Big Storms this morning

tonycondon

tonycondon

Gastons CRO (Chief Dinner Reservation Officer)
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Mar 9, 2005
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Wichita, KS
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Tony
We had major storms this morning. I woke up at about 4 AM to hellacious wind, hail, and downpours. lots of lightning. Then I missed a call on my phone from my friend NE of town, where my glider is currently living. This can't be good...

Well the wind tossed some trailes around. Thankfully the 2 or 3 trailers that had gliders fared the best. His trailer got turned sideways but stayed upright. Another trailer next to it just did some sliding around. Mine tipped and is leaning up against the trailer next to it. Well that is not the worst possible news so I will take it. Got a picture a bit ago. Not sure what the extent of the damage is. All I can say is I hope that the fittings in the trailer held. Otherwise, I have insurance.
 

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Maybe tieing them down is a good idea, right Matt?? :) Hope the glider is OK.
 
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Wow.. That MUST have been one heckuva wind to move YOUR trailer like that - that thing weights close to 5,000# doesn't it? ;)

Hope everything is OK inside. The only thing I can think of that isn't REALLY secure is the tailwheel tie-down point. Everything else is pretty well attached at hard-points isn't it?
 
CJones said:
Wow.. That MUST have been one heckuva wind to move YOUR trailer like that - that thing weights close to 5,000# doesn't it? ;)

Hope everything is OK inside. The only thing I can think of that isn't REALLY secure is the tailwheel tie-down point. Everything else is pretty well attached at hard-points isn't it?
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right now each wing is supported by a 3/8" wooden dowel that runs through half of the wing attachments. That dowel runs through a plate that is basically screwed to the skin of the trailer at the front. The wing tie downs are slipped through a 3/8" (I think) steel rod.

The fuselage is attached to a steel bar with a 1/2" bolt through one wing attachment. I suspect the shear strength on that bolt is higher than the empty weight of the fuselage, which is probably a couple hundred pounds. However there are a lot of other places it could fail. Notably, the steel bar is bolted to the frame of the trailer, and I don't recall that those bolts are particularly beefy. Plus it is currently HANGING from those bolts, which can't be good. Matt and I rebuilt the tailwheel "attachment" before I brought it down here. It should be snug.

I'll be surprised if there is no damage.
 
Ahh.. Yeah.. I forgot about the wooden dowels. Didn't realize they were attached to the skin instead of frame pieces. Bummer. Oh well, maybe you can let insurance pay for new skin. ;)

Too bad you'll be up here this weekend, I'm sure you would like to get in and start 'fixing' right away.
 
CJones said:
Ahh.. Yeah.. I forgot about the wooden dowels. Didn't realize they were attached to the skin instead of frame pieces. Bummer. Oh well, maybe you can let insurance pay for new skin. ;)

Too bad you'll be up here this weekend, I'm sure you would like to get in and start 'fixing' right away.
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well, we'll just have to see what the damage is like. Harry has about 3 wood wings in his shop right now that have hit various trees, poles etc and busted the spars. He's working on splicing them together. So I have hope that unless its just a pile of sticks, it is repairable.
 
Tony, just how far from its original location is it? Was it picked up and thrown all about, or did it basically get "tipped"?

If the latter, I'll bet it's OK inside.
 
SCCutler said:
Tony, just how far from its original location is it? Was it picked up and thrown all about, or did it basically get "tipped"?

If the latter, I'll bet it's OK inside.
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it might have slid a little, but then basically just tipped.

i hear what you're saying. im not so concerned with damage that may have happened when the trailer moved. im worried about what has happened in the 10 hours since then. the fittings were sorta designed with the assumption that the trailer would be upright. and really thats not a bad assumption.
 
Yikes, Tony! I'm hoping for the best for you. Did you take the picture or did somebody send it to you? That much wasn't clear to me, when you said "I got a picture". It must have been the latter--I can't imagine you could have resisted the urge to go open her up and find out what happened inside.

So, when do you think you'll get out there to find out?? When will we know!?
 
TangoWhiskey said:
Yikes, Tony! I'm hoping for the best for you. Did you take the picture or did somebody send it to you? That much wasn't clear to me, when you said "I got a picture". It must have been the latter--I can't imagine you could have resisted the urge to go open her up and find out what happened inside.

So, when do you think you'll get out there to find out?? When will we know!?
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Im leaving work now, going home, packing, then going out to check on the glider, then headed to Ames. I will post something later tonight or tomorrow morning.

My friend Harry, who lives there, took the picture.
 
I just talked to Tony and his glider is fine.

Posted from my iPhone while driving on i35 somewhere in Kansas.
 
Best news all day -- that and knowing Diana and Tom are ok. Thanks Jesse, for the update.
 
Bad News Tony.. hope all works out ok.
We get 50-60knt winds out here.. straight line winds... but the trailers are all pointed into the prevailing winds.

You guys need hurricane tie down straps over the top of those boxy trailers.

ahh... just saw the note the internal fittings held.. good news
 
Glad the glider is ok, Tony.
 
Glad it is OK, Now TIE that sucker down!
 
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