Do any of the online retailers sell those stakes with the foam on them that you can use to stick into the ground to keep your plane in place while doing engine runs/preflight checks. I haven't been able to find any online. Or maybe someone knows of a good way to make a set. I know I'll proabably need some foam and dowel rod. But I'm just curious to see whats out there.

I've seen them around at LHS's, but I don't know who manufactures them. I use a simple tent stake and a piece of nylon rope to hold my plane in place. Simple, cheap, and very effective.

Ken

Check the RCU buy & sell section. I have seen them on there.

At home I use an old forklift brake drum with a nylon strap. It holds most planes well.

I just use the tent stake that looks like a large nail, and about 3 feet of heavy cotton/poly braid cord. Works well, and fits in my flite box with no problem.

I use this:

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXAR03&P=7

Lowe's home supply has steel pegs made from flat stock, in the area that you will find sacks of cement. The crossection of the pegs have a slight curve to provide stiffness when hammering them into the ground. I bend about three inches of the top end at a right angle to give me a grip so I can easily push it into the ground, and later remove it. I then get some foam insulation from the plumbing section of the store and slip it on the lower part of the peg, and tape it on. That insulation is used to insulate water pipes. I believe the pegs come in two lengths. I have a set in my car that I made about ten years ago.

I made one out of copper plumbing pipe I had laying around..

My friend uses one of these.

http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/(tge5xjzas1idcqi5tnzcm345)/ProductDetails.aspx?SKU=998010793

Guaranteed not to pull out, and can be screwed in by hand, no hammer needed in flight box. A large diameter soft rope looped over the stab finishes the job.


Lm

I just bought two very long screwdrivers at Home Depot, covered the handles with some hot water pipe foam insulation, and drive them into the ground as "stakes" using a plastic mallet. I position them as wing hold-backs, not tail holdbacks, since the wing is usually much stronger than the tail on most planes.

G'day Mate,
Over here in Australia, we use these, see pix, they are 1/2" stainless rod, with a blunt point, & air conditioning insulation around em, drive in the ground, at a slight angle back towards the plane & they will keep most planes safe, no more running forward accidentally.
They are manditory in our club.

I use a rope on a long screwdriver at times at home or other fields.
At the field we have hooks on the table legs for ropes. We are not allowed to penetrate the ground where we fly because it is a landfill with a clay cap.
Some clubs I go to have start up tables but I dislike carrying my plane when it is running.

Check this website out. It's called a plane restraint. He's make them for all sizes. I've seen his work in person. Awesome.

http://shop.jackknifemachineshop.com/main.sc