A short video showing the importance of tying down your airplane.
http://youtu.be/pqGhO49xF0Y
About Ben Sclair
Ben Sclair is the Publisher of General Aviation News, a pilot, husband to Deb and dad to Zenith, Brenna, and Jack. Oh, and a staunch supporter of general aviation.
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If you look closely, the aircraft actually is tied down. This explains why it lifts vertically until the ropes snap and away it goes!
Thanks for sharing your astute observation!
Authenticity of the video not withstanding the point is simply TIE IT DOWN! I have personally dealt with Cessnas, usually that were parked with the flaps down,and Super Cubs that have “flown” at the tie-downs. Pull ropes tight, they will stretch under strain and absorb shock. With chains leave some slack, not much, you do not want the plane to start jumping as that will damage it. The flex in the tires/gear legs is all you want to move.
Actually I was taught to always avoid slack and chains altogether when they are anchored to the ground or concrete. Strong gusty winds can get the wing loop ring hammering against the chain, stretching the hook out or breaking the ring, and the plane will still fly away. I carry my own nylon ropes and carabiners and use them instead.
The problem is lessened when chains go to a cable on the ground – but then you face the possibility of the hook jumping out of the ring.
But whatever – Ray is correct – tie your plane down securely even on calm days. Amazing how fast a thermal can come along, or a big jet taxi by!
Fake or not, the point is tie down your aircraft and save yourself and others a lot of grief.
The video is a hoax. Just a clever animation. The airplane would not rise vertically in a strong horizontal wind.
Sure it could — it has inertia acting against the drag, the wind is coming from the direction where drag has the least effect, and it’s a low-drag design, while the wings create ground effect.
In addition, this is obviously gusty winds. A gust picks up the plane, which is then gliding forward at the same speed that the wind is blowing, before it turns, becomes more draggy and balloons up and to the side.
However, this is such a fluke that it’s not a valid argument for tying down. What IS a valid argument is the many planes which are blown on their wheels into things like hangars, cars and other planes, or which catch the wind under a wing or tail and get flipped over.