How does everyone tie the tail down on their 170?

flyer170 · Post by **flyer170** » Wed Nov 13, 2002 2:04 am

My 1950 170A has positive locks on the flaps so they don't blow down in a wind from the back. Is mine the only A model like that

Bob

Curtis Brown · Post by **Curtis Brown** » Thu Nov 14, 2002 8:17 pm

I use the tail tie down ring in the up position. I purchased it from the L 19 people in Mississippi. It came without a hole drilled through it for the cotter pin. I had to drill one!
Also, I believe the flaps on my 1950 170A lock in the up position. The plane is in a hangar when at home, but I use the round control locks that Sporty's sells to hold the flaps and ailerons in place when tied down outside. And you do need to secure them to the strut ring or they fall off and blow away.
I have also been guilty of placing a control lock at the top of the rudder. I did not know that damage can result from that practice.

Post by **GAHorn** » Fri Nov 15, 2002 4:29 am

You guys who think your early model flaps are locked in the up position, go grab 'em and pull 'em down. You'll see that the cables go slack, and the pulleys, springs, and flap stops take a beating when the wind blows 'em down and then lets them snap back up. That's why it's recommended to park the airplane with the flaps either full down, or with external locks at the inboard ends.

mbeare · Post by **mbeare** » Fri Nov 15, 2002 6:08 pm

I had that happen to my C170A when parked with the tail into the wind in Reno,NV! Flap developed a small skin crack from being beaten down repeatedly! The little up-lock-latch has no strength at all.

I have now created some external locks (as shown in the C170 book). Real easy to do with a few of boards & carpet. Never leave home without them.

zero.one.victor · Post by **zero.one.victor** » Fri Nov 15, 2002 7:58 pm

Mbeare,is your airplane based at Fall City airport? You ought to organize a 170 fly-in there, I've heard they REALLY welcome visitors there!

Eric

flyer170 · Post by **flyer170** » Sat Nov 16, 2002 12:27 am

I also carry external locks that I made from plywood and carpet. I use them when tied down outside. I didn't realize that those flap locks are that weak, lucky I didn't rely on them.

Any problems with using these gust locks between the flaps and ailerons instead of inboard and tying the elevator back with the seat belts

I still have to make a rudder lock like George describes.
Bob

flyguy · Post by **flyguy** » Sat Nov 16, 2002 5:47 am

George wrote: L-19's left the factory with it down, and as soon as it got to Viet Nam the first thing all the mechanics did was reverse it to the up position. Up is where I've found it most useful.

OLE GAR wrote: "The main reason for the ring being turned up was to be able to lift and swing the tail around easier. Also you could tow stuff around the airport

Another queationable post by you, G Horn! "But the truth be known, I don't follow my own advice. I lock my ailerons/elevators
with my seat-belt, although I lock my rudder externally with a rope-device of my own design such as I previously mentioned".

I think the truth is you stole this little idea from me and I stole it from a guy in Garden City, Kansas in 1975. The guy that owned C170, 2341D had it on his plane. The wind blows all the time out there and I guess he or someone else in the windy west designed it. I think we discussed it on the old Yahoo site. Remember how I told you to store it in the "Crown Royal Bag"?

zero.one.victor · Post by **zero.one.victor** » Sat Nov 16, 2002 6:59 am

Gary,be nice to George! If it wasn't for him,we wouldn't be having this online forum--he helped Al Gore invent the internet!

Eric

flyguy · Post by **flyguy** » Sat Nov 16, 2002 7:29 am

Well he and Al and dubya better not go claimin my inventons and stuff i stole from sumbody else! Ole pilots git testy when upstarts git too big fer their britches.

Post by **GAHorn** » Sat Nov 16, 2002 3:17 pm

flyguy wrote:George wrote: L-19's left the factory with it down, and as soon as it got to Viet Nam the first thing all the mechanics did was reverse it to the up position. Up is where I've found it most useful.

OLE GAR wrote: "The main reason for the ring being turned up was to be able to lift and swing the tail around easier. Also you could tow stuff around the airport

Another queationable post by you, G Horn! "But the truth be known, I don't follow my own advice. I lock my ailerons/elevators
with my seat-belt, although I lock my rudder externally with a rope-device of my own design such as I previously mentioned".

I think the truth is you stole this little idea from me and I stole it from a guy in Garden City, Kansas in 1975. The guy that owned C170, 2341D had it on his plane. The wind blows all the time out there and I guess he or someone else in the windy west designed it. I think we discussed it on the old Yahoo site. Remember how I told you to store it in the "Crown Royal Bag"?

All right now! I didn't claim to invent using ropes for tying things down. I only claim to have "a rope-device of my own design"!! I'll be posting an illustration of it soon and then we'll see who steals what from whom!

And I didn't invent the internet, Eric. I invented Al Gore!

BTW, ...Al Gore.....Ole Gar.... Ever notice how similar they ring? Another disguise perhaps??

Mike Smith · Post by **Mike Smith** » Tue Sep 16, 2003 6:08 pm

I can't find the L-19 tailwheel eye-bolt on E-bay. Does anyone have a better address for it or someother way to get one?

Thanks

N1478D · Post by **N1478D** » Tue Sep 16, 2003 6:27 pm

It appears that he skips a couple of weeks and then autions them. I've had my eye out for a friend, I'll email you the link when I see one show up, he usually has mutliple eyebolt kits.

Post by **GAHorn** » Tue Sep 16, 2003 6:57 pm

Be exceptionally wary of buying aircraft parts on Ebay. The most common "tie down" eyebolt sold there is not legal. It's homemade by welding a ring onto it, and the welding is neither certified nor is the bolt properly annealed and re-plated.
A source for the correct and proper bolt is: http://www.jtaco.com/ and another is: http://www.airrepairinc.com/ and http://www.airrepairinc.com/cgi-airrepa ... gno=ARP006

P.S. The tailwheel tie down eyebolt is L-19 PN: 0642105 , priced $23.50

Mike Smith · Post by **Mike Smith** » Tue Sep 16, 2003 8:35 pm

Thanks George, that was a great help. I think I'll stick with the airplane parts guys.

Farnold · Post by **Farnold** » Sat Sep 20, 2003 2:15 am

Just gotta' throw my 2Cents in. I kept my B model outside for a while. Finally spent the money on the "Gust Lock" device which I have found to work very well. I also secure the rudder using J. Timm's idea as shown in The 170 Book on page 84. I have found this to take up the play in the rudder.
Do Not use 2 boards with carpet padding to secure the rudder. This will cause (listen to the voice of experience!) a wrinkling in the metal surface of the rudder if the winds are just so. I tried this and was very lucky that I received only minimal wrinkling. Unfortunately, I read this in one of the C170 Assoc. publications the next day after a wind.
I've been thinking of the eyebolt - looks like I've got to go that route as my ropes are a mess.
I also disconnected my parking brakes as suggested. With only a very few tailwheel hours under my belt, my brake was locking up for this very reason and I thought then and there I had made a terrible mistake purchasing a T/W airplane as it was really difficult to taxi out before realizing the real cause of my problems. Very lucky that I wasn't landing!

The International Cessna 170 Association

How does everyone tie the tail down on their 170?

DONT WANT TU SPOIL HIM

tail wheel tie down