January 24, 2019

From: Dave Martin, chairman, IAHA Architecture Committee

To: IAHA Board

Subj: Aircraft tiedown areas at recent IAHA home projects

Background: At the last IAHA board meeting, I was asked to report on the progress on the required ramp and tiedown areas at homes where hangars have not been built. I am leaving on a 10-day trip this afternoon, so this report will substitute for the usual voice report.

Three homes, all of them on Bellanca Taxiway, were investigated.

1. Jessica Jackovich moved into her new house at 736 Mooney around the first of January. In place now is a gently sloped ramp excavation that will lead to a paved tiedown area within the next several months, she said. Gravel is in place in the ramp area. She and her fiancee are interested in aviation and hope to build a hangar later.

2. A concrete combination ramp and tiedown area, complete with two embedded tiedown devices, is in place at 657 Luscombe, the home of Kristen and Greg White. The ramp is 15 feet wide and 35 feet deep. The south 20 feet of the ramp is on airpark community property, and the north 15 feet is on the Whites’ lot. All of the paved area is on a gentle slope. About 6 feet north of the paved ramp/tiedown area, there is a picket fence, part of which that would have to be removed to accommodate an airplane. The fence removal would presumably be accomplished by a subsequent owner who has an airplane.

I have two concerns about this installation. The first is that the slope in the tiedown area could make it difficult to maneuver an aircraft by hand and tie it down. The second problem is that the 15X15-foot tiedown area is not large enough to accommodate most lightplanes as they must be secured clear of the 20-foot airpark-owned ramp to assure clearance for aircraft moving on the taxiway.

Even if the sloped tiedown area is compatible with moving an airplane by hand and securing it, the 15-foot length of the intended tiedown area will be insufficient for most lightplanes. Another 10 or 15 feet of concrete to the north might be required for a tailwheel airplane.

I talked with Greg about this report. He noted that at some point he would like to build a hangar. At this time I am not recommending that the Whites add to the tiedown area but that potential buyers must be informed of this discrepancy unless a hangar is built.

3. Brian and Anna Harris own the new house at 627 Luscombe. Preliminary excavation for a ramp leading to a planned level tiedown is in place now. But Brian realizes that the ramp is too steep to be practical, and he intends to match the ramp slope of his neighbors. He has built the wood fence on the south of his lot to accommodate easy removal for a subsequent buyer who has an airplane. He has committed to me that the ramp and tiedown project will be complete by March 31, 2019.