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How strong is the RV-A's tail's tiedown point?

B

Bevan

Well Known Member
I assume the tiedown in the tail is designed to handle a load mostly in the vertical direction as if it is being tied to the ground directly below. But what if one lands on a beach, for example, and wants to pull the plane uphill away from the water well above the tide line into an area he doesn't want to be running the prop. Can the tail tiedown point be used to attach a rope, block and tackle, to pull the aircraft, single person, over soft sand or other "draggy" surface material up to higher ground? Or will this just bend/brake the tiedown attachment? Anybody successfully pulled HARD on this tiedown point and not hurt anything?

Bevan
 
Not a good idea

I've seen a couple of A's with the tiedown bent when they drug it on a landing. From putting it together, it's pretty evident it is not strong in bending but very strong in tension. It's not made to be a tow point. I think you'll quickly regret trying to pull your plane through sand with it!
 
NO from Van's

i ask if i could use it with a winch to pull back my plane in my hangar and there is the answer from van's ( kens)

''We would NOT recommend trying to tow the airplane backwards by the tiedown eyelet. It just isn't intended for that and you'd probably bend at least the eyelet, which in turn, could damage the airframe.''


Lan Vinh Do
 
I have seen at least half dozen -6A aircraft with damaged tail tie down rings, both at S-N-F and OSH fly-ins. The early -6A that was/is used by the EAA for the young eagle flights suffered a tail tie down eye bolt failure when the a/c over rotated on take off. This resulted in a jammed rudder which lead to damaged to the lower rudder fiberglass fairing. This a/c was modified, removed the Van's tie down ring, and a new "big a**" skid was fabricated and installed.

I have no knowledge of how the other tie down eyelets were damaged, but I chose to implement a different design for the tail tie down.
 
Bent Mine

I did a dumb thing and bent mine with a restrictor line when I was taking my newly completed 6A fuse off the trailor at the airport. Its just not very strong when being pulled to the rear. (I think I have an older design tie-down.) Next annual that bent ring is coming off and something better is going in its place. Think I'll order some of those stainless steel rings that were talked about on this site for the wings also.

John
 
My fuselage was built as a tail dragger and has the insert for the tail wheel. I converted it to a nose wheel, but left the support for the tail wheel because of how much problem it is to remove. I would bet it is strong enough to pull on, but that is just my guess. I have considered mounting a small skid plate or something there in case my plane ever tips back to far.

As much work as it is to remove it, it would probably be worse trying to install one just to use to pull the plane with.
 
I agree with all that has been posted. Doesn't sound like towing by the tail is gonna work. So let's change it up. In the same beach scenario, what about taking the front section of the nose wheel pant off (assuming I even have the wheel pants on when flying to such a place), looping a rope around the towbar lugs sticking out of the nose gear fork, and pulling on those? Can the nose gear (including that famous nose gear leg bolt) safely handle that? BTW, my nose gear bolt is the NAS6605 1st oversize in a reamed hole, if that make any difference.

Bevan
 
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How about a harnesses that loops over each step or even the wing tie downs and goes back to a central pulling point?
 
GEM930 said:
How about a harnesses that loops over each step or even the wing tie downs and goes back to a central pulling point?
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure the steps are not going to be stong enough. What about tying to the wing tiedowns, then routing the rope through the tiedown at the tail? If there was a way to distribute the pulling load equally between all three points, that would be better still. The thing is, these tiedwons are not designed to be pulled on laterally.

Bevan
 
B.A.S. Inc. Aeromod makes retractable tow handles for Cessnas... They do make models that fit RV's as well. A local RV-4 owner has one installed and it works great. When retracted a press-in plug seals the hole very nicely. Perhaps one of these with a sling on it, combined with someone steering the nosewheel, would be enough?

Tail_pull_handle2.jpg
Tail_pull_handle1.jpg


No affiliation with BAS Inc., but I did email them a long time ago to ask about these handles. I was surprised to find that they already had models designed for the RV's.
 
Based on this thread, I am rethinking my first engine run on my 7A. I was going to tie the tail ring to my truck hitch, but it appears that the ring is not strong enough.

I have heard that brakes alone are not enough to hold the plane during the engine run.

I was thinking my next option is to get 2 tow straps around the main gear legs near the tires and run them back to the truck hitch.

What did you A model guys do to secure the plane during the first engine run?
 
Brakes will not hold

if they are new pads and have not been "burned in" --- I just replaced mine the other day and it took the "burn-in" procedure before they would hold, even at just above idle.

When I did my prop balancing a short time ago, I tied the tail down, with the ring, and also held the brakes----did the same with the -10 and -8A --- no problems.
 
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