The International Cessna^® 170 Association

Hi.

I sent off my membership a few days ago by snail mail. I've been lurking for a couple of years, and found some useful info from the public parts of the site over that time -- so now I figure I should join. Better late than never, eh?

My airplane is a 1948 C170, serial no. 18290, Canadian registration C-GHFK. It was imported into Canada from the US in 1973. I have no logs from before that time, although I have the original factory W&B dated July 19, 1948, and an original Owner's Manual in mint condition. However, I don't have an AFM, which is one thing I'd like to get hold of from the Association.

HFK has metal wings and stab, from before importation, and has a 1967 O-300D installed. Finish is plain metal, no paint. I have wheels and skis, but haven't used the skis yet.

I've been flying this airplane since 2006, when I bought half of it from the then-owner. Last summer, he decided to back out (remarried, priorities changed) and I bought his half so that it's all mine now.

The US registration was N3971V. I would be interested in any information anyone might have about its history prior to importation.

I have some other questions about various things, but I'll raise separate threads for those, unless I can find answers once I can access the members-only info.

-Alan

PS I am based at Rockcliffe, and I see that a couple of people posted about the wind event we had 2009/04/25 that trashed a few airplanes, including a nice 170. Here's a link to a page with my photos and commentary from the next day.
http://sharesys.com/rockcliffe_trauma/

Alan, welcome! And thanks for the very instructive (though sad!) photos and commentary.

One lesson is that our tiedowns have to be maintained as well as the aircraft themselves. Another is that we need to look out for our neighbors' tiedowns and equipment as much as our own.

Please tell us: how do you tie a "hurricane knot"? Or is this something we already know by another name?

Allen,
Welcome!!!! Those were really scary pic's. I can't remember when I have seen that much damage at one airport!! With the exception of the damage done at Migs in Chigago (that was an idiot, not mother natures vengance)...Looking at your tie downs... Is a hurricane Knot the same as a sheep shank?......Just asking the same question as John. Again welcome to the group.......Brad

From: http://www.fepco.com/BF.images.gentle.breeze.html

The Hurricane Hitch
Now that you have the bottom end of your rope attached to your anchor, and the top end has been reeved through the wing's tiedown ring with a slight amount of tension applied, the rope will need to be secured. The best system of knots to use here is called the Hurricane Hitch. What you do is take two turns around the standing part of the line a couple of inches below the ring, jamming the second turn under the first to hold it in place. The tension on the rope will be held by the two turns. Make a second jammed pair of turns a few inches below the first, and then a third a few inches below that. (Illustrations 43 and 44 show clearly how this should be done.) Then the end of the rope is half-hitched just below the third jammed pair, and that's it.

He has photos but it's not that easy to figure out how to tie the knot from them. It's a lot easier to do than it is to describe.

If I can find a good diagram or clearer photos, I'll post them. I'm sure it has other names, maybe you already know or use it.

-Alan

PS Further searching reveals that this knot is Ashley # 1855, one of several knots that are known as "Midshipman's hitch" or "tautline hitch" -- but it's clear that some of the knots by those names would be useless for the purpose even if they look similar. Can't find anything that makes it really clear, or makes it obvious that it MUST be tied under some tension. Maybe I'll have to make my own video...

Thanks! I found the photos here http://www.fepco.com/BF.pic43.html and here: http://www.fepco.com/BF.pic44.html. Those, along with the description you quoted, make it clear to me what he's doing. As you said, it's really a variation on the Midshipman's hitch: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taut-line_hitch. There's an animated picture of that here: http://www.animatedknots.com/rollinghit ... /index.php. I'd call it a "midshipman's hitch with two false starts."

jrenwick wrote: I'd call it a "midshipman's hitch with two false starts."

I see what you mean, third time's a charm for adding that final half hitch. The "false starts" really distribute any shock or load, & once you get the hang of it, it's very easy to tie and tension properly. You can see why it's what the northern bush old-timers do.

That day at Rockcliffe I didn't see a single aircraft that was tied that way with decent rope that moved much or rope/knots failed. Of course, as Rockcliffe and the Fepco story show, other aircraft flying into them is out of your control, roll the dice...

It's maybe worth trying to be "diplomatically helpful" in chatting with folks tied down nearby who don't seem to get it. I had one neighbour with a SuperCub who used S-hooks on both ends of straps made for boat trailers, thought they were dam' handy and completely secure -- until the blustery winter day I found his plane had thrown one lower hook and had been crow-hopping around on its oversize tires flailing a strap writing quite the story in the snow. After reading that chilling tale he didn't upgrade to ropes, but he at least went to heavy-duty locking clips plus backup strap lock thingummies on his dam' handy straps. His plane was ok in the "event" last month, shifted somewhat but never came near mine.