Tie-down without wing ring

[Ulmo133]

Hello,

It's my first topic here. I'm a new owner of a 2004 CTSW (third hand) and I'm a beginner (just got my french private licence and my french 3-axis ultralight licence).
I'm based in Savoie (French Alps).

I carefully read the manual and the forum but don't find any answer about my problem : My CT stay most of the time in a hangar but I go regularly in St Crépin airfield (very windy) and I need to tie down it but I have no rings or bolts under the wings. Is anyone in the same situation as me and do you have any advice on how to tie down the CT without these fixing points?

Thank you and good flight.

[Roger Lee]

You can use straps that go around the wing, but under the flap. Also tie down the tail.

[Ulmo133]

7 minutes ago, Roger Lee said:

You can use straps that go around the wing, but under the flap. Also tie down the tail.

Thanks Roger, so around the wing but in between the flap and the trailing edge. Is there a particular position on the wing to choose (distance from the cabin or the winglet) ?

[Roger Lee]

Not really. In the middle is fine. 

[Ulmo133]

Thanks.

[Dave Ceddia]

On my CTLS there are predrilled holes under the wings around midway, and mine came with rings that can be screwed in to accept tiedown ropes. If yours has these holes, I imagine you could order those rings from Flight Design.

[Roger Lee]

I don't  believe the 2004 has any pre-drilled toe down ring holes. I don't  think those happened until 2006.

[Ulmo133]

Yes there is nothing. I asked FD and they answer me that it’s possible to add this holes. So I put this on my bucket CT list

Thank you for your answer and tips. 

[Mike Koerner]

That's interesting. When I inquired about getting an LOA for the addition of wing tie-downs for my 2004 CT2k many years ago, FD declined.

I'm less interested now as I have developed a tiedown method that I consider quite acceptable. I position the plane with the nose wheel just in front of one of the airport tiedown rings and connect a short, stout rope between it and the bottom cross bar on my engine mount. By holding the nose down tightly, I minimize the angle of attack of the wing. Between that, a negative flap setting and having the stick tied full forward; it would take quite a blow to lift off.

That said, super strong lateral gusts could bang up my wing tips. That hasn't happened yet, but if I was ever worried about it, I also carry straps long enough to go over the wings and down the gap forward of the control surfaces, as Roger suggests.

Mike Koerner

[Ulmo133]

Hello Mike,

Thank you for your answer. Ok I see. I will let you know as soon as I have the answer from FD Germany because for now it's the answer from FD France and I'm not 100% sure of the guy.

Good day.

[Jacques]

the wing reinforcement for the tie point came by mid-2005. My January 05 SW didn't have them and the factory told me it was impossible to retrofit them. My SW came with "belts" to pass around the wings  but there no room for these between the flaps and ailerons.