How To Tie Down An Airplane

by Jason Schappert

Again with the confessions… You may have seen this video where I told you how I was never taught how to properly self serve fuel an airplane. Well this spurred a discussion on how to tie down an airplane. (Also something I was never shown). So per your request I shot a quick video on how I tie down an airplane.

I’ve seen a TON of different ways to do this. So my question is to you… How do you do it? Maybe shot me a video and add it to a video response on this clip. The more resources the better. – Jason

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Tagged as: How To Tie Down An Airplane

A.C.

I was never taught how to do this… as the airplane I’m learning on always goes in the hangar when we’re done. THANK YOU JASON!!! The simple stuff isn’t always that simple, if you don’t know how.
mzeroa

Glad to know A.C! I was the same way. At the flight school I learned at the line guys just did everything for us.

Jason
Larry M Diamond

I have also used, please excuse the term, an upside down hangman’s noose. Another I have used is to make a slip knot at the top of the rope, fed it through the metal anchor and pull the rope through the loop at the top. It holds very well and gives enough slack if a hurricane moves through. Really the best is your method of tying down an aircraft with rope. Do not forget to take the gust lock with you on a trip. If you do knot(pun intended) you can take the seat belts and wrap them around the yoke. Not part of the tying down procedure but keeps the hinged things from flying away without an airplane attached.
Larry “sheepshank” Diamond
http://twitter.com/mbzeeveld Michael B. Zeeveld

I like your knot. I was always taught the two half hitch approach: http://flighttraining.aopa.org/images/ft_magazine/article_art/0410knots_illo_lg.jpg
Next you should tackle tie-downs for when your parked in grass/soft surface.
thomasc

I’ve used metal chains in place of rope too. There is an S shape at the end of the chain and another S shape connector to take up the slack.
Brad Koehn

Ask any sailor and they’ll tell you to use a taught line hitch. It’s simple to tie and won’t slip. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taut-line_hitch
Peter King

Yes!

The knot Jason shows (two simple nooses) will slip up to the wing under heavy load adding slack to the line and eventually becoming impossible to untie. The best knot on the Wiki page you reference is ABOK #1855, the Midshipmen’s Hitch, though it too will eventually slip under severe load, especially with newer style ropes.

The locking two half hitch approach in the AOPA article referenced by another poster below is basically the first part of the midshipman’s hitch (aka an Awning Hitch, ABOK #1798) done twice. That makes it easier to untie, but more susceptible to slipping under a bouncing load.

The king of knots if a serious blow is coming is a Bowline with the tail tied off with a Double overhand knot http://www.animatedknots.com/bowline/index.php?Categ=typeendloops&LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com.
Robert

I also prefer using a Bowline,I tie off the free end l with two half hitches.
The bowline will not slip and the strain is taken evenly through the
rope.