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What's the best TIE DOWNS?

DakotaHawk

DakotaHawk

Well Known Member
Getting ready for the summer fly-in season, including a couple of the big ones like Arlington NWEAA and OshKosh, and thinking about securing my RV-7 on the ground.

Airventure has a whole section of their website devoted to tying down airplanes http://www.airventure.org/planning/tying_down.html and the FAA even has a document on the proper method to tie down an airplane. http://www1.airweb.faa.gov/Regulato...3121C979AF8A048C862569D60074B3B3?OpenDocument

What do you guys do to secure your planes while away from home?
 
I am Very Happy with my Fly Ties

I don't think there are better tie downs than these:
inGroundKit.jpg


http://www.flyties.com/

I like the speed, security and the T handle to pull the spikes out with. Everything is well made and well thought out. The delrin hubs not only have a nice twisty pattern for the spikes, but are also shaped in such a way as to clean the spikes of the majority of the mud as you pull them out. Very elegant. I really like the chocks that come with the kit too, they are power coated aluminum angle with integral bungee cords that secure themselves to the tire under tension. No more chock sliding across the hanger floor.

The only thing missing from their kit is a hammer, you will have to add one (or an axe) to the bag to be functional.

You could make the kit fancier with straps, but the straps and buckles just don't seem as strong as plain old rope...

Hans
 
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Agree absolutely

I use the "Fly Ties" also and like them for the same reasons as Hans gives.

Make sure the hammer is heavy enough to do the job. I started with a light weight hammer (to save weight) and it made a lot of work pounding the spikes into the ground. Beware of mushrooming the heads of the spikes.
 
Build your own

I used 5/16 chain for the HDAircraft store and 9" nails used to secure landscaping timbers and made mine. Total cost about 15 bucks, easy to use, easy to store. 3 chains radiate from the center like the claw, time to the middle and off you go.
 
The Fly Ties are a fancy store bought version of what you can make from the EAA tiedown plans. I made the EAA ones and they were fine.

Roberta
 
DIY

robertahegy said:
The Fly Ties are a fancy store bought version of what you can make from the EAA tiedown plans. I made the EAA ones and they were fine.

Roberta
Click to expand...

I second Roberta's vote. I also built my tie-downs per the EAA info. The spikes are actually longer (18") than the commercial product, (I believe 12" or even shorter still) so I would anticipate greater holding power in different soils.

http://www.airventure.org/planning/tying_down.html

http://www.vintageaircraft.org/magazine/aircraft_tiedown.pdf

http://www.eaa.org/sportaviationmag/2010/1004_BuildIt.pdf

popup_image1.html
 
Another vote for EAA tie down

I made a set of the EAA tie downs last year and I am very satisfied with them. My wife even made a storage bag with a draw string that color matched my A/C.
 
I use the Claw system. Costs about $100 and comes with ropes, bag, and even a small hammer. There are several suppliers that come up when you google claw aircraft tiedown.

Tom
RV-7A N175TJ Flying
 
tacaruth said:
I use the Claw system. Costs about $100 and comes with ropes, bag, and even a small hammer. There are several suppliers that come up when you google claw aircraft tiedown.

Tom
RV-7A N175TJ Flying
Click to expand...

Another vote for 'The Claw'. Love mine.
 
If you can replace any steel parts with titanium, you'll save some weight. The titanium's stronger and less dense than steel.

This works best for stakes.
 
David Paule said:
If you can replace any steel parts with titanium, you'll save some weight. The titanium's stronger and less dense than steel.

This works best for stakes.
Click to expand...

Many years ago, I found a set of screw-in tie-downs that are shaped like the el-cheapo dog stakes that you can find at K-Mart. However, these are made of TITANIUM and are very strong and lightweight. As a bonus, all three screw together in a tight bundle and come with a titanium bar to screw them into the ground.

I don't know if anyone makes them anymore though, sorry.
 
Don,
Like you I have a set of the Titanium screw in tie downs. Other than the hardest of ground they work great. They are by far the lightest tie downs out there. I have had them for many years. When I bought mine it was from the guy who was making them and selling them in lots. He advertised them on the Matronics RV list. A search there might reveal the source.
Ryan
 
the ones that you used when the plane is still there when you get back!!!!!!
at osh 02 i used all i had. 6 screw in type. 2 on tail, 2 on the wings, 1 on each step. they do come in handy at times. cant have enough when i blows.

pierre, v, carl, turbo i like the paint on the 12!

img0539kc.jpg
 
I remember the Titanium ones. People who had them liked them, but the fellow manufacturing them p'd off a lot of people with his unresponsiveness. A lot of people were looking for him, and it wasnt to say thank you. Not worth pursuing this unless there is somebody new making these.

erich
 
I know the Titanium guy....

Sort of, I work with his brother. I asked him to contact his brother to see if he wanted me to post contact information. His brother said that he had 50 sets, but he is so busy with other thing that he wasn't sure that he wanted to bother with selling them. I'll post later if I hear that he 'is open for business'.

Kent
 
The screw ones...

...can be a problem in some hard desert areas.

I found that long plain stakes and rope work well - usually a hammer can be borrowed locally (unless you like back country camping). Angle the ropes and the stakes correctly and they won't pull out.

I bought these forged 19 inch stakes, and dipped the tops in yellow PlasiDip for visibility.

snow_peak-solid-stake-50.jpg


http://www.backcountryedge.com/snow_peak-solid-stake-50.aspx

Found an old violin bow case from the spouse/navigator, and had a nice 4 lb. tie down package...:)
 
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