https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news...imizing-chanced-of-surviving-hurricane-winds/
I had to keep my Cherokee on the ramp for three major hurricanes and this is sort of good advice, but I'd recommend NOT covering the plane. If you've ever been out during a particularly windy day, you've seem the cover flap and balloon. It can cause more damage to antennas and paint than just going "bare". Unfortunately, our Cherokees are notorious "door leakers" so get out as soon as possible after the storm and vaccum up the inevitable water on the carpet. Also if you've had a lot of salt spray, which you can get even fairly far from the shore, try to get the plane washed as soon as possible afterwards.
Some say to use the seatbelt to hold the yoke back if you have no other gust lock, but my preference was to hold the yoke forward using bungee cords from the yokes to the rudder pedals. Keeping the yokes forward reduces the tendency for the nose to lift when the wind is on the nose, and that causes the tail tiedown to go slack. I also used some heavy-duty rachet straps in addition to the tiedown ropes to snug everything up, as the gusts will make the airplane "dance" and that could loosen the tiedowns. Just don't put a LOT of downforce on the tiedowns as Cherokees aren't rated for much negative g load.
Take a good look at the tiedown anchors. Best are rings set in the concrete, worst are cables stretched between just a few tiedowns. And the earth auguar ones are worthless, as seen by damage at airshows from even mild wind events.
Good luck to our Florida friends.
I had to keep my Cherokee on the ramp for three major hurricanes and this is sort of good advice, but I'd recommend NOT covering the plane. If you've ever been out during a particularly windy day, you've seem the cover flap and balloon. It can cause more damage to antennas and paint than just going "bare". Unfortunately, our Cherokees are notorious "door leakers" so get out as soon as possible after the storm and vaccum up the inevitable water on the carpet. Also if you've had a lot of salt spray, which you can get even fairly far from the shore, try to get the plane washed as soon as possible afterwards.
Some say to use the seatbelt to hold the yoke back if you have no other gust lock, but my preference was to hold the yoke forward using bungee cords from the yokes to the rudder pedals. Keeping the yokes forward reduces the tendency for the nose to lift when the wind is on the nose, and that causes the tail tiedown to go slack. I also used some heavy-duty rachet straps in addition to the tiedown ropes to snug everything up, as the gusts will make the airplane "dance" and that could loosen the tiedowns. Just don't put a LOT of downforce on the tiedowns as Cherokees aren't rated for much negative g load.
Take a good look at the tiedown anchors. Best are rings set in the concrete, worst are cables stretched between just a few tiedowns. And the earth auguar ones are worthless, as seen by damage at airshows from even mild wind events.
Good luck to our Florida friends.
