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windy outside..palmer ak?

Re: Palmer wind

articfox said:
...EVERY ONE OF MY (12) RATCHET STRAPS FAILED....
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ya there's a few guys here that use them,

their neighbors should shoot them.....

nice for holding i mobile loads down, not worth a shi% holding a plane down. in a wind storm....
 
articfox said:
Just like that. The bottom of the cowl/cleaner take a beating??
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nope

it was sitting on prop flange and tires!!!

note also he missed that crucial step of tying the stick back.....
 
Yep... around 40 mph wind sustained, or extended gust, it was on its nose.




note also he missed that crucial step of tying the stick back....
 
I would not trust the rachet straps for tie-down either. They are just the ticket for dampening abrupt tail swing though. I used them from the tie downs on the ground straight to the gear gusset. I used just enough tension to make them taught. Very little stress on the straps as I did not have to retighten. It made tail movement minimal and controlled. Good bungees with a section of rope to achieve the right tension could be substituted. The nice thing about the ratches is that over the ability to add more tension if and when needed.
 
What seems to work

Did anyone know if he had insurance, I sure hope so.

As far as taking care of my plane in the wind. What do you think about my process.

1st, I think it has been stated that checking on the plane is most important. 2nd, I always try to put my seat belt and bungee over my stick to help save my moving parts. I elevated my tail with a milk create, and tied it down with double ropes. I put gust locks on flaps, ailerons, and the elevator(going to make one for the rudder). Unfortunity I currently have south facing parking, having my plane closer to a flying attitude really reduced the movement from the wind due to less surface. I then use rachet straps and the ropes over the sturts for safety. And for kicks alway turn my prop to 3 and 9 oclock.

Just learning, but try to learn from others mistakes.
 
Re: What seems to work

I had a situation in Birchwood in 1982 with my 170. I put a saw horse and blankets under the tail to achieve as close to a zero angle of attack as I could perceive by watching the airplanes response. The Path of least resistance was my goal. I do not believe there was any reported wind there at that time but I am sure it was 80 mph with higher gusts. The mistake I made was not to keep the tail from sashaying. The tail fell off the sawhorse when I was trying to get some sleep and the horse blew away. The airplane survived. If I had put straps from the gear to the ground tie-downs(wing) this would have prevented the wild swing of the tail, hence, not allowing this to happen. Twisting force can certainly loosen ropes and put more stress on the strut/wing tie-down attach points.

shouldhunt said:
Did anyone know if he had insurance, I sure hope so.

As far as taking care of my plane in the wind. What do you think about my process.

1st, I think it has been stated that checking on the plane is most important. 2nd, I always try to put my seat belt and bungee over my stick to help save my moving parts. I elevated my tail with a milk create, and tied it down with double ropes. I put gust locks on flaps, ailerons, and the elevator(going to make one for the rudder). Unfortunity I currently have south facing parking, having my plane closer to a flying attitude really reduced the movement from the wind due to less surface. I then use rachet straps and the ropes over the sturts for safety. And for kicks alway turn my prop to 3 and 9 oclock.

Just learning, but try to learn from others mistakes.
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mike mcs repair said:
......trying to decide if i would put the old regular tie-down rings back on this project since it also has the hurricane ones....
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well, another thought came to me,

the original(well -18 style) tie downs will have to go back on...... so he will be able to use a wing jack to switch skis & tires.... or else he would be stuck hanging it to do that...
 
breezy out... check them tiedowns.....

found one 180 with one wing untied at birchwood, swung around into his cub, just starting to beat on it... we got that moved & tied down...

hear someone is on mt. susitna with tie downs that wont hold, trying to hold the cub down by hand.... that don't sound promising....

my niece helps/run a moving company, one of the semis had the roof ripped off on its way through valley heading for fairbanks...

I had checked forecast yesterday morning and it looked like it was gonna be nice out, went out to camp up craggie creek in hatcher pass, and it snowed for 3 or 4 hours after I got there... and then started blowing...
 
It's windy around Lake Hood / Spenard. Had to spin the cub around which wasn't fun. A friends -12 took damage over in the fingers.

Surprising how many guys don't watch it closer.
 
from www.adn.com

A Cessna 180 with two people aboard flipped in the wind at Lake Hood, coming to rest in the choppy water with its floats sticking in the air. Both of those aboard got out safely.
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eFloatPlaneFlip.82340.original.embedded.prod_affiliate.7.jpg


kinda reminds me of those poor people still missing in Katmai.... even with this nice close up picture in a small water way, if floats ended up scum side up they are very hard to see, especially from the air.......
 
another former customer just retied down 9908D that came loose , emailed, and was looking for owner info, googled it for him.... seems he's unlisted, if you know him call him and tell him....(Greg Sternquist, 14650 Wildien Dr, Anchorage, AK 99516)

N9908D
Do you know how to get registered owner. He came untied and I retied him. Want to tell him to check
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strange how people don't check on their planes when we get a blow.....
 
