Keep it grounded
Big-Screw EZ Tie-Down holds on for dear life
By Jill W. Tallman
Remember Sun ’n Fun 2011, the year a tornado ripped through the show and threw dozens of airplanes around as if they were toys? That was fun. Speaking of which, how does your tiedown kit look these days?
If you’re shopping for a kit, Big-Screw EZ Tie-Down is here to vie for your dollars. Three 18-inch hardened aluminum screws keep the airplane in place, attached to tiedown straps that can withstand 6,000 pounds. Each screw has a one-inch hex head, so to fix it into the ground you can use a half-inch drive with a one-inch socket, a gear wrench ratchet, or an electric impact driver. The tiedown straps are sun-resistant, waterproof, industrial polyester that will not stretch. The straps, with S-hooks and locking strap tensioners, can be purchased separately ($69.95).
The kit comes with a carry bag and measures about 22 inches in length and weighs about 10 pounds, including screws, straps, and S-hooks.
Price: $184.95 (includes wrench); $159.95 (without wrench)
Contact: www.bigscrewtiedown.com
Survival gear
InReach mini is Garmin’s new palm-sized satellite messaging device—with an SOS button. It weighs 3.5 ounces and measures just under 4 inches tall by 2 inches wide. Garmin Pilot users can send and receive messages through the app from the cockpit.
Price: $349 (plus subscription for messaging and SOS capabilities)
Contact: www.garmin.com
ACR Electronics inc. introduced a new, compact, inexpensive personal locator beacon at the 2018 Aircraft Electronics Association International Convention in March. The PLB unit can be operated with one hand, features a seven-year battery life and seven-year warranty, and weighs 116 grams.
Price: $260 to $270
Contact: www.acrartex.com
Throwraft's inflatable, throwable personal flotation device can be inflated manually with a pull tab or automatically by submerging the unit underwater. Once used, the TD2401 can be repacked and recharged using a PFD re-arming unit. When packed, it measures a tidy 11 by 4 inches, and 22 by 21 inches when inflated. The unit is U.S. Coast Guard-approved.
Price: $129.99
Contact: www.throwraft.com
Email [email protected]
TRAVEL
Pilot’s playgrounds
Guides for flying the islands of the Bahamas and Caribbean
To the average tourist, the Bahamas means Paradise Island and other mega- resorts. For pilots, it means exploring numerous islands and cays that offer everything from music and nightlife to the ultimate get-away-from-it-all destination. The islands begin just 56 nautical miles off the coast of Fort Lauderdale, Florida—well within reach for general aviation pilots.
Pilots also can explore many of the more than 7,000 islands in the Caribbean by air. Every island is a little different, from the language spoken to how customs and immigration handles approach and paperwork.
Do you know what islands have private airports? Which runways are gravel? How to fill out customs and immigration paperwork or how to contact them for your arrival?
AOPA’s The Bahamas and Caribbean Pilot’s Guide books are a trusted source of flight planning information for pilots who love to fly the islands.
Fully redesigned for the 2018 edition, these comprehensive guide books are updated annually and are packed with everything you need to prepare for a trip to the Bahamas and Caribbean islands, including maps with airport data and the layout of each island, customs and immigration information, and more. Plus, you get info on the local culture, the best way to get around while you’re there, what the food is like, and tips and suggestions from other pilots for where to stay and fun things to do.
The guides are available individually or bundled with charts; pilots also may purchase the guides as ebooks. If the turquoise waters and white, sandy beaches are calling your name, begin your preflight with AOPA’s guidebooks.
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