Tiedown "winch" device

Hi all,

When trying to tie down my new Diamond at our airport, I discovered
that the ropes on my parking spot are too short and I can't even make
two decent knots.

I remember seeing an interesting tie-down device the other day,
something like a hand-operated winch which allows you to tie-up the
cable without having to tie any knots. Does anyone know what it's
called, and where I can get it?

Thanks in advance.

-- C. Dweller

On 6/21/05 16:36, "City Dweller" wrote:

Hi all,

When trying to tie down my new Diamond at our airport, I discovered
that the ropes on my parking spot are too short and I can't even make
two decent knots.

I remember seeing an interesting tie-down device the other day,
something like a hand-operated winch which allows you to tie-up the
cable without having to tie any knots. Does anyone know what it's
called, and where I can get it?

Thanks in advance.

-- C. Dweller


Tie down straps at WallyMart, maybe? Better check the load capacity, too.

- Don
Deftly they opened the brain of a child,
and it was full of flying dreams. - Stanley Kunitz

No Spam wrote:
On 6/21/05 16:36, "City Dweller" wrote:

Hi all,

When trying to tie down my new Diamond at our airport, I discovered
that the ropes on my parking spot are too short and I can't even make
two decent knots.



Use longer ropes?

Blue Skies!

In article .com,
"NVArt" wrote:

No Spam wrote:
On 6/21/05 16:36, "City Dweller" wrote:

Hi all,

When trying to tie down my new Diamond at our airport, I discovered
that the ropes on my parking spot are too short and I can't even make
two decent knots.



Use longer ropes?

Blue Skies!

Retract the landing gear when you park it?

Sporty's sells tie down kits as you describe. You can also get similar
ones in your hardware store in the section with tie down straps for
trailers although the Sporty's ones are a bit nicer.

One problem I've seen people have with them is that they don't take well
to being run over by a fuel truck if you leave them on the ground while
you are out flying. The buckles tend to squish out of shape.

Your local hardware store will also have other things you can use to
make some nice tie downs that are the proper length. My portable kit is
made out of good thick braided ropes of a distinctive color (so they
won't walk off) from Lowes with carabeners from the local kayak shop on
one end. I can use these to clip into the metal hooks in on the ramp at
many airports. Also, when I park at an airport that has too short of
ropes or ropes in ratty condition, I'll tie a loop in the existing rope
and hook one of my carbeners into the loop to use my rope as an extension.

Helen

Roy Smith wrote:

Retract the landing gear when you park it?

Tough option! Aren't all the Diamonds fixed gear? You'd need quite a
hacksaw for the job.

John Galban=====N4BQ (PA28-180)

Diamond?? as in DA-20 or DA-40 and the ropes don't reach? what was tied down
there before?

If you use "straps" with "hooks" do not use open hooks to tie down an
aircraft, the hooks should close with a safety keeper. Depending on winds
and what ever the other end of the strap is anchored to, cable, ring in
concrete etc, the wing can flex, bounce what ever, and the hook can pop off
it's attach point and then you will have a "Diamond in the Rough".

BT

"City Dweller" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi all,

When trying to tie down my new Diamond at our airport, I discovered
that the ropes on my parking spot are too short and I can't even make
two decent knots.

I remember seeing an interesting tie-down device the other day,
something like a hand-operated winch which allows you to tie-up the
cable without having to tie any knots. Does anyone know what it's
called, and where I can get it?

Thanks in advance.

-- C. Dweller

DA40. The spot was probably used by a cessna 172 before. The diamond's wing
span is about 3ft more than the skyhawk. Then again, it's a low-winger. The
ropes are not entirely short, just too short to make an additional safely
knot...

Thanks for the tip about open hooks.


-- CD


"BTIZ" wrote in message
news:XL2ue.17222$iG5.7282@fed1read05...
Diamond?? as in DA-20 or DA-40 and the ropes don't reach? what was tied
down there before?

If you use "straps" with "hooks" do not use open hooks to tie down an
aircraft, the hooks should close with a safety keeper. Depending on winds
and what ever the other end of the strap is anchored to, cable, ring in
concrete etc, the wing can flex, bounce what ever, and the hook can pop
off it's attach point and then you will have a "Diamond in the Rough".

BT

"City Dweller" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi all,

When trying to tie down my new Diamond at our airport, I discovered
that the ropes on my parking spot are too short and I can't even make
two decent knots.

I remember seeing an interesting tie-down device the other day,
something like a hand-operated winch which allows you to tie-up the
cable without having to tie any knots. Does anyone know what it's
called, and where I can get it?

Thanks in advance.

-- C. Dweller

Helen, thanks for the tip. I think I found the right term for those
tiedowns: "ratchet".

-- CD

"Helen Woods" wrote in message
...
Sporty's sells tie down kits as you describe. You can also get similar
ones in your hardware store in the section with tie down straps for
trailers although the Sporty's ones are a bit nicer.

One problem I've seen people have with them is that they don't take well
to being run over by a fuel truck if you leave them on the ground while
you are out flying. The buckles tend to squish out of shape.

Your local hardware store will also have other things you can use to make
some nice tie downs that are the proper length. My portable kit is made
out of good thick braided ropes of a distinctive color (so they won't walk
off) from Lowes with carabeners from the local kayak shop on one end. I
can use these to clip into the metal hooks in on the ramp at many
airports. Also, when I park at an airport that has too short of ropes or
ropes in ratty condition, I'll tie a loop in the existing rope and hook
one of my carbeners into the loop to use my rope as an extension.

Helen

City Dweller wrote:
Helen, thanks for the tip. I think I found the right term for those
tiedowns: "ratchet".

That's one type.

I just bought tiedowns for other purposes at Home Depot. I would recommend that
you AVOID the "Workforce" brand. In fact, this is one time you might want to buy
only from an aviation supplier (or perhaps a motorcycle dealer) -- there's a lot
of trash out there.

George Patterson
Why do men's hearts beat faster, knees get weak, throats become dry,
and they think irrationally when a woman wears leather clothing?
Because she smells like a new truck.