NOAK48 PAFC 250146
PNSAFC

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
545 PM AKDT FRI SEP 24 2010
...WIND REPORTS FROM ACROSS SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA...

THE HIGHEST WIND GUSTS RECORDED TODAY AS OF 5:30PM ACROSS
SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA.

-------------------------------------------
SITE GUST
-------------------------------------------
BETWEEN WASILLA AND PALMER 78 MPH
VALDEZ AIRPORT 62 MPH
PALMER AIRPORT 61 MPH
ANCHORAGE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT 59 MPH
WASILLA AIRPORT 52 MPH
MERRILL FIELD IN ANCHORAGE 48 MPH
KENAI AIRPORT 46 MPH
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The highest wind velocity report on ANC's METAR history is 36. My planes have endured worse. I'm not home to attend to them but a friend checked them and didn't seem too concerned. Not much I can do anyway, except play golf. :D

Beauty day in Texas yesterday. Heat index at 104. There was a very entertaining thunderstorm late, too. Today, more of the same. Love it!

SB
 
College Station. My daughter's a senior at A&M. We're regular visitors. Someday residents. I really like it here.

Stewart
 
If you like to bass fish you should come up and go fishing with me. I have 30 acres of private waters. We caught 20 this morning, three were over 5 Lbs. I am 160 miles north east of you. Not far considering you came from Alaska.
 
If you like to bass fish you should come up and go fishing with me. I have 30 acres of private waters. We caught 20 this morning, three were over 5 Lbs. I am 160 miles north east of you. Not far considering you came from Alaska.
 
mike mcs repair said:
hear someone is on mt. susitna with tie downs that wont hold, trying to hold the cub down by hand.... that don't sound promising....
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sounds like they went over edge into ravine... made it through with just one elevator needed... :D
 
I survived the March '03 windstorm with only (relatively) minor damage to my cub, which was on the Merrill ski strip at the time.

Now I have a 180. What tie-down tips or mods specific to a 180 do y'all have? I'm all ears...
 
slowmover said:
I survived the March '03 windstorm with only (relatively) minor damage to my cub, which was on the Merrill ski strip at the time.

Now I have a 180. What tie-down tips or mods specific to a 180 do y'all have? I'm all ears...
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one thing i thought of while i was retieing that guys 180 and cub.. was how the normal tie down knots was sliping up the main rope, if not soft.. so thought if its your normal spot and your ropes, tie a not in main rope a foot or 18" below your wing and do your tie down knot below this... then it will not slip up past that point and start bouncing, and untieing themselfs

plus how rotten his ropes were getting... buy NEW ropes!!!
 
Just want to say thanks again to Dave Calkins, Clay, Star and whoever else was out there saving my plane while I was at work. I'm down at the S end of Lake Hood on an exposed dock which started coming apart with the wind and waves on Friday. The downwind float got stuck under the dock and put the whole thing in danger. By the time I arrived two aircraft across the south pothole by the museum had sunk and the 180 had just flipped on takeoff. My craft was taking a pounding, but had been pulled back and stabilized with the tails on the wall. My neighbor was still working to stabilize his and it looked like it was almost lifted too far by the waves and wind a couple times.
Thanks again to all of you who were there for me.
Matt

Nancy_Droid_256.jpg


Nancy_Droid_252.jpg
 
slowmover said:
I survived the March '03 windstorm with only (relatively) minor damage to my cub, which was on the Merrill ski strip at the time.

Now I have a 180. What tie-down tips or mods specific to a 180 do y'all have? I'm all ears...
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180s that are loosely tied can rock with the gusts and "walk" a gear leg under the plane until it collapses. I've seen one get close but have only heard of actual failure. Tie the plane snugly. Big tires allow more movement so consider that. I use the pull down tie rings for everyday but when the wind really gets after it I wrap the rope around the strut. I routinely use a yoke gust lock but in the wind I try to add external locks. All airplanes ride the wind better when facing nose to the wind rather than tail to, but spinning the plane can be more dangerous than leaving it secured as is. Do all you can and hope for the best. The best tip is to tie it down well every time. Good ropes, good earth anchors, tight lines, three points tied, etc. It'll benefit your planes while you're traveling and unable to attend to them.


SB
 
Looking at Matt's pictures reminds me of how much I don't miss floats. :D

SB
 
current gusts palmer 64 kt = 73.6 mph

Site M/A Day Time Sky Conditions VIS Weather Temp DP Wind(kt) Alt RH Chill Peak

PAAQ AP 15 0228 CLR 2 1/2 S- 16 -6 04045G65 939 36% -9 65
PAAQ AP 15 0235 CLR 3 S- 16 -6 03041G62 938 36% -8 65
PAAQ AA 15 0253 CLR 4 S- 15 -5 03040G63 940 40% -9
PAAQ AA 15 0353 CLR 4 S- 15 -5 03041G58 942 40% -9
PAAQ AA 15 0453 CLR 4 S- 16 -6 04040G59 946 36% -8
PAAQ AA 15 0553 CLR 5 S- 15 -8 04040G64 950 34% -9
 
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