Lifting up a DA40

Any DA40 related topics

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Scotsman58
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Lifting up a DA40

Post by Scotsman58 »

I'm looking for a solution for lifting my DA40 inside my hangar, and leaving it lifted for as long as a week. The reason for the need is the periodic hurricane/tropical storm that threatens flooding where my hangar is (South Ramp area at KBDR in Stratford, CT, near Long Island Sound). After Hurricane Sandy, I had 16 inches of water in my hangar, which penetrated the bags I had around my wheels and forced me to get new wheels/brakes/tires. (If it had gotten up to the belly -- which happened to some of my hangar neighbors -- the aircraft would likely have been totaled.)

I would like to lift it at least 24 inches, but there's room to go higher in my hangar -- maybe as much as 36 inches.

Given that we only get storms like this a couple of times a year, I would prefer not to spend a huge amount on this.

Have any of you used jacks that can lift a DA40 by that amount?

A hangar neighbor has two motorcycle lifts (and a self-made tail support system). These work well, but they're not inexpensive and I would like something that is easier to store when not in use.

Some of you may respond that i should just fly the plane somewhere else when one these storms is coming. Yes, but I have a busy work schedule and can't always count on being able to take the plane to a location outside the reach of the storm and then retrieve it promptly.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.
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Rick
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Re: Lifting up a DA40

Post by Rick »

I don't have any lifting ideas, but have you talked with your insurance company? Most policies will pay to relocate your plane out of harm's way, so I wonder if they would also pay for a lifting solution, given the history in your hangar? Or, they might pay to relocate it to a more expensive but less-flood-prone hangar at your home airport if such a thing exists? Just throwing out some ideas...
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Steve
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Re: Lifting up a DA40

Post by Steve »

Other than something like this:

http://armaerospace.com

...I'm not sure that you could safely lift an aircraft like a DA40. Remember, even if you could get it off the floor by 3 feet, floodwaters could be much higher. Plus, floodwaters can come with a significant current, and wash away your supporting material. I'm with Rick on this. Fly it away (or pay someone to do it if you are unable to yourself). My insurance company (Avemco) will pay for this.
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Charles
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Re: Lifting up a DA40

Post by Charles »

I imagine you could put the wheels in three steel tracks attached together, forming a triangular platform with one corner in front of the NLG and two corners behind the MLG wheels, and then raise that platform with cables from each eye at the corners of the platform. Run the cables through a pulley on the ceiling above each eye and attach all 3 to a common eye pulled by a 3000lbs winch.

But any one of these elements failing will cause your plane to crash to the floor of the hangar ;-)
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Scotsman58
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Re: Lifting up a DA40

Post by Scotsman58 »

So I hear two of you on investigating whether my insurer would pay for relocation during forecast storms. If you know -- does that cover only the hangarage/tie-down costs at the "refuge" location or could it possibly also cover hiring a qualified pilot to do the ferrying back and forth?

I also agree that flooding could exceed any reasonable lifting range, that there could be currents in flood waters (but probably not strong flows inside my hangar, assuming it maintained structural integrity -- if it didn't, then all bets would be off anyway). The only noticeable flooding that has happened in my hangar community in the past decade or so was after the Sandy storm -- as noted, that one got up to 16 inches inside my hangar. (I am lucky to be at one of the higher spots in this area). So I think lifting the plane up to 24 inches would give me a pretty good safety margin; 36 inches even better. I also think any equipment that you would trust to lift the plane and keep it safely lifted for a week in dry conditions would be likely to stay in place during flooding of the type I just described.

My hangar neighbor has lifted her Piper single quite successfully with two motorcycle lifts. I guess I will look into that. If anyone on this board has experience with that, I would appreciate hearing about it.

Thanks for the replies so far.
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Rick
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Re: Lifting up a DA40

Post by Rick »

FYI - I found this section in my (Global Aerospace) insurance policy:
If:
(a) the U.S. National Weather Service issues a Hurricane Watch or Hurricane Warning and the Watch or Warning area includes
the airport last reported to the Company as the airport where the aircraft is normally based, hereinafter referred to as the
primary airport; and
(b) Physical Damage Coverage applies to the aircraft, and
(c) the Named Insured repositions the aircraft to an airport that is at least 75 nautical miles from the primary airport and is not
included in a Hurricane Watch or Hurricane Warning area,
the Company will reimburse the Named Insured for reasonable expenses incurred in repositioning the aircraft, including expenses
for pilot services, subject to the following:
(1) the Company's maximum expense reimbursement limit shall not exceed $500. per hurricane, subject to a policy period
aggregate limit of $1,000, and
(2) proper documentation of repositioning expenses is required for reimbursement and must be received by the Company within
90 days of the repositioning from the primary airport.
So it looks like they would pay for a pilot to move it, up to $500 total. That might be easier (and safer) than jacking up the plane. Your insurance may vary of course...
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