Tiedown anchors

[Zzz]

What have you guys done for tiedown anchors in your Bearhawks? I've recently been working on securing my rear seat and started thinking about what kind of anchors I would use on the floor for tiedowns.

I plan to run without the rear seat installed often, and want to be able to use straps to secure the gear load.

The threaded holes and eye bolts for the rear seat attach is one obvious solution, as they won't be in use if the rear seat isn't installed.

What about in the far aft end of the cargo area? Should I be thinking about welding in some female threaded receivers for eyebolts?

Z

[jaredyates]

Does yours have a lug in the middle of the tube that runs across the back bulkhead? An eye bolt there is handy, and I've attached straps to the exposed parts of the back of the seat too.

[Zzz]

Does yours have a lug in the middle of the tube that runs across the back bulkhead?

Yes. I wondered what that was for. Is that its purpose? Did you tap it? It's awfully close to the pulleys.

[dedgemon]

Something that I've done on my RV-8 has worked well. Its also cheap, light, and removable.

Take a length of aircraft piano hinge (1" wide or so on the flanges). Cut a length approx. 2" and drill one sided to attach to the floor (one of the existing screw is what I use). On the other flange taper it a bit and drill a larger hole that will accept a rope, or a hook from a bungee.

These will just lie flat when unused. I've had very good success with them and intend to do the same on the Patrol.

[Battson]

Yes. I wondered what that was for. Is that its purpose? Did you tap it? It's awfully close to the pulleys.

I tapped it. I have no idea why it's there, but I figured it might as well become useful.

If you don't tap the whole way through, the pulleys are safe as houses.

[Bcone1381]

These tie down products are very well made. Net remove & install is quick.

http://www.lakeandair.com/2-Round-Tie-Down-Track-p/191425.htm

http://www.lakeandair.com/Single-Stud-Tie-Down-Fitting-p/191426.htm

[Zzz]

Those look nice, Bcone.

How does one attach the track to the fuselage tubes? Looks like that machined aluminum track has some countersunk holes. just put a backing plate that wraps around the fuselage tubing?

[Bcone1381]

The round tie down mounting unit is attached via machine screws anchored to the welded steel tab with nut plates. The first photo shows the larger tab attached to two members of the fuselage. The smaller tab in the photo is tab for Honeycomb Cargo Floor attachment.

Although I have not used these tie downs in any general aviation application, I have used them with cargo nets in an MD-11 where they get more wear and tear in a week than a Bearhawk will get in a year.

I saw this on a very good build thread on Supercub.org. The thread is called Build a Javeron Cub and is the best I have come across to date and is helping me improve my knowledge base a great deal. Bill Rusk is the talented builder and is outstanding with his documentation. Must Read for us builders in my opinion.

[Zzz]

Gotcha. So, a little welding to be done.

In my 170, I would use the threaded holes in the floor where the rear seat bolted down (I ran with it removed the whole time I owned it) and I would bolt these on. They made for a easy place to clip a carabiner. Same could be done with the AN5 holes for the forward feet on the rear seat when it's not installed.

Welding a piece of tubing oriented vertically and tapping it for AN4 seems like it wouldn't be too bad, similar to that tubing above the pulley bank.

[Battson]

Those look nice, Bcone.

How does one attach the track to the fuselage tubes? Looks like that machined aluminum track has some countersunk holes. just put a backing plate that wraps around the fuselage tubing?

You could always avoid that welding with a simple bracket:

[Zzz]

You could always avoid that welding with a simple bracket:

True but who would I look at in the mirror?

[Zzz]

The round tie down mounting unit is attached via machine screws anchored to the welded steel tab with nut plates. The first photo shows the larger tab attached to two members of the fuselage. The smaller tab in the photo is tab for Honeycomb Cargo Floor attachment.

Although I have not used these tie downs in any general aviation application, I have used them with cargo nets in an MD-11 where they get more wear and tear in a week than a Bearhawk will get in a year.

I saw this on a very good build thread on Supercub.org. The thread is called Build a Javeron Cub and is the best I have come across to date and is helping me improve my knowledge base a great deal. Bill Rusk is the talented builder and is outstanding with his documentation. Must Read for us builders in my opinion.

I'm liking this method now. I think I'll weld in a few tabs that bridge between tubes, then use either just a single 1/4-28 nutplate or possibly an anchor like Bill used.

[whee]

Those one position L-track mounts do look really nice but I think even as simple as they are they are more complicated than necessary. I know Zman is building a fancy bushplane and I'm building a ghetto bushplane but a single 1/4-28 nutplate or bushing with a 1/4-28 eyebolt accomplishes the same thing and is lighter than two nutplates, a L-track mount and a single stud ring. Yeah, I know...the L-track mount does look a lot nicer. Pretty easy to remove a eyebolt though.

I kinda went L-track crazy so I have no room to talk.
Untitled by Jon Whee, on Flickr

[Zzz]

I'm liking the idea of the K1000-4 just hiding beneath the surface, out of the way altogether.