Parking the aircraft, at what wind speed use tiedowns ?

[ralarcon]

If only parking for 2-3 hrs.

 

Cheers

[ralarcon]

Anything over 10kts is a problem for the CTLS.  Tie the stick back with the seatbelts.  Make sure the tail is tied down with the strap provided by FD.

Thanks !

[Duane Jefts]

I would tie down the plane ANYTIME I left it even for a short period of time. 

 

First off  you don't know what the winds will be doing in the next 30 minutes but more importantly, any airplane operating in the vicinity of your plane can blow it into a pile of scrap with just a little bit of careless prop wash.

[CT4ME]

If it's convenient, I'd tie it down just about every time.  Besides prop wash and unexpected winds, here in AZ there's always the chance of a random dust devil.  That being said, on a nice clear cool morning, I've been known to just use brakes and wheel chocks.  I usually don't bother with tail unless it's for sure jiggy.

[ralarcon]

Thanks for all the feedback, prop wash never came to mind,  but I can see how that would be a huge problem.

 

Cheers

[Ed Cesnalis]

Tie the stick back with the seat belts and you're all set to have your plane fly at the tie down.

 

My CT spent 1 day flying while tied down in an 80kt wind.

[Doug G.]

I was at an area fly in a couple of years ago. The folks parking the planes decided to put a T-28 directly behind me (no one was tied down, and the plane was very new to me so I didn't even think of it) fortunately I was watching when the T-28 cranked up to leave. The of us rushed out to hold my CTLS. I held the sick forward (the planes were tail to tail) another person held ahead of the empenage and a third tried to stabilize the wings. Thankfully the T-28 didn't rev up. I don't think we could have held it.

[Ed Cesnalis]

The stick back lowers the tail as you said, which increases the AOA and on a big day the CT flies while tied down.  In a big wind like that you really need gust locks.

[FlyingMonkey]

The stick back lowers the tail as you said, which increases the AOA and on a big day the CT flies while tied down.  In a big wind like that you really need gust locks.

 

Yeah, I bungee the stick to the rudder pedals, exactly the opposite.

[Anticept]

If you don't always tie down, you'll question yourself every time you leave the plane about whether or not you did. Or, one day you might forget that you didn't tie down after you get sidetracked, and come back to a plane wrapped around a building.

 

Tie down whenever possible. My father pushed someone's plane back into their hangar in the 70's because they were going to go get lunch, and a thunderstorm popped up. It took less than half an hour from clear sky to violent wind. They would have lost it that day.

[Tom Baker]

Tieing the stick back is appropriate and how it's done at Elite and other flight schools.  It places the elevator up and helps keep the tail down.  If you are outside in 80kt winds you are asking for a flipped over aircraft and worse, but not because the stick is back.

 

Another tip is to use the canvas cargo straps you can buy at Home Depot instead of using chains.  You can tweek the wing and tail much better and they are light enough to take with you on trips.  Just make sure the wings are snug, don't leave them loose like happens with loose chains.

 

Also, if there is no dust blowing, crack the side vents a bit so the cockpit doesnt heat up and invest in a windsheild sun shade unless if you dont have a cockpit cover.

Tying the stick back is better than not tying it at all, but if you can tie it forward that is the best choice. I have talked with old timers who ferried light aircraft back in the 30's and 40's. Many times they would get caught by weather and have to land in a field with no place to tie down. They would tie the controls forward and leave the airplane un-chocked with the brakes off. More often than not there was no damage to the aircraft. They said they learned this the hard way. If the controls were tied back the airplane would wind up on its nose or flipped over.

[Doug G.]

Tieing the stick back with the seat belt is what the FD POH says, however.

[Anticept]

Tying the stick back is better than not tying it at all, but if you can tie it forward that is the best choice. I have talked with old timers who ferried light aircraft back in the 30's and 40's. Many times they would get caught by weather and have to land in a field with no place to tie down. They would tie the controls forward and leave the airplane un-chocked with the brakes off. More often than not there was no damage to the aircraft. They said they learned this the hard way. If the controls were tied back the airplane would wind up on its nose or flipped over.

 

I wonder if it was because they were taildraggers?

 

It's an interesting thought though. Tying the stick forward means that a tailwind will just push the tail down, and it's not possible to flip most planes with a headwind unless it's really bad.

[FastEddieB]

...and it's not possible to flip most planes with a headwind unless it's really bad.

 

For example...

 

[Anticept]

 

For example...

 

.... i love how it just pops off the ground.

[Tom Baker]

I wonder if it was because they were taildraggers?

 

It's an interesting thought though. Tying the stick forward means that a tailwind will just push the tail down, and it's not possible to flip most planes with a headwind unless it's really bad.

With a wind from the side they would turn into the wind. With a wind on the tail it would push the tail and wings down. A wind from the front would raise the tail lowering the angle of attack, keeping it from flying.

Cessna locks their controls in the forward position. With Piper Cherokees I was taught to fold the seatback forward and push it against the control wheel.

[WmInce]

Yeah, I bungee the stick to the rudder pedals, exactly the opposite.

 

Same here Andy, except I use a double-bungee.  Simple and inexpensive.

It keeps the pedals and ailerons neutral and increases the pitch angle on the stabilator.  That aids in keeping the nose planted during a headwind (raises the tail force by an increased angle of attack) and during a tailwind, negates lift by reducing the angle of attack.

[Doug G.]

Something strange about that video. First, what kind of tail number is that? Second, why does it go basically straight up when it is in a strong headwind? It seems to me that once it is clear of the chicks it would be mining backwards.

I could see a model with the engine being controlled might act that way.

[FastEddieB]

Good points.

 

I, too, assume it would have moved more quickly downwind.

 

Hmmmmm.....

[lvpazik]

Just purchased CTLSi. What, if anything, are people doing to tie down the tail since there's no tail hook that is typical on other aircraft?  I've seen, via the internet, some CTLS plane at air shows where there is some kind of harness over the fuselage and then to the ground. It seemed to be almost like wrapping the fuselage with an innertube and then it tied to the ground.

[gbigs]

Just purchased CTLSi. What, if anything, are people doing to tie down the tail since there's no tail hook that is typical on other aircraft?  I've seen, via the internet, some CTLS plane at air shows where there is some kind of harness over the fuselage and then to the ground. It seemed to be almost like wrapping the fuselage with an innertube and then it tied to the ground

 

 

The factory provides an empennage strap for each CTLSi.  You didn't say if you got a used plane, if you did, then the original owner should have the strap.   The strap has a special design (canvas, padded, loops) and length and allow you to use any tie-down chain or other cargo tie down that has hooks. 

[Duane Jefts]

Answer to when you tie your airplane down. ALWAYS. You never know when another plane will direct their prop/jet blast at your plane.

[Olav]

Attached photo shows how I tie my tail down using the Flight Design provided tail strap.  I use a carabiner through the strap eyes, then a second carabiner that clips into it and to an adjustable tie down strap.  You can use just the one carabiner but the second carabiner just makes it easier.