What a mess (KCHD)

I think this proves that Jesus hates Pipers.
 
Don't people tie down their planes in Arizona?
I'm seeing a paucity of tie-down rope.
 
Shepherd said:
Don't people tie down their planes in Arizona?
I'm seeing a paucity of tie-down rope.
Click to expand...

I had the same thought.

Locally, I'm the only one that cringes at slack tie downs. Yes, big wind storms are rare, but they can cause a lot of damage when they happen.

Note that a slack tie down can quite easily break. But I didn't see any broken ropes on any of the pictures.

It sucks to see that much damage.
 
Shepherd said:
Don't people tie down their planes in Arizona?
I'm seeing a paucity of tie-down rope.
Click to expand...
I've seen this a lot lately, especially at big airports.

Hell, Alliance Airport (near Dallas) doesn't even HAVE tiedowns. When we were there for the Red Bull Air Races last year, we were parked in the middle of dozens of unsecured aircraft when a huge storm blew through. The line guys just shrugged, as I freaked out.

We won't be over-nighting there again.
 
Shepherd said:
Don't people tie down their planes in Arizona?
I'm seeing a paucity of tie-down rope.
Click to expand...
Yes. Most tiedowns I've seen in AZ were chains.

That said, tying the airplane down doesn't always stop it from happening.

We had a nasty storm pass over the Chesapeake airport a year ago and destroy both hangars and aircraft tied down outside.

Also within the last year or two San Diego Montgomery (MYF) had a similar brief destructive storm that trashed several airplanes tied down (chains)on the ramp.
 
MAKG1 said:
I had the same thought.

Locally, I'm the only one that cringes at slack tie downs. Yes, big wind storms are rare, but they can cause a lot of damage when they happen.

Note that a slack tie down can quite easily break. But I didn't see any broken ropes on any of the pictures.

It sucks to see that much damage.
Click to expand...

And now our insurance rates get to go up again!:mad:
 
"Winds estimated to be 50 or 60 mph"

Oh I think they were higher than that.
 
As a student and now a renter I would lose by privileges with the FBOs if I did not tie the plane down after use. I did hear that some of the tie downs failed.

Here are a couple pics I took. Thought it was best not to ask if my rental was still going to be available on Saturday.



 
Fearless Tower said:
Yes. Most tiedowns I've seen in AZ were chains.

That said, tying the airplane down doesn't always stop it from happening.

We had a nasty storm pass over the Chesapeake airport a year ago and destroy both hangars and aircraft tied down outside.

Also within the last year or two San Diego Montgomery (MYF) had a similar brief destructive storm that trashed several airplanes tied down (chains)on the ramp.
Click to expand...

Yep, they always look at me funny when I pull my Spectrabraid lines out and tie down with them instead.
 
Jason608 said:
As a student and now a renter I would lose by privileges with the FBOs if I did not tie the plane down after use. I did hear that some of the tie downs failed.

Here are a couple pics I took. Thought it was best not to ask if my rental was still going to be available on Saturday.



Click to expand...

Chains with hooks are **** poor tie downs, they can bounce themselves free all too easily, especially if people don't washer the through link with another link.
 
Henning said:
Chains with hooks are **** poor tie downs, they can bounce themselves free all too easily, especially if people don't washer the through link with another link.
Click to expand...

I have only been flying for a short time, but everything I have seen in AZ are chains with hooks. We are taught to washer the link with another link.
 
It's pushing one link through another, then pulling the hook through.
 
Henning said:
Chains with hooks are **** poor tie downs, they can bounce themselves free all too easily, especially if people don't washer the through link with another link.
Click to expand...


Indeed.

I have all sorts of line for my 185, everything for typical dock mooring to anchor to land use. For land ops I have some 3/8 three strand, one side is spliced for a SS shackle, one for normal in ground tie down points, another smaller one for attaching to chain if needed, other side is backspliced, because of course we need to keep it civilized :D
 
Got email from many friends based at CHD. One of the big hangars completely ruined, hence serious damage to the airplanes inside. Many were damaged due to flying equipment and tools. Outside, strange things - an airplane untouched in between 2 airplanes that were damaged.

Quotes:
Just got back from airport. I would put number damaged more like 50,and probably 30 totaled. A couple city hangars have damage, don't believe there was a plane in either one, some others had door latches damaged or trim, but not much else. King Air, Jet Commander damaged, CHD Air Service and CHD Aviation both lost hangar doors and planes inside damaged. Tree by tower gate blown over, several light poles blown over or hit by planes. At least 3 derelicts destroyed. All Transpac planes totaled. CHD Air Svc lost/damaged 21 of 27 planes. Worst storm damage I have seen at airport not from hurricane or big tornado.

