Tie-down block falls from light aircraft
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tie downs
I have seen people trying to taxi of with tie downs (in the ground) attached. Looking very bemused why the aircraft is not moving, so applying more power, more bemused, more power etc.
Maybe they were trying to catapult themselves off
Maybe they were trying to catapult themselves off
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Pa once pulled a concrete block or two out of the ground when taxiing from a sod parking spot - but the plane was so overpowered that he didn't notice it until checking aileron travel (high-wing a/c) before TO.
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Sounds like an urban myth. Anybody can just fake a lookbook entry. The way to get caught is for somebody to check with the airport(s) in question.
I am not aware of any license/rating where there is a x/c requirement that can be met just by flying around aimlessly for hours and coming back to the same place. And I do know the requirements of the FAA CPL... I've done them.
I am not aware of any license/rating where there is a x/c requirement that can be met just by flying around aimlessly for hours and coming back to the same place. And I do know the requirements of the FAA CPL... I've done them.
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Proves if anything how useless tie downs are for holding down aircraft in high winds. Sandbags on the wings are much better when the gales are expected. No surprise it's was a Piper Cherokee. It happens to low wing aircraft more often than high wing, except for barit's Pa
It also points to a rather less than adequate pre flight inspection. Tsk tsk.
It also points to a rather less than adequate pre flight inspection.
Tsk tsk.
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Surely this should have been picked up by ATC? The tower should have picked this up when doing the last look checks on the aircraft? I work in military ATC but I cant immagine civil ATC dont have a look over an aircraft through a set of bino's prior to take off?
Or am I wrong
Or am I wrong
Resident insomniac
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I guess the pilot gets 'nul pwants' for bombing aim.
There were two people standing in the car park at the time. They heard an aircraft overhead and thought nothing of it. But a few seconds later there was a massive thud and a large cloud of dust about 40 yards away from them. They went over to the grassed area by the side of the carpark and saw this block. It was embedded in the grass about a foot down.
We had 50 children on a visit from schools using the tennis courts and playing at the time. It was a miracle it hit the grass. If it had been on the concrete it would have been like a bouncing bomb. It would have broken into pieces and that could have been nasty. Or it could have gone over the houses and on to Osborne Road.
It's a really lucky escape.
We had 50 children on a visit from schools using the tennis courts and playing at the time. It was a miracle it hit the grass. If it had been on the concrete it would have been like a bouncing bomb. It would have broken into pieces and that could have been nasty. Or it could have gone over the houses and on to Osborne Road.
It's a really lucky escape.
Surely this should have been picked up by ATC? The tower should have picked this up when doing the last look checks on the aircraft?
I'm not surprised at the tower not noticing it. Foxtrot is a significant distance away, and, I should think they've got other traffic to think about at 0930 on a weekday morning
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QUOTE
it would have been like a bouncing bomb.
UNQUOTE
If only Barnes Wallis (sp?) had known that it was that easy he wouldn't have wasted all that effort trying to get the height, speed and rotatation just right. 1 lump of concrete falling off at the right time and the Ruhr would be under water!!!
it would have been like a bouncing bomb.
UNQUOTE
If only Barnes Wallis (sp?) had known that it was that easy he wouldn't have wasted all that effort trying to get the height, speed and rotatation just right. 1 lump of concrete falling off at the right time and the Ruhr would be under water!!!
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Thank god no children were hurt.
This report is just more evidence for those members of the public who think all private pilots are idiots, can you imagine how it would have been if a child had been killed?
Can you imagine the charges that would have been brought against the pilot?
Doesn't bear thinking about...
SB
This report is just more evidence for those members of the public who think all private pilots are idiots, can you imagine how it would have been if a child had been killed?
Can you imagine the charges that would have been brought against the pilot?
Doesn't bear thinking about...
SB
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I concur with SB; I think taking off with too much flap (or no flap) is one thing (and as they say let the man without sin cast the first stone etc etc) but taking off with concrete tiedown blocks is quite something else. Just how dim does a pilot have to be to do that??
However, I'd like to know how recently he got his PPL and (if recent) who the instructor was. Might be quite interesting.
However, I'd like to know how recently he got his PPL and (if recent) who the instructor was. Might be quite interesting.
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Considering the insignificant weight of the blocks that various plonkers attach to their aircraft when tied down in the UK, I'm not surprised that the presence of this one was not noticed.
PM
PM
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Yes, this does show some shortcomings! It's not the first time though! A Cessna 150 was reported completing a circuit with a pail of concrete hanging from the tail. I guess that C of G envelope is a bit bigger than the book says...
The Cessna flight manuals sometimes make reference to a minimum of 700 pounds per tiedown for adequate restraint. I'm sure a Piper would be similar. If the 700 pound restriant were to be used, this would not happen - the plane would never move, much less get airborne!
Doggie screw in tiedowns did not hold my dog, I certainly would not trust them for my plane. I've seen several planes on their backs, still tied to these, whose spirals still held bits of sod!
Pilot DAR
The Cessna flight manuals sometimes make reference to a minimum of 700 pounds per tiedown for adequate restraint. I'm sure a Piper would be similar. If the 700 pound restriant were to be used, this would not happen - the plane would never move, much less get airborne!
Doggie screw in tiedowns did not hold my dog, I certainly would not trust them for my plane. I've seen several planes on their backs, still tied to these, whose spirals still held bits of sod!
Pilot DAR
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A few years ago, the owner of a PA28 had a strange system in which he used two traffic cones in conjunction with two tie-down ropes to secure his aircraft to a tie-down line.
Whilst doing a bit of instrument flying with an instructor, they found themselves carrying out a go-around following an ILS at Farnborough. The Farnborough controller said "... what are those orange things you seem to be towing around the skies?"
The instructor and student quietly made their way back to White Waltham. Once they'd parked their PA28 at their original starting position they discovered a tie-down rope with a traffic cone still attached to one of the aircraft's tie-down points.
They never did find the other one.
Whilst doing a bit of instrument flying with an instructor, they found themselves carrying out a go-around following an ILS at Farnborough. The Farnborough controller said "... what are those orange things you seem to be towing around the skies?"
The instructor and student quietly made their way back to White Waltham. Once they'd parked their PA28 at their original starting position they discovered a tie-down rope with a traffic cone still attached to one of the aircraft's tie-down points.
They never did find the other one.
In not too many years time, tiedown blocks will require attachment of a mode S transponder
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Just thinking, had said blocks been painted white with black spots, could this have been the ultimate in "fluffy dice"?
But as the flight originated outside Essex, it's not likely!
But as the flight originated outside Essex, it's not likely!
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final 3 greens
If you flew around with 25 degrees of flap, so what. you are right, we all make mistakes.
BUT, flying off with tie downs attached is a pretty poor show of airmanship. From the posts, i get the impression there was an instructor on board. IF this was true then it's pretty unforgivable.
BUT, flying off with tie downs attached is a pretty poor show of airmanship. From the posts, i get the impression there was an instructor on board. IF this was true then it's pretty unforgivable.
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"They never did find the other one" (Traffic cone)
I believe it landed on the M25. Only place a road cone could turn up that wouldn't look out of place.
Or maybe a students' dorm room...
I believe it landed on the M25. Only place a road cone could turn up that wouldn't look out of place.
Or maybe a students' dorm room...