Control Locks? Share your ideas.

[DCat22]

Bill, here you go:

[BillFear]

The thumb screws came from the aviation department at Lowes.

[Snowflake]

For the aileron and elevator, the seat belt works for me and doesn't require that I carry any extra weight. Gotta keep the empty weight low when you've only got 150 horses to play with and everyone else in the formation has 160 or more...

I'm currently relying on my Rocket steering link to keep the rudder straight when I park, but I do recognize that it's limited in how high a wind it'll take. So far, i've been able to park it nose-in the wind every time i've needed it, so that helps.

I've seen people use u-shaped bolts that drop through a hole in the rudder stop and another in the rudder horn... With a large red flag hanging off it so you won't forget. Much easier to see on an -A model than a tailwheel though.

[donaziza]

I think I've got the simplest system. I just have a pair of bungee cords with a big hook on each end. The bungee cords are maybe 18" long and about the diameter of a pencil. You wrap one cord around the top of your stick and with a hook on each end, there's plenty of places on the left & right in the metal frame work to hook onto. Ailerons done. With the 2ed bungee cord, I simply string the cord around the top of the stick (underneath the aileron locking cord of course), thru the hook on its end and then take the hook on the other end ( of the cord) and hook it on the upper back rung of my seat backrest. Elevators done.

These two cords take absolutely no room in your airplane when flying and are thus in my fly away kit.

The rudders---Yeah, I'm relying on that tail wheel steering lock too. That bothers me, but I don't have a better answer for the rudder.

Tell me if you want me to send a picture with the cords in place.

[ronschreck]

Originally Posted by donaziza

The rudders---Yeah, I'm relying on that tail wheel steering lock too. That bothers me, but I don't have a better answer for the rudder.

A better answer HERE.

[plehrke]

Originally Posted by algrajek

Air Gizmos. Work Great!
Nordo

I bought the Air Gizmos but do not like them. I do not think they are tight enough and think they will eventually work themselve loose over a night of gusty winds.

I use the York from Spruce that work great and I trust them in any weather. It locks stick and rudder. I hate them though as they are a pain to put in and have scratched paint on the panel in several places trying to install and remove them. They are also heavy, expensive, and bulky.

I built a pvc version of the York (actually on version 2.1) and use bungies to hold it in place. I use this for day trips as it is easy to use. With the bungies I think it has too much play and therefore will work itself loose if there was a long period of gusty winds.

Still looking for better ideas.

[Snowflake]

Originally Posted by ronschreck

A better answer HERE.

I like it, but unfortunately that won't work on a non-counterbalanced RV-6 rudder.

[Flying EMT]

I made the following from plumbing extras from building my house. I didn't glue it, the bungee keeps it together. If worried about the rudder, I use a seperate rudder lock ( the puck type). - Ben

[wera710]

I know its been done a million ways and for 80 years, but I loathe ANY lock that is internal and attached to the stick/rudder. My thinking, probably wrong, has always been that in terms of extreme gust, particularly from the rear, the loads on the control surfaces have got to be fairly brutal as they try to whip airlerons up or down and rudders left or right, in reaction to those wind forces. Sure, the surfaces can't move much due to the control stick being held in place, but what kind of beating are the actual control surfaces taking?

My other issue with the seatbelt/mechanical internal lock, has been when those methods are used in a manor that results in full UP elevator. What happens when the wind hits from BEHIND and slams into the tail with full up deflection. I can tell you. I've seen the results on others aircraft. $$$.

I've always tried to use external locks for these reason, and home-made when possible. I loved Pierre's idea and the Air Gizmo looks totally worth consideration. Thanks again all!

[benamyava]