane and take off with and still be under gross. (and do it with Walmart clothes line.)
If you're going to permanently tie up a float plane, sink a 50 gallon drum full of rocks under each wing, with a line up to a float and use them to tie down to. If on land, put a drum full of water under each wing and fill with a garden hose. Then it will be there when you come back. Nose to the wind is best as it protects the control surfaces.
I've been caught out on the Ak. Penninusla with unforcast sustained gusts hitting 60 to 70 on a lake and had to fill the floats with water to hold it down. Lots of pumping, first in, then out the next day. I don't know how much water a pair of 2960s hold but it's several tons and several thousand pumps each way.
Hyrdflyr
Whatever you do, do not just tie off the cleats to something on one side of the aircraft and expect it to work. I watched a gust of wind hit a 206 on 3430s at Bush Carriers on Lake hood and lift it straight in the air about 30 feet where it stalled out and went straight in trailing the dock lines, cleats, and the 2x6 decking that they were screwed into. It had been light and variable when the gust hit. The only one all day.
I was leaning into the door of a 185 bolting in the lamb chops for a float changeup when the williwaw hit. I had the tail tied down to a 500 lb concrete block and the airplane on a boom truck. I found myself hanging on by my elbows as it went into the air, but the tail line held since it was directly into the gust.
When we get the occasional windstorm in Anchorage, I have always been amazed at those that will tie a $50 to 250 thousand dollar aircraft to a couple of concrete blocks that they could easily load into the plane and take off with and still be under gross. (and do it with Walmart clothes line.)
If you're going to permanently tie up a float plane, sink a 50 gallon drum full of rocks under each wing, with a line up to a float and use them to tie down to. If on land, put a drum full of water under each wing and fill with a garden hose. Then it will be there when you come back. Nose to the wind is best as it protects the control surfaces.
I've been caught out on the Ak. Penninusla with unforcast sustained gusts hitting 60 to 70 on a lake and had to fill the floats with water to hold it down. Lots of pumping, first in, then out the next day. I don't know how much water a pair of 2960s hold but it's several tons and several thousand pumps each way.
Hyrdflyr
Jerry Gaston
Registered User
Bozeman, Montana
Thats just a litle under 700 gallons.
