duckhunter10
Registered User
Stick forward or back?
tiedown
- Thread starter duckhunter10
- Start date
cubdriver2
FRIEND
upstate NY
Would depend on the wind direction
Glenn
Glenn
bob turner
Registered User
I agree with Stewart. For mild climate, take the rear shoulder harness, wrap once around the stick, and secure with lap strap. I now park inside, and rarely tie up to anything.
I tried the round disc type of control lock on the top of the rudder once. I watched the rudder try to twist its top off in the wind so I pitched that lock and have never locked the rudder since. Come to think of it I haven't used a rudder lock on the Cessna since the big storm in 2003, either. Even when I've been tail to the wind it hasn't been a big problem. I could make an external lock for any airplane I own but I just haven't seen the need. Other guys may have different ideas. Bottom line is I'll always try to spin the plane nose to the wind. That eliminates 90% of any gust lock requirements.
I think its all in where you are and what the conditions are. If our storm winds came from a constant (or even a predictable) direction I likely wouldn't us a lock either but with thunderstorm winds, especially with a cell that is a near miss we often get a BIG direction swing and after having an elevator once flap itself so bad, when the wind switched 90 degrees, that I had to re-bush it I use 6" diameter home made external locks.
Whenever plane is out and unattended, I have gust locks on ailerons and flaps (4) and (1) on elevator/horizontal stab; normally leave the stick alone (neutral). It's a PA-14, so fore & aft seat belts holding it neutral, would be my choice, but maybe try some combination with Velcro to seat and lower panel x-bar?
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mike mcs repair
Registered User
chugiak AK
We had one on airport this year that they didn't tie tail down and wind from front push it backwards and then pulled it up on its nose. Big tires. Wind wasn't even that bad.
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Never trust a cable coming out of the ground unless you just pounded it in. I get two seasons out of my Duckbills. They usually break in the third season, or are seriously corroded when I inspect them in the inch or so below the surface. I've thought about making some up with stainless cables for my cabin tie down but never followed through. Standard galvanized cable doesn't last as long as some guys (including airfield maintenance guys) think.
PS. Duckbills work great in some soils but not great in rocky soil (can't pound them in) or sand (they pull out, especially if the sand gets saturated with water.)
PS. Duckbills work great in some soils but not great in rocky soil (can't pound them in) or sand (they pull out, especially if the sand gets saturated with water.)
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Spoiler covers work but for me it's counter intuitive to put wing covers on for the wind. I usually take them off to protect the paint from flapping covers, but that attitude may change with my new slatted wings. My spoiler covers are mesh so do little as snow covers but the spoilers do seem to calm the airplane in a direct wind. They don't do anything in crosswinds. Nothing's perfect.
