Orange Screw tie downs
 

Late last year I joined a GoFundMe campaign to help out a friend of a friend who came up with a unique tent stake. What was cool is that they are offered in different sizes. One might even work for the plane.

I brought them to SnF and they worked great to tie the plane down. Easy time screw in and out, lightweight, and easy to clean.

The only thing is you need to screw them all the way in.

Here is the link.

cute, but I'd be leery trusting my plane to those without a shootout pull test with other tiedown systems.

orange vs the claw vs the EAA 3 prong...etc

No way
 

Those are for tying down your dog, not your airplane.:mad:

This plane was secured with screw anchors. (Sun'n Fun 2011)

I would sure be interested in these if they were tested! Would be nice not to have to pack a hammer!... I wonder if 2 (double) screws on each wing would increase the strength?

Here are two tests:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Loq1olceSIE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIuYK_eEQ9c

As you will see, nothing short of concrete will save your plane.

I'll reach out to AVweb and see if they can test the Orange Screw for us.

Gutsy move, Maverick (posting this comment/question here)!

I'm always looking for better mousetraps for strapping my plane to the ground, and these have caught my eye. Might be good in an array of 2,3 or 4 at each tie down point.

One thing I have learned about devices for tying down a plane, is the best device/system depends on the soil. Augers and screws work well in loam or sand. Spikes work well in rocky soil. One size does not fit all.

Still looking for the ultimate, light solution.

Exactly. I'm not sure how these would work in the clay we have here in the Carolinas and in rocky soil, I'm not sure you could get them in the ground. But then again, you can't pound a spike through a rock either.

In the sand at SnF, they worked great. A couple of us tried to pull on them and they were more secure than The Claw and some others.

The best protection is hull insurance. Sorry, had to say it. I experienced a good wind in Anchorage one time. Some planes survived, some pulled out the ropes. Later, the FAA calculated the G forces on wings that had survived and it was startling to see what hidden damage might be lurking. And those owners thought they dodged a bullet.

Tie down Rating
 

So how much force/downward/diagional pull can one put on either the wing or tail tie down attachment points?

I couldn't agree more. You do what you can and deal with the rest. If a tornado selectively picks my plane, as it some of those at SnF a few years back, the insurance company can have it.

The Orange Screws seem to work pretty good in sand and I will continue to use them.

I did contact AVweb to see if they would like to run a test and am waiting to hear back from them.