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Chocks and Tie Down

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Posted (edited)

When you tie down (say overnight at an airport etc.) do you typically chock as well?

It goes back several years, but I always used to chalk a tied down plane,  At the airports here, no-one chalks a plane once it is tied down.  I guess I am the odd man out here.  Any reason to not chalk?

 

Edited by LSaupe

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Posted

Laziness? ;)  I would think if the straps/ropes are taught there would be minimal movement of the craft.     Lou

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Posted (edited)

+1 for just plain laziness. 

Airport tie-downs will never be in the perfect vertical position. Chalking is also required. 

Tiedowns are meant to hold the aircraft DOWN.  Lateral movement is secured with chalks. 

Edited by Av8r3400

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Posted

Thanks for altering my perspective :lmao:     Lou

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Posted

I used to work at an FBO. We had 12 152s, 5 172s, Sierras, Sundowners, Skippers, Barrons, Bonanzas, ETC tied down on the ramp. Just ropes and never a problem so I don't bother.

And the word is "chocks".

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Posted

When I was a kid I worked at an FOB also.  If the planes tied down were not chocked, the line attendant would get fired.  This was the #1 rule about tying down.

Do as you want.  I will chock when tied.  I will not park near an unchocked plane while tied.

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Posted

It apparently wasn't a busy place. No way to keep up with that many chocks. If you have 100 planes and they are all nose draggers.. How many chocks are out there?

 

300? Good luck with that!!! ;)

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Posted

Parking brake. 

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Posted

I do both when on tiedown. Of course the winds in Utah on the high desert can get up to 90 MPH in a hurry at times, so every thing helps. 

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Posted

My biggest concern is what the shallow vertical angle, trying to resists a horizontal load, imposes on the airframe (and ropes for that matter).  At say 5 degrees, trying to resist a 100 lb horizontal load would impose an 1,100 pound load on the airframe and rope. Just seems like a risk to me. 

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Posted

I never use chocks.. just ropes.  I tie the tail down as well so I dont see how its going to go anywhere or why someone would not park next to a plane that has a 3 point tie down.. Chocks dont seem like they would do squat for me but I may be missing something.  I have had the plane tied down with winds 45 gusting 65 and its never moved.

:BC:

 

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Posted

With a 3 point tie down, I don't see any benefit to chocks. Maybe if the wing tie downs are straight down instead of angled out, but properly tied down, I don't see any help.

Mark

 

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Posted

Every airport I have been to has the tie downs spaced for "real" airplanes, therefore the angle on our tie downs is greater than would be on say a 180 or a 206.  Kind of like playing cards... study long study wrong.  :lmao:

 

:BC:

 

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Posted

I think I missed that question on my A&P test - Believe the old FAA answer to "What kind of rope do you use for tie downs?", was "Manilla", and I put "Poly".   I still passed!  ;<)  EDMO

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