Parking in 80 Knot Winds?

[onthebeach]

How many of you folks would leave your aircraft parked--even with control locks installed, AND tied down--in 80 knot winds? Not many, I suppose.

However, as I move around the country I continue to notice many light plane pilots parking on the ramp right next skid-equipped helicopters. When that helicopter moves, folks, your airplane is going to get those 80 knot (or even more) winds. It won't be pretty.

Park away from helicopters on the ramps. Your airplane will thank you.

 

[Say Again Over]

[email protected]

Eggbeaters belong on the helipad.

 

[GravityHater]

Likewise, I have seen helos park, for no apparent reason, right next to aircraft when the whole ramp is clear. No it wasn't for fuel or to carry a patient in, they just liked that spot. 30' from a fixed wing.

 

[onthebeach]

Gents, Gents, Gents....

...leave us not get into a urination contest here. Granted, skid helicopters (i.e., those which must hover in order to taxi) should not park next to fixed wing aircraft when clear areas of the ramp, or designated helipads, are available.

As a matter of operational caution and common courtesy, such helicopters should practice parking well away from existing or likely airplane parking. Okay?

However, I am talking about when the shoe is on the other foot, namely: I am observing quite frequently nowadays that some airplane pilots (especially light airplane pilots) are blithely parking in very close proximity to parked helicopters, even when ample ramp space is available elsewhere.

This practice is not conducive to the avoidance of ramp rash caused by wind-blown debris, banging flight control surfaces, and rotor-wash induced wing-rocking. It's also pretty discourteous to the helicopter operator, who can't move his aircraft without taking the chance of causing damage to property, i.e., the airplane that chose to nestle within spitting distance of the rotor.

So in conclusion, thanks but no thanks for your efforts to hijack this thread from its intended purpose, which is to remind airplane pilots that they need to get their heads on straight and avoid this sort of operational hazard.

 

[avbug]

My, my, we are testy.

I see a lot of pilots who fail to use tight, secure tie-down measures, who fail to use external control surface locks, and who fail to adequately preflight their controls beyond moving them and listening when they fly. Pilots who rely on seatbelts as their control lock, without concern for the damage that this may cause, or who fail to triple chock their aircraft.

Conversely, I see helicopters frequently hover-taxi over or adjacent to fixed wing aircraft. I worked for a gentleman years ago who became more and more irate as a local helo crew would overfly his airplane enroute to their landing spot nearby...every day. One day he approached the helicopter just after it touched down and extracted the heliboss by the throat. He dragged that individual to a spot of open field and had a meeting of the minds. The helicopter never overflew us again.

I seldom see fixed wing pilots parking near helicopters, but I frequently see helicopter pilots landing and parking near fixed wing, or hovertaxiinig close to fixed wing. I often see unsecured or poorly secured fixed wing light aircraft dancing violently in the rotorwash and outflow, and reflect that I'm glad I'm not tasked with deciding w(h)eather to fly that little airplane next.