August 2013
When Noel Allen surveyed aircraft damaged in windstorms he found a pattern. The tiedown rings on most of the PA-28 Cherokee series had broken.
He noticed something else, too: the OEM rings were created to sit at a 90-degree angle to the fuselage, while the rope tiedowns were stretched at an angle. This configuration put stress on the rings—side forces sometimes exceeding 2,000 pounds—in a windstorm.
Allen had an idea for a better tiedown and as an aerospace structural engineer, he was in the unique position to do something about it.
He came up with an improved design where the rings are positioned to point directly back down on the same angle as the rope during tiedown so that there are no “bend moments” on the ring. He also made his new rings thicker.
Allen’s tiedown ring designs are manufactured by Aero/Mechanical Technologies, Inc. and are available in two versions. The first is an aluminum ring that can withstand winds up to 180 mph, and the second is a stainless steel ring that is safe up to 230 mph ground winds. The stainless rings have a satin buffed finish, while the aluminum rings can be nickel plated, buffed or white powder-coated.
Allen also created an improved tail skid out of aluminum with a stainless steel strike plate, and his design is six times stronger than the OEM skid.
Noel Allen has developed two simple and effective improvements for Cherokee aircraft, and they just might save your airplane from significant damage.
The price for a set of two rings is currently $198. The skid sells for $198 as well. All parts are FAA-PMA approved and designed to be an easy replacement for the OEM equipment.
RESOURCES >>>>>
Aero/Mechanical Technologies, Inc.
1145 Cliff Road East
Burnsville, MN 55337
(952) 334-7117
aeromechtech.com
Aircraft Spruce
1-877-4SPRUCE
aircraftspruce.com
August 2013
Aero/Mechanical Technologies’ rings and tail skids are stronger than your Cherokee’s original parts.
