Do you tie down for a lunch stop?

MonkeyClaw

MonkeyClaw

Pre-takeoff checklist
Joined
Sep 17, 2019
Messages
255
Location
Sedona, AZ
Display Name
Timothy Miller
Home Airfield
KSEZ
A fair amount of my flying is the proverbial $100 hamburger. Something I've noticed is other people doing a full tie down of their plane, taking upwards of 5 minutes - sometimes more, for a breakfast or lunch stop. I throw a chock on my front wheel and head inside to eat. I can understand tying down if the winds are high or gusty, or maybe if there is concern about a slope on the ramp. But on a nice, low-wind day, I don't see the point.

Am I missing something? Or are people being overly cautious?
 
If low winds and flat surface, set parking brake and (maybe) chock the nose wheel. Especially if the plane stays more or less in view for that short-ish stop.

If the stop is longer than a couple hours, terrain isn't very level and winds could become a concern, then the plane gets tied down.
 
eman1200 said:
Will plane roll?

No = no tie down
Yes = tie down and/or chock

Complicated, I know. Can’t recall the last time I tied down for a lunch stop.
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What? You don't use 'chalks'?

Seriously, though, I do the same. If there is light wind and no expected jet wash, chocks. If expect significant wind/gusts or jet wash, control lock and tie downs...although this has proven rare where/when I fly for short visits.
 
I always tie my bird down at any airport where heavier aircraft or helicopters operate. Wind from a powerful prop blast can easily create as much havoc as wind from a gust front blowing through the tie-down area. If I'm in a tie-down area at a backcountry strip where no large airplanes can operate, I might be satisfied with just a chock. Simple risk management. Even if the probability of an incident is low, the financial impact can be high, so why take the chance. I've never been so hungry that delaying my meal by 5 minutes was going to be a problem.
 
I suspect that the same people who tie down for an hour lunch on a no wind and a flat surface are the same people who don't tie down properly at other times. You can walk down a typical tie-downline and see those loosely hanging ropes.
 
Calm day and eating lunch at the airport? Chock the nose wheel, no tiedown.

Leaving the airport for lunch? Tie down the plane.
 
Most times no. The Navion is a pig on the ground and usually won't be affected by the winds. If they're really howling, it will weathervane itself.
 
Just as pilot should be qualified to determine if the weather and conditions are safe to fly...so should the pilot be able to determine if they need to tie down or not...long story short...it depends on a million factors to make an informed decision, but no, not always.

Arguably not a bad habit should a pilot so choose to do so but IMO not always necessary.
 
At the local airport where I worked 14 years, it would be rare for a transient pilot to tie down unless they were staying overnight. Most didn't even bother with chocks. And we did have a medevac helicopter and several jets operating there.
 
Like others, generally no if slope or winds allow.

One caveat, though, is if there's a fair amount of jets on the ramp with engine exhaust aimed in your general direction, I might throw in an extra chock and/or also tie down the tail.
 
I can’t remember a time when I did more than chocks for a lunch stop. I usually only tie down if weather is coming or it’s going to be there overnight.
 
No I have never tied down just for a lunch stop.
Probably wouldn't be there for lunch/dinner if the weather was iffy.

OT a little.
The flight school I went to, kept their aircraft tied down with chains. You take them off on pre flight and put them back on as soon as you land.
Then the next student goes through same routine all day long. The chains I guess wore slowly?

The flight school at my home airport never tie down the trainer 172s. They get chocked. If the weather get's bad they go into hangars.

The first year camping with our plane I tied it down over night. But haven't for the last several years because we had weeks of great weather in the months of Aug and Sept when we camp with our RV and 172.
 
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wow, I guess I've been overthinking it. I always do all 3 tie downs and chock both mains. I didn't realize everyone doesn't do this. I'm just terrified of the plane getting blown into the 3M turboprop across the row and ruining me.
 
never know when a helicopter will air taxi past....
but yeah, I rarely if ever tied down. Well maybe if I was leaving the airport area
 
Interestingly enough, I flew the club C172 over to Nantucket a couple years ago for a two night stay for work. When I pulled into the parking spot I was marshalled to, it was right on the eastern edge of the ramp with the main wheels barely on the pavement, the tail over the grass. The entirety of the Nantucket air force (Gulfstreams, Citations, Falcons from people with way more money than me) parks directly in front of me with their APUs and main start ups aimed right at the plane. The marshall drops a set of chocks on the mains and starts to walk away. "Hey, buddy I'm here for two nights. Is there a tie down?" "No, sir...I'll put another set of chocks on for you if you'd like." The plane sat there for over 48 hours on just chocks. A little springtime storm came through on the second day, too.

Went out to preflight for departure and a Gulfstream right in front of me was lighting off for departure. Had to get in the plane, close the doors and wait out the jet wash. Shook the hell out of the plane but it never moved from its spot. So after all that, I suppose tie downs aren't as necessary as we've been led to believe? :ihih:

Then again, I've seen wicked thunderstorms blow through in the south quite unexpectedly at times.
 
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Seems like most of the time I have to walk halfway across the ramp to fetch chocks, so tying down is quicker. Honestly for a lunch stop, tying the two wing tie downs is sufficient, I don't bother with the tail.
 
After dealing with the insurance company on fallen trees knocking out my electric, I’m positive any parked plane that isn’t tied down claim would have a similar result
 
Chalk the mains, no tie down unless overnight.

If it's windy to the point you need tie downs, I'm not going out for a pleasant flight and a burger to start with.
 
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Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
727 pounds empty. Stall speed not much more than a brisk walk. (OK, not that slow, book says 38 mph.) No nosewheel to chock. Other airplanes taxiing around on the ramp.

Tie down.
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:yeahthat:
On grass, I will chock it. Anywhere else, I will tie it down. Tailwheels have been known to roll uphill and spontaneously combust.
 
I carry my own chocks and tie downs.
I always plug the cowl, cover the pito tube and chock one tire when stopping for lunch somewhere.
 
Gary Ward said:
I carry my own chocks and tie downs.
I always plug the cowl, cover the pito tube and chock one tire when stopping for lunch somewhere.
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You know - I might just start covering the Pito when stopping for lunch. Insect might get in there, and that would ruin your day.
 
Hypothetically…Are you in a relatively empty spot or wing tip to wingtip with $.5million dollar planes right next to you?. A small rural airport cafe without another airplane in 300 ft…. Lock the brakes and chock one wheel…. If it is too windy for that why are you doing hamburgers runs that day anyway?
 
Unless it is excessively windy, I just chock a wheel. I have had my plane try to turn around on me on a windy day, though. Then it gets tied down and the wheel lock installed.
 
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