as a beginner and starting to learn how to tune the engine its a little scary messing with that needle valve when the plane is at full speed. not bad if someone is helping you but i go to my field very early and usally no one is there. so i was looking for cheap and easy ideas for a tail tie down. i thought of a long screwdriver in the dirt and wrapping a rope around the tail and clipping it to the screwdriver. is that good or any better ideas?

Long screw drivers are fine if they are like 1" thick and about 3' long ... that is not safe. If you really want then get 2 1" diameter sticks and hammer them into the ground with a mallet, this will brace the wings. I tune my engine by standing behind the wings and the horizontal stab is braced against my legs. Its totally safe for me as the plane will be moving forward. Hope no one stands in front when I trip!!!

The best things is to get someone to help as you need to hold the nose up to ensure tuning is just right.

Sometimes I drive two sticks down in the dirt.
Then the plane is placed with the fuselage between these sticks so the stab holds the plane.

A few words of warning though...

- If you're new at this, be careful and have someone with you when you mess with the engine. If you loose a finger you might be to chocked to go/call for help.

- Don't sit and tune the engine from the front, this is a big NO NO even if you have it tied down. The plane might come loose, the firewall might rip out or the pro break/come loose.

- There's always the chance you forget yourself and reach for the needle through the prop arch, so again...Never tune from the front!

I take a length of rope, tie it into a loop around a fence post an put the loop over the vertical stab and under the horizontal stab. Holds it pretty good. Always adjust the needle when standing behind the spinning prop.

-Scott

There are commercially available tail traps that work well, for around 40 bucks. We made our own, but still primarily use the tail between the legs method, or fire up the engine while the plane is in a cradle--that sort of thing. Help is really necessary when you are first trying to tune an engine. after you get it close, you can do it on your own.

An inexpensive dog leash and a cheap screwdriver work well. Get a leash with a small metal ring on one end and a holding loop on the other. Stand behind the plane. Stick the screwdriver through the metal ring and into the ground. Take the end with the holding loop, pass it UNDER one side of the horizontal stabilizer, up over the top of the fuse directly in front of the fin, then back UNDER the other half of the horizontal stabilizer. Then slip the holding loop over the screwdriver. Be sure to roll the plane forward a little to take up slack before you start the engine.

This is for real ... my pal who is experienced and a LHS owner did it. He just stuck his finger through the prop to tune the engine, he did not know why he did it! Cost him about USD1,200 to sort it out!!!

the plane has been tuned for set up and i only need to do fine tuning. the problem i have with the standing method is the plane is a nexstar and i can only brace the stab with one leg cuz i have to step forward to reach the needle. it works but it kinda scary cuz the torque of the plane feels like its going to roll off of the one leg. how long of a screwdriver should i use in length anyway?

Please do not use a screw driver, the shaft is pretty thin so it can shift. Trust me ... I used to be a lawyer. I know what you mean about having to step forward a little. I brace on leg against the horizontal stab and another against the trailing edge, the plane is locked. It will not be dangerous unless you fall over.

A 50 cent tent stake at wal-mart and $1 worth of rope will hold back almost every airplane (at least every one that I've owned)

Tent stakes work great.

In firm ground, a long screwdriver works as well, espeically on a .40 size plane. After all, you're generating maybe 7lbs of thrust, max.

If you have doubts, get a fish scale, setup your idea, and pull test it. If you can pull 15-20lbs, you'll keep your small models put easily, even if it jumps against the strap. In fact, you'll probibly pull the tail off before the stake moves. Bigger planes need bigger tie downs, obviously.

The giant scale guys at my field use tow straps attached to the fence for their planes. Overkill, but the wide strap spreads the load on the airplane and avoids denting the stab.

In a pinch, I've sometimes used a screwdriver stuck in the ground as wheel chocks. On a tail dragger, the plane can still tip over, but it can't run away forwards. Not ideal, but better than nothing

I used a large screwdriver and a hunk of cloth clothesline rope for the first couple of years, and it worked just fine for 40 size planes. The screwdriver never budged through many run ups and engine tunings.

