EAA Tie-Down Mod - Zenith Aircraft Builders and Flyers2024-03-29T15:58:18Zhttps://zenith.aero/forum/topics/eaa-tie-down-mod?feed=yes&xn_auth=noVery nice fabrication.
Thanks…tag:zenith.aero,2018-04-28:2606393:Comment:6256622018-04-28T02:10:33.120ZKeith Doothttps://zenith.aero/profile/KeithDoot
Very nice fabrication.<br />
Thanks for the hammer info.<br />
I like the retrieval hook built into it.<br />
I'm going to make some for my camper awning.<br />
<br />
Keith
Very nice fabrication.<br />
Thanks for the hammer info.<br />
I like the retrieval hook built into it.<br />
I'm going to make some for my camper awning.<br />
<br />
Keith Perfect!!! Sounds like a gre…tag:zenith.aero,2018-04-26:2606393:Comment:6252172018-04-26T02:31:54.428ZDon Morriseyhttps://zenith.aero/profile/DonaldMorrisey
<p>Perfect!!! Sounds like a great stopover.</p>
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<p>Perfect!!! Sounds like a great stopover.</p>
<p></p> Camp at Cedar Key? Heck NO! …tag:zenith.aero,2018-04-26:2606393:Comment:6251202018-04-26T02:17:39.436ZJohn Austinhttps://zenith.aero/profile/JohnLAustin
<p>Camp at Cedar Key? Heck <em><strong>NO</strong></em>! LOL! There are <em>no</em> facilities there - just a runway and a paved parking area for 4 planes - usually full! Before "roughing it" by camping in the Homebuilt Camping Area at Sun 'n Fun, our strategy has always been to overnight at Cedar Key for four very good reasons:</p>
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<ol>
<li>Get to land on a runway out in the ocean!</li>
<li>See "Judy the taxi lady and unofficial mayor of Cedar Key." (She monitors unicom and she's…</li>
</ol>
<p>Camp at Cedar Key? Heck <em><strong>NO</strong></em>! LOL! There are <em>no</em> facilities there - just a runway and a paved parking area for 4 planes - usually full! Before "roughing it" by camping in the Homebuilt Camping Area at Sun 'n Fun, our strategy has always been to overnight at Cedar Key for four very good reasons:</p>
<p></p>
<ol>
<li>Get to land on a runway out in the ocean!</li>
<li>See "Judy the taxi lady and unofficial mayor of Cedar Key." (She monitors unicom and she's always sitting there, waiting on you when you arrive - $20 round trip from airport to hotel and a pleasant conversation to boot!)</li>
<li>Stay at the historic <a href="http://www.islandhotel-cedarkey.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Island Hotel</a>- the rooms are comfy and the management and staff are truly nice people!</li>
<li>Eat a great meal in the hotel's gourmet-class restaurant!</li>
</ol>
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<p>Truthfully, though, it is far from "roughing it" in the HBC at Sun 'n Fun. The local EAA erects a huge tent, serves continental breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and has coolers with everything from water to imported beer. There is no fixed charge for anything - they have a coffee can on the table and you make a donation for what you feel it is worth to you - proof positive there are still good people out there! :>)</p>
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<p>John</p> John, did you camp at the air…tag:zenith.aero,2018-04-26:2606393:Comment:6252922018-04-26T01:51:50.683ZDon Morriseyhttps://zenith.aero/profile/DonaldMorrisey
<p>John, did you camp at the airport on Cedar Key? I discovered this little gem of an island on my get out of New England winter tour in the RV back in March. I visited the airport but there were no planes there and no FBO.</p>
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<p>John, did you camp at the airport on Cedar Key? I discovered this little gem of an island on my get out of New England winter tour in the RV back in March. I visited the airport but there were no planes there and no FBO.</p>
<p></p> Sounds like you did a pretty…tag:zenith.aero,2018-04-20:2606393:Comment:6246212018-04-20T14:33:43.407ZDavid J. Beaulieuhttps://zenith.aero/profile/DavidJBeaulieu
<p>Sounds like you did a pretty good sealing job. Once the weather warms up, I plan on doing a leak test to discover any water infiltration areas. Based on my cold weather flying, I know will need to address sealing gaps near the windshield/cabin frame tube cluster for the wing main spar attach points. Hopefully, everything else is sealed up well along the top...</p>
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<p>Dave</p>
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<p>Sounds like you did a pretty good sealing job. Once the weather warms up, I plan on doing a leak test to discover any water infiltration areas. Based on my cold weather flying, I know will need to address sealing gaps near the windshield/cabin frame tube cluster for the wing main spar attach points. Hopefully, everything else is sealed up well along the top...</p>
<p></p>
<p>Dave</p>
<p></p> Hardly any - A few drops drip…tag:zenith.aero,2018-04-18:2606393:Comment:6243402018-04-18T19:49:38.205ZJohn Austinhttps://zenith.aero/profile/JohnLAustin
<p>Hardly any - A few drops dripping down from the windshield/Ed.1 "flat window" junction and that's about it! I tried to seal that area during construction but obviously didn't quite get a perfect seal! Ha! On the bright side, the plane got a good wash! ;>)</p>
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<p>John</p>
<p>Hardly any - A few drops dripping down from the windshield/Ed.1 "flat window" junction and that's about it! I tried to seal that area during construction but obviously didn't quite get a perfect seal! Ha! On the bright side, the plane got a good wash! ;>)</p>
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<p>John</p> John, always good to get a re…tag:zenith.aero,2018-04-18:2606393:Comment:6245962018-04-18T19:37:29.821ZDavid J. Beaulieuhttps://zenith.aero/profile/DavidJBeaulieu
<p>John, always good to get a real field report! Doesn't sound like much to improve upon. Timely post, here is my "JA knockoff" I just drilled this morning, already have the Yardtuff stakes and 20' NRS straps, awaiting my S/S U-bolts. This place has some good stuff <a href="http://https://www.bosunsupplies.com/standard-u-bolt/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">http://https://www.bosunsupplies.com/standard-u-bolt/…</a></p>
