"Vaughn" wrote in message
...

"Icebound" wrote in message
news

I am also wondering that even if the tail tiedown stays tight, do the
forces
become great enough such that the fuse breaks at its weakest point,
somewhere just in front of the tail feathers?

Never seen it happen.

Neither have I in person, but some of the pictures from Punta Gorda seem to
suggest that it might.



Thus I wonder if leaving the tail loose, and tieing down at the nose
gear
would make more sense.

Only if you can guarantee that the wind will always be coming from
the
front of the plane.



I am not sure I understand why direction is an issue? In the typical
small-GA gust-lock, the tail is set for slight "down elevator".

If the wind is from the front, lifting the tail, that forces the nosewheel
down and its not going anywhere except into the pavement.

If the wind is from the rear, that would force the tail down, and thats why
the suggestion of nose-gear tie-down to prevent the A/C from rotating on the
mains.

I would argue that a *tail* tiedown actually expects wind from the front,
and that it is useless when the wind is from the rear......