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Long term parking and brakes


FlyingMonkey

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Posted

If you have a CT sitting in your hangar, is it okay to set the parking brake and leave it that way, or is keeping the system pressurized long term like that a bad practice? If so, I guess just chock the wheels and call it good?

Posted

In a hangar with a tight fit, I've seen a chock or block fastened to the floor so the plane could roll back to far when being pushed in to be hangared. Prevents damage to control surfaces if someone pushes too enthusiastically. It's simple then to drop a chock or block in front of the wheel, as well.

Posted

My planes have been re-positioned on ramps and in hangars including mine without me being involved, that's why I would never set the brake.

 

I had breakfast near my parking this morning in dead calm and thought about just setting the brake, I tied down instead. It was still calm on departure but not for long, the ride home ended with a downwind landing. The AWOS and socks reported calm but downwind it was. As we drove away both 09 and 27 had tailwinds.

Posted

I don't know about the CT system, but I have seen the brake pressure bleed away after a few days. Another reason not to rely on the parking brake for more than short term.

Posted

My hangar floor appears to be level and I've never noticed my plane rolling on its own but I still chock both sides of the main just to be sure. Gives me piece-of-mind and only takes a few seconds to do. Also ensures the plane is chocked when I do light maintenance in the hangar.

 

FYI. Air Gizmos has some nice light-weight chocks that are easy to bring with you. Total weight of around 6oz.

Posted

My instructor discouraged the practice as, over the years, he's had planes' brakes freeze/rust in a locked state.

Tim

Posted

My instructor discouraged the practice as, over the years, he's had planes' brakes freeze/rust in a locked state.

Tim

 

Yep, they do that ,too. In the north country in winter, he who sets his parking brake will probably be he who can't go flying. At least not without some effort and maybe a little heat.

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