Rope Chocks - What say PoA?

How much weight are you actually saving over a couple aluminum angles? If these work so well, why not just buy some thick dock line or use the tie down ropes you are already carrying with you?

And holy crap that expensive for a piece of rope with a plastic bit to let you loop it!
 
Design is ordinarily lightweight & cheap to make yourself
 
Yes, I bet I could make my own.

It depends on how much you need. At least if you forget them in place, ‘jumping’ them wouldn’t be to hard.

If parked in lights winds, no jetblast, they should work.
 
asicer said:
Spotted in the latest AOPA Pilot:
https://ropechocks.com/

Anyone have an opinion they'd like to share?
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No thanks,
I will stick with wood chocks I made myself for free.
Who wants to be on your knees looping the rope through the plastic loop. What happens when the plastic cracks? Sorry I think it is a dumb design.
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My travel chocks are a diagonal cut 4x4” cedar post, maybe 6” worth. I attached a short rope to keep them together.

Yes, put your ‘N’number on them, they could walk away.

With others costs what they are, can’t be paying $77 for simple chocks.
 
asicer said:
Spotted in the latest AOPA Pilot:
https://ropechocks.com/

Anyone have an opinion they'd like to share?
Click to expand...

an opinion? of course.

why "fix" something that isn't broken?

actually, I wouldn't use those rope "chocks" on any airplane I'm responsible for...
 
Saw them at an FBO the other day. They put them on my plane when we parked. I thought they didn’t have any “real” chocks left and that’s why they used them but apparently it’s a thing. I didn’t know. I used my tie downs as chocks because I forgot my travel chocks and the tie down hooks were frozen.
 
But wait..... what if someone also wants to steal your plane? What to to... What to do...... o_O

Introducing the Ronco Airplane Chock and Theft Prevention Wheel Snuggy! But Wait,... order now and get a second one FREE!!!!!


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sourdough44 said:
My travel chocks are a diagonal cut 4x4” cedar post, maybe 6” worth. I attached a short rope to keep them together.

Yes, put your ‘N’number on them, they could walk away.

.
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I had one home made set disappear at the avionic shop, was not real worried about it.

A few months ago I took a scrap 2X4 ripped it down the middle with my table saw. I made a few sets of them. Gave a set to my buddy and put some in my plane. Had old yellow paint on the shelf already and used that to make them look nice. Used a old ski rope that was broke. Cost me nothing but maybe an hour total time including paint. I used a marker to put my tail number on a couple. Still not worried if I lost a set here or there.
 
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WDD said:
But wait..... what if someone also wants to steal your plane? What to to... What to do...... o_O

If someone wants to steal my plane, hopefully I’ll get the vibes & double my hull insurance first.
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Inside the hangar it might work, but not with any wind. The Navion will roll right over even standard light aircraft chocks given a little wind.
 
flyingron said:
Inside the hangar it might work, but not with any wind. The Navion will roll right over even standard light aircraft chocks given a little wind.
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I was going to say just the opposite. My planes are getting so hard to push I think it would take hurricane to get them to budge.
 
LesGawlik said:
I was going to say just the opposite. My planes are getting so hard to push I think it would take hurricane to get them to budge.
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What happens usually with the Navion is that a good cross wind will cause the thing to weathervane and jump the chock on one side.
 
Not sure how much wind these will hold in but, the price was right.
Aluminum sq tubing cut with plasma cutter into angle iron. Daughter made decals on her cricket machine.
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I’ve never been to an airport that didn’t have a pothole in the ramp or the grass that didn’t provide the same protection.
 
donjohnston said:
The "360 degrees of chock protection" is hilarious.

Are planes rolling sideways really a thing? :rolleyes:
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If something is going to push the plane hard enough to get it to drag perpendicular to the wheels, that rope ain't going to offer much resistance.
 
Maybe they work, maybe not. I would think a rope would "squish" and be ineffective after a while. But I think what annoys me the most is the wording and assumptions on the website. Yes, I know it's "advertising" and so they're trying to tell you what to think.

But really?

"[We] all agree that [chocks] aren’t the most friendly tool in the toolbox."

We do? I think they're pretty much the most basic, user-friendly, uncomplicated item in aviation.

Most of the "advantages" listed are the same with normal chocks - high visibility, wind resistant, etc.

It seems like they actually would take up MORE space than a pair of chocks of an equivalent height.

I don't know how "noisy" normal chocks are, at least small wood ones. I don't think they're very noisy. The plane's too loud to hear them anyway.

I'm all for new products, and maybe this is a good one that will find its place. But the website builds them up as a miracle products that solves all the "problems" of chocks. But they're made-up problems.
 
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I've used them at 1k1 (Stearman Field, Benton, KS). They actually work really well, even on my Twin Bonanza. But they're pricey, so I haven't bought a set.

Where would one purchase heavy dock line like that?
 
Salty said:
What does it mean if I keep reading the thread title as "Rape Chokes"?
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It means you’re on a special list you must tell your neighbors about and you can’t get within 100 yards of a school.
 
I like the drama of “pulling chocks”. You can’t replicate the same professional swift motion that says to standers-by “I’m about to fly this mf’er”. Better than the flashing beacon or “clear prop”.
 
455 Bravo Uniform said:
I like the drama of “pulling chocks”. You can’t replicate the same professional swift motion that says to standers-by “I’m about to fly this mf’er”. Better than the flashing beacon or “clear prop”.
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Spice it up - CLEAR PROP - CONTACT - MESH! And then salute to the concussed looking fuel guy.
 
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