One More Time: Chocks And Tiedowns

In the publishing biz—mainly broadcasting—we have something called a PSA, a public service announcement. You see these all the time when the station discharges its duty to keep the citizenry duly informed about stocking up on hurricane supplies, not driving through flood water and remembering to vote.

Think of this week’s video as a PSA. While colleagues Niles and Berge were holding down the balloon and UAP beat and having remarkable success, I was sweeping cyberspace for I-thought-we-knew-not-to-do-this videos. “This” is propping an airplane without a using chocks and tiedowns. Not either or. Both. Yeah, I know, the hairy chested among us stand behind the prop and in the door to swing through. It usually works, but sometimes there are … issues. It adds some risk. If you’re OK with that, you have been warned. (Pro Tip: If it does get away, don't try to hold a wing to stop it. Just call your insurance agent.)

As the embedded video, which rocketed around the web like a rubber check in a tile bathroom last week, shows, using neither chocks nor tiedowns invites disaster. And this happens three or four times a year.  Here’s hoping seeing this video will keep anyone from repeating the mistake. (The incident appears to have happened in 2020 and also appears to be cellphone video of a security camera.)