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<p>John, always good to get a real field report! Doesn't sound like much to improve upon. Timely post, here is my "JA knockoff" I just drilled this morning, already have the Yardtuff stakes and 20' NRS straps, awaiting my S/S U-bolts. This place has some good stuff <a rel="nofollow noopener" href="http://https://www.bosunsupplies.com/standard-u-bolt/" target="_blank">http://https://www.bosunsupplies.com/standard-u-bolt/</a></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2171053191?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="721" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2171053191?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" class="align-full" width="721"/></a>Camping season is about to start up this way!!</p>
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<p>P.S.</p>
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<p>How much water did the "Gecko" pickup in that rain?</p>
<p></p> There are orange plastic caps…tag:zenith.aero,2018-04-18:2606393:Comment:6245942018-04-18T17:16:27.101ZWayne Tysonhttps://zenith.aero/profile/WayneTyson482
<p>There are orange plastic caps made for rebar that increase visibility and minimize the consequences if you do happen to step on one. Tripping is another matter. Pin flags? Engineer's flagging?</p>
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<p>What do you think about using sandbags (filled with on-site sand or rocks) inside a strong net where the surface is too soft or hard for the stakes? I've heard of bush pilots using them. How much force needs to be resisted? Is a 2x fudge factor enough?</p>
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<p>In a pinch, one can…</p>
<p>There are orange plastic caps made for rebar that increase visibility and minimize the consequences if you do happen to step on one. Tripping is another matter. Pin flags? Engineer's flagging?</p>
<p></p>
<p>What do you think about using sandbags (filled with on-site sand or rocks) inside a strong net where the surface is too soft or hard for the stakes? I've heard of bush pilots using them. How much force needs to be resisted? Is a 2x fudge factor enough?</p>
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<p>In a pinch, one can always improvise a "dead-man."</p>
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<p>I eschew Amazon at all costs. </p>
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<p>Wayne</p>
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<p>I guess lightning isn't an issue.</p> Update:
I flew to Sun 'n Fun…tag:zenith.aero,2018-04-18:2606393:Comment:6244982018-04-18T13:10:42.105ZJohn Austinhttps://zenith.aero/profile/JohnLAustin
<p>Update:</p>
<p></p>
<p>I flew to Sun 'n Fun last week with an overnight at Cedar Key on the way down:</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2171044335?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2171044335?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="721"></img></a></p>
<p>As previously mentioned, I updated my straps with new NRS straps and deleted the carabiners. Since the straps are looped around the tie down and the plane's tie down ring, they're good for 3000 lbs each! I found the system held very well - even in the sandy…</p>
<p>Update:</p>
<p></p>
<p>I flew to Sun 'n Fun last week with an overnight at Cedar Key on the way down:</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2171044335?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="721" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2171044335?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="721" class="align-full"/></a></p>
<p>As previously mentioned, I updated my straps with new NRS straps and deleted the carabiners. Since the straps are looped around the tie down and the plane's tie down ring, they're good for 3000 lbs each! I found the system held very well - even in the sandy soil at Cedar Key. </p>
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<p>In the Homebuilt Camping area at Sun 'n Fun, the soil is a little denser and held even better. But in both cases, if positioning the tie downs at an angle to the wing so any pull would be at an angle, I could not budge the tie downs! This proved to be a good thing because the Sunday following Sun 'n Fun, a very strong line of thunderstorms came through with high winds. My 750 was tied-down on a slight uphill slope, which had the tail relatively low. I tied one of the dual sticks full forward with a stout bungee connected to the rudder pedals and this kept the elevator down, which was facing into the wind. During the worst part of the storm, the plane did not even shudder! (Whew!) Here's a pic during the peak of the storm:</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2171045906?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="721" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2171045906?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="721" class="align-full"/></a></p>
<p>Afterwards, when departing the next day, I used the hammer's hook in the stake's welded ring to give each stake a counter-clockwise twist to break it loose from the soil and every single one of them easily pulled out if you pulled directly in-line with the stake.</p>
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<p>Try it ... you'll like it! ;>)</p>
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<p>John</p> Thanks John, found all the ha…tag:zenith.aero,2018-03-22:2606393:Comment:6205082018-03-22T20:49:44.431ZDavid J. Beaulieuhttps://zenith.aero/profile/DavidJBeaulieu
<p>Thanks John, found all the hammers on Amazon. Unless you had rebar around the shop, it would be hard to beat the price on the Yard Tuff stakes - 12 for $32 already painted, sharpened, and welded ring. I am going to order a pack, then head out to the garage to lay out the base plates. Dave</p>
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<p>Thanks John, found all the hammers on Amazon. Unless you had rebar around the shop, it would be hard to beat the price on the Yard Tuff stakes - 12 for $32 already painted, sharpened, and welded ring. I am going to order a pack, then head out to the garage to lay out the base plates. Dave</p>
<p></p>