Airventure tie down

[waltermitty]

Guide says no "dog leash" type tie downs. What kind of tie downs are legal?

[FlyingRon]

All tie downs are "legal." The just don't recommend the ones that are the corkscrew dog ties with the triangular top. These are doubly bad as they don't hold in the soil well and the loop at the top deforms and comes open.

I started with the standard "swing set anchors" years ago. I switched to "The Claw" and later to the StormForce. The triple spike hold well and the ones the EAA "hands out" at the show are just a piece of rebar.

[waltermitty]

Tell me about the rebar tie downs they hand out.

[RickFE]

You can make a set easy enough. http://eaavintage.org/aircraft-tiedowns/

Those are the plans. We made 3 plates with 3 holes each etc. They hold well and take some work to get back out.

Rick

[Mayhemxpc]

I made some of those myself. I can confirm both parts of Ricks assessment.

[mcdewey]

https://www.eaa.org/en/airventure/eaa-fly-in-flying-to-oshkosh/ground-operations/tying-down-aircraft

[Cary]

They're not "handed out". They're available to rent.

I like The Claw. It has held in a 52 knot storm.

Cary

[Bill Berson]

I use the 3" auger type with the eye on top end. Drill down to flush with grass and drive another bar through the eye at 45° to prevent side pull out.

[waltermitty]

I was watching a youtube video of another anchor system called Big Screw. The dog leash type worked better than the claw and the one with angle and spikes.

[Jeff Point]

That is contrary to most of the testing that has been done on these. Could you post a link to this particular video so we can see how they tested?

[waltermitty]

https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?fr2=piv-web&p=%2B%22big+screw%22+%2B%22tie+down%22&hspart=att&hsimp=yhs-att_001#id=1&vid=a2da7a4d5d81b5d317c55b1779a24162&action=view

[Jeff Point]

I did watch the video and I’m impressed. I like that he took pains to test the Claw and Storm force per manufacturers guidelines. As a flight line volunteer in the home built area I see a high percentage of the Claw being installed incorrectly. I still worry about how well they would install sans an impact drill.

[waltermitty]

Too late for me to come up with different tie downs before I leave. I have the "dog leash" type coupled with ratchet tie down straps for the Citabria. I was trying to figure out something that would get around the weak point of the "dog leash" type. I guess on way would be to weld the triangle closed.