I'd guess the blade of the screwdriver was perhaps 10 inches long. Of course, it will also depend on the soil in your area. Desert sand might not work.
Dennis-

I usually just ask one of the old members to hold the plane for me. this is never a problem as these guys come to the field with their fold away chairs and never fly they like to just sit and watch and talk about their feet all day but i always carry a lonf screw driver and rope just in case

In recommending a screwdriver I`m talking about a substantial one, angled backward from the airplane. Even then I keep an eye on it. I fly 40s. 90s or 120s would make me nervous with the screwdriver method.

Hi,

How many posts and photos have you seen where models were lost as a result of the tail surface/s breaking off? How many have you seen with incredible saves as the model had dual elevator servos and pilots were able to land with half the empenage missing?

My advice is not to rely on the tail surfaces to restrain the model. Certainly not with full throttle running/tuning. Always tune from behind and if at all possible restrain the model by the wings or the undercarriage.

Just my two cents,

Colin

We have plane starting benches at the one field I belong to so its very easy to start your engine. However at the other club I belong to, there isn't anything. So, I got (2) pieces of 1/2 pvc pipe about 3 feet long. I pound these into the ground and put the plane's rear horiz. stab behind them. The plane aint goin anywhere even at full throttle.

Dave...

usually tail feathers and wings break under enormous "G" forces generated during flight. Sometimes it is a simple joint failure, but most of the time it's because of forces that can only be caused during flight. When I'm just warming my engine up, I stand with the fuse between my legs, and the horizontal stab at my ankles/calfs. If I'm tuning an engine, then I get on one knee, on the side of the needle valve, lay my radio on the ground where it is accessible, hold the plane by the fuse, on top, just in front of the wing. then, I run the engine up to full throttle, adjust the needle, and bring it back down. So far this has proven failry safe. There is no real fool-proof way to do it, you just have to pick the safest way, the way you feel most comfortable with, and be VERY careful. Do not allow anyone to be in front of, or to the side of the prop, and do not let anyone be in front of a wing for that matter. If the plane gets loose at full throttle, and the wing hits someone on the leg, then the plane is likely to spin around and bite them. SAFETY, SAFETY, SAFETY.!!!!

I use a stake, it is 12" long and has a cross or philips head on one end and flanged out a little on the other. Maybe 1/2" wide or so. I guess it is supposed to be used to break up soil. It cant cost very much at the hardware store. I hammer it in to the ground, and use a loop of clothes line to secure the model around the tail. I made a sleeve of old terry cloth towel wrapped with duct tape, this is about 16 inches long and fits over a portion of the rope to protect the model. This thing keeps my big model from moving while starting, etc. but i would never use the rope alone during full thottle because the tail would tear off! For full throttle I have someone hang on to the model. You do need to be careful.

peter

I don't think holding the plane back by the tail is a problem for the vast majority of planes.

On those wrecks where the tail fails, flutter is a common factor, as is too much stress from violent acrobatics, or other issues. We really aren't talking about a lot of force here. After all, it's common practice to hang airplanes on the wall by the tail. If the tail can support that, then it should also be fine during a run up.

If your tail can't handle a run up, I'm guessing it will probibly fail in flight anyway, even if you never even touch it on the ground. Yes, the forces are different, but fore-aft forces against the chord of the stab (often 4+ inches) is just not a big deal compared to up-down forces against thickness of the stab, often a flat plate about 1/4" thick or so.

That's not to say I have anything against using the front of the wing, that's fine too.

If you have the opportunity to put something in that is permanent, here is a picture of what we use at our club. For most planes, we have a stooge set up where two lengths of pvc are set in the ground. Then a U shaped piece of pvc with water line insulation glued on to protect the finish of the plane's tailfeathers is inserted inside the two pvc pipes in the ground. Once the plane is started, the stooge is removed and you are on your way. For larger planes, we have a "D" ring mounted in cement and then a web strap is placed around the tail to hold the plane in place. Here is a picture of the PVC method:

for starting - always have one hand firmly on the fuse. if you are nervous, have someone standing stradling the tail. remember to have the horiz stab against the legs of the helper

for running in at idle - rope around the tail and tied to a big rock or a fence

for running past idle - legs between the tail

tuning the engine - kneel next to the plane behind the wing on the side of the high speed needle. use one hand for tuning the needle and the other hand to hold the wing opposite of where you are kneeling.

well i flew this am and sure enough the engine was acting up. this time i put my right leg in front of the right stab, and set my flight box in front of the left wing. seemed to work fairly well, but i think ill try some of the other ideas here. thanks guys.