It doesn't take all that much wind to cause modern light aircraft to take off on their own. The gusts in this video were 55 knots, but I've heard that some STOLs are susceptible to 20 knot winds.
There's a regional airport near me, which I drive past often, and the smaller planes are all tethered to their "parking spaces" (taut cables between the tips of the wings and mounting points on the ground). It always seemed a bit silly and I've had the thought "what, like they're going to run away?". It doesn't seem so silly anymore.
Yup - this looks like it's at the Air Force academy north of Colorado Springs - spent a summer there and was really cool to drive by and see the gliders getting towed up for practice pilots almost daily.
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It doesn't take all that much wind to cause modern light aircraft to take off on their own. The gusts in this video were 55 knots, but I've heard that some STOLs are susceptible to 20 knot winds.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_WmjWAGkLI
There's a regional airport near me, which I drive past often, and the smaller planes are all tethered to their "parking spaces" (taut cables between the tips of the wings and mounting points on the ground). It always seemed a bit silly and I've had the thought "what, like they're going to run away?". It doesn't seem so silly anymore.
Send a few Blackhawks over or near untethered light aircraft and watch the party. :-)
You mean Blackbirds?
I meant the UH-60 Black Hawk.
Ah there are pilots in those planes, I was wondering how they were doing so well.
The other plane with all the guys lying on the wing is amusing.
That's a glider I think
Yup - this looks like it's at the Air Force academy north of Colorado Springs - spent a summer there and was really cool to drive by and see the gliders getting towed up for practice pilots almost daily.
That is crazy, thanks for sharing. I wouldn't call a Piper Cub modern though.
The cessna 172 is still manufactured today, its factory condition stall speed is 40 knots.