Different source:
One of the straps on my plane cover ripped off and that's it. The planes on either side of me were damaged. One was a derelict 310 that got a visit from a loose Cherokee. The 172 southwest of me had the trailing edge of its elevators curled upward by the wind. Most of the planes that got loose and were destroyed were originally parked facing south.

Seems the wind was strong enough to get them flying and snap the tiedown rings. In several cases, they flew over planes that were parked directly behind them without damaging them. I was in the Chandler Aviation hangar and none of the planes escaped damage. The wind blew those giant doors into the hangar. Even the planes parked in the rear ended up being struck by flying tool boxes and other equipment.

The planes outside on their ramp didn't fare much better I only saw one that was undamaged. Whatever this was (tornado? Microburst?) it had almost no effect away from the airport. Once you get a few blocks away, all of the trees are standing. Also the damage on the northeast side of the airport seemed to be from east winds, while damage on the main ramp seemed to be from south/southeast.

Aerial View
http://www.kpho.com/clip/11757718/storm-damages-planes-at-chandler-airport
 
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Henning said:
Chains with hooks are **** poor tie downs, they can bounce themselves free all too easily, especially if people don't washer the through link with another link.
Click to expand...

Ropes are fine if you bring your own, not so great as public tiedowns laying out in the sun and weather for an unknown period of time. Chains can work well if you know how to use them - hook the wings then push airplane backwards until they are tight then hook the tail, pulling it down slightly so it also is taught.

There was a guy at my airport who eschewed the chains and used his own ropes, left his Aeronca Chief there for a couple of years until one night a good wind came along, snapped all his old ropes and sent the thing cartwheeling across the airport to the fence at the far end.
 
Did a very long cross country last summer,couldn't believe the airports without tie downs,also in most cases I had to provide my own ropes.
 
Jason608 said:
I have only been flying for a short time, but everything I have seen in AZ are chains with hooks. We are taught to washer the link with another link.
Click to expand...

Even so the hook can be bounced out, then it only takes another bounce or two to lose the chain.
 
frfly172 said:
Did a very long cross country last summer,couldn't believe the airports without tie downs,also in most cases I had to provide my own ropes.
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I use my own regardless since most of the lines on the ramps are garbage UV degraded and frayed.
 
I checked with the place I rent from maybe 100 yards from all the damaged planes. All their airplanes were untouched by this. They got lucky. This was a freak of nature.
 
I have noticed that low wing pilots are less likely to tie down than high wing pilots. It is just more of a hassle to tie one down. Another plus in the high wing column for those old, fat, inflexible,lazy pilots like me.
 
frfly172 said:
Did a very long cross country last summer,couldn't believe the airports without tie downs,also in most cases I had to provide my own ropes.
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We offered to install tiedowns ropes at our island airport, at our expense. The city refused, citing liability concerns.

As a result, we keep a set of ropes in our courtesy car for y'all to use.
 
Jay Honeck said:
We offered to install tiedowns ropes at our island airport, at our expense. The city refused, citing liability concerns.

As a result, we keep a set of ropes in our courtesy car for y'all to use.
Click to expand...
That seems bizarre. They have plenty of tie downs over at TFP.
 
Fearless Tower said:
That seems bizarre. They have plenty of tie downs over at TFP.
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They have plenty of tiedowns at airports everywhere in America, because it's a liability NOT to have them.

That logic fell on deaf ears.

Of course, you must realize that this is the same airport management that turned down a free computer for the pilots lounge, because "it might get stolen".

When I told them that I had three more old PCs in the hangar, gathering dust in a box, any of which would work as an internet portal, and that we would happily replace it if it were ever stolen, as a courtesy to transient pilots, the response was "Well, we will have to run that past the city council."

That was in 2010.

RAS isn't known as the "Drunk Monkey Airport" for nothing. lol
 
SkyDog58 said:
I have noticed that low wing pilots are less likely to tie down than high wing pilots. It is just more of a hassle to tie one down. Another plus in the high wing column for those old, fat, inflexible,lazy pilots like me.
Click to expand...

There's also the belief that wind gets under high wings easier than low wings, which gives the low wing guys a false sense of security.

I'm curious, do any of you use anything besides rope? All the airports in SoCal have chains, but when I go somewhere without tie downs I generally use heavy duty ratchet straps. Easy to use, infinitely adjustable, and they roll up and store nicely. I figure if they can hold my 4500lb 4x4 on a trailer bouncing down the highway they should be able to keep my 2000lb plane attached to stationary ground.
 
frfly172 said:
Did a very long cross country last summer,couldn't believe the airports without tie downs,also in most cases I had to provide my own ropes.
Click to expand...

I've found many times that if they aren't using chains they keep the ropes inside so you have to ask for them. As has been pointed out, leaving ropes out in the sun and rain all the time doesn't work out so well. Regardless, anyone on a long cross country flight to new destinations should always carry their own ropes just in case.
 
That'll buff right out.





(someone had to say it.)
 
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