Overnight parking question

scarpozzi

scarpozzi

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SCARPOZZI
What do most people do when flying into an FBO for overnight parking? I usually leave the plane on the ramp with chocks…does Signature and others usually handle tie downs for multiday storage or what? I know this will vary, but wonder if I should request more security when flying to the East Coast. I fly Pipers and Cessnas.
 
With most decent sized FBOs (signature, atlantic, duncan, millionair, ...) I normally fly in, pull to the spot the line-man directs me to (which is usually not my final parking space), fill out any info they need, then leave. They put the plane wherever it needs to go and they tie it down if needed.

If it's a smaller airport and I park it myself, I'll usually just use 1+ chocks and parking brake. I rarely ever tie down, with the exceptions being a packed ramp and/or inclement weather in the forecast.

Re type, like you, I fly a Piper. P28R
 
A hangar is best for weather (but, potentially worse for hangar rash & nosegear damage).
At a podunk airport you may be on your own to chock or tiedown (with, or without a fee, it varies).
At big airports with Sig/Atl/MA etc,, they are largely going to chock/reloacate/maybe tiedown as they see fiit & there is much more likely a fee (some or all could be waived with fuel purchase),
 
If there is weather in the forecast, you might ask if they tie down the planes. I've also offered to do it myself, but never been taken up on it. More than once I've seen a storm coming in, and called the fbo to ask if my plane was tied down. It's about 50/50. I've also had places proactively stick me in a hangar without asking or charging because a storm popped up. It all kind of comes down to how conscientious the line guys are (and how familiar with little airplanes). Carry some cash so you can give a nice tip when they do things like that to look out for your plane.

Some of the bigger places don't even have tie downs. It's a hangar (if they have space) or take your chances.
 
scarpozzi said:
What do most people do when flying into an FBO for overnight parking? I usually leave the plane on the ramp with chocks…does Signature and others usually handle tie downs for multiday storage or what? I know this will vary, but wonder if I should request more security when flying to the East Coast. I fly Pipers and Cessnas.
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At the better FBOs, you complete a form with your service request and the dates of your stay.
 
dans2992 said:
Does nothing when you’re on a concrete ramp at whatever location Signature has decided to drag your plane that day.
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Must be how the other half lives... me, I don't frequent airports that have outfits like Signature. If anything, I'll ask where I should park, and tie it down myself. Like @rockyfatcat I carry my own ropes and anchors. Even if there are ropes on the tiedown spot, they're often so old their strength is questionable.
 
I do my best to not go into larger FBOs because they usually have horrible fees. The smaller airports I go into, find a spot and tie it there. I will always call before to see if there is a place they would rather me be, usually they say "find an open spot and park it there."
 
I am a self-service kind of guy. I too rarely stop at larger FBOs and I carry my own tie downs and chocks. Even at a big FBO I ask if I can tie down. I trust me more than a stranger. I also never use the chains that may be available. If I am staying overnight I always tie down and always put on the cover.
 
As a former line guy, I have one request. Please don't set your parking brake. One time we had to move an airplane into a hangar as a thunderstorm approached, and the pilot had set his brake and locked the door. We towed it anyway.
 
I keep chocks, ropes and ground anchors in the plane. I'll usually ask where they want my plane and tie it down myself, using my own ropes if theirs don't look too good. If I'm just making a short lunch stop and the weather is good, I won't tie down, but for an overnight stop I always will. You can't trust that a storm or strong winds won't pop up.

ArrowFlyer86 said:
I'll usually just use 1+ chocks and parking brake.
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Perhaps your plane is different, but long-term use of the parking brake is not a good idea for many small planes. In all of the small planes I've flown, the "parking brake" is really just a valve that locks pressure in the hydraulic lines. It's not a mechanical linkage like a car's parking brake. That hydraulic pressure can vary with temperature, the valve might leak slightly, or you might have a tiny air leak, all of which can make the brakes go soft and not hold. Extremely high temperatures can drive the pressure up and potentially cause damage.

I use my parking brake briefly, such as to hold the plane while refueling or placing chocks and tie-downs. I won't trust it or leave it on for hours at a time.

YMMV
 
Just don’t do like the Cherokee 140 I saw parked in PA (Braden Airpark) a couple of weeks ago; this idiot parked his ship in front of the self serve pump with chocks, plugs, covers and windshield shade installed… and there was not a soul to be seen on the ramp or in the office. This dude was just a selfish, oblivious jackass; I left an appropriate note under his door handle…
 
Half Fast said:
I keep chocks, ropes and ground anchors in the plane. I'll usually ask where they want my plane and tie it down myself, using my own ropes if theirs don't look too good. If I'm just making a short lunch stop and the weather is good, I won't tie down, but for an overnight stop I always will. You can't trust that a storm or strong winds won't pop up.
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I have to carry ropes because the tiedown points on the Navion are way inboard and a lot of tiedown ropes won't reach. Of course, it's handy when you find anchor points that don't even have ropes on them. And yeah, I have anchors that tend to live in the plane between Oshkoshes.
 
Across the country I've seen all sorts of variables. But the last few years I've seen a number of airports that have tiedowns, but the city, county or whatever are no longer paying to replace the ropes. So best you have your own ropes and at lest one set of reliable chocks with you. I don't set the parking brake on that off chance there is a fire and someone is trying to be helpful and push my plane away from the fire. (Obviously at larger FBOs you NEVER set the brakes as there is a good chance they'll try and move you.)
 
Gilbert Buettner said:
As a former line guy, I have one request. Please don't set your parking brake. One time we had to move an airplane into a hangar as a thunderstorm approached, and the pilot had set his brake and locked the door. We towed it anyway.
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This is great advice ... I learned this on one of my first cross countries to Stinson field in San Antonio. Possible bad weather in the forecast for the second night. Line crew said they'd move it into a hangar they had that was empty, but to be sure parking break was not set. I call ahead, usually tie down myself with my own chocks ... but leave instructions that if needed due to weather, they may move it.
 
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