Why it's a good idea to tie down a Champ prior to starting

SFC Hiatt · Post by **SFC Hiatt** » Mon Jun 08, 2009 19:11

Emailed to me..........I don't have any facts of the incident.

Post by **joea** » Mon Jun 08, 2009 19:20

Sad to see and hope no one was hurt in this accident.

~~~~~

N-number : N1326E
Aircraft Serial Number : 7AC-4887
Aircraft Manufacturer : AERONCA
Model : 7BCM
Engine Manufacturer : CONT MOTOR
Model : A&C65 SERIES
Aircraft Year : 1946
Owner Name : WINCHESTER STARDUSTER SYNDICATE INC
Owner Address : 221 CLARKE LN
BERRYVILLE, VA, 22611-2527
Type of Owner : Corporation
Registration Date : 30-Sep-1993
Airworthiness Certificate Type : Standard
Approved Operations : Normal

Paul Agaliotis · Post by **Paul Agaliotis** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 19:50

It look like it's in my price range now.
Paul

Nathan K. Hammond · Post by **Nathan K. Hammond** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 23:40

"Hey, look what I made; a new personel door for the hangar!"

nkh

SFC Hiatt · Post by **SFC Hiatt** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 11:38

For Sale: Nice Champ, trailing edge aft. Forward of the trailing edge needs a little work.

Nate started it..............

Post by **joea** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 12:03

Kinda like the "low rider" look in the top photo!

SFC Hiatt · Post by **SFC Hiatt** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 19:08

joea wrote:Kinda like the "low rider" look in the top photo!

Sure would make it easier for you old timers to get in and out...

Post by **joea** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 19:22

SFC Hiatt wrote:
joea wrote:Kinda like the "low rider" look in the top photo!
Sure would make it easier for you old timers to get in and out...

Payback will be a bitch for you Sir!

marklamon · Post by **marklamon** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 20:00

It looks like a Cessna 172 thru 210RG , the ones that tuck the gear back in the belly.

Shoot, fix the leading edge and get one of those yard carts with big tires and take off. I guess you would have to stop the prop to land it though.

Hey Nate, how fast does a 7ACRG go anyway?

It is almost the perfect "Anti Maule" add. You know the one where the Maule is taking off out of the hanger door. Well the Champ can stop in less then the lenght if a hanger.

Wheeler · Post by **Wheeler** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 20:07

joea wrote:
SFC Hiatt wrote:
joea wrote:Kinda like the "low rider" look in the top photo!
Sure would make it easier for you old timers to get in and out...
Payback will be a bitch for you Sir!

Maybe now is a good time to tell the story about how your tie loops broke on your plane. I now think of it each time I tie down.

Ps. Very sad photos. The person I bought my Champ from works for the NTSB, he told me some stories, one of them had the pilot in front of his plane and his hangar doors were closed. I think about them each and every time I prop my plane, I sometimes get lazy and remember it does not take much tim to tie the tail and chock the wheel.

Post by **joea** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 20:39

Wheeler,

Let me show everyone a photo of my first Aeronca and reinforce tying it down correctly.

The before photo:

The after photo:

Airplane was tied down at an FBO in Tucson. A very strong monsoon storm came through and ripped the tie down on one wing out of the ground and the other tie down failed on the strut. The photo shows the result.

Right wing is totaled, tail is smashed. It was totaled and the FBO did not have insurance that covered this. I lost it all.

SFC Hiatt · Post by **SFC Hiatt** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 21:22

Holy crap, how did it handle on the flight home?

jkvincent · Post by **jkvincent** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 22:43

Don't worry. ...it'll "buff-out" !

Jim

Post by **joea** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 01:07

Chris,

Did not have to flare!

Sad to lose the plane that I had spent 2 years on. This was my A&P practical test and it had to fly for me to get my license. It did, I did but 2 years later it looked like this.

Had to move on and found another Chief and started restoring it. A year later got a job offer I could not refuse and moved to El Paso, then to San Diego and finally two years later PCS'ed to Berlin Germany. Did not have an Aeronca for almost 20 years after that.

I tie them down a lot better these days.

Joe

Dennis · Post by **Dennis** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 19:13

I had a 172 go over in a wind storm about 30 years ago. The wind got under the tail and worked the tail tiedown rope loose. Then the left wing came loose at the ground. The plane went over, pivoting on the right wing tie down rope. It stayed intact.

What really pissed me off is years later, I found out that several pilots watched it happen and took no action to retie the tail rope.

Nothing is so disheartening as going out to the airport and seeing your plane's dirty side up.

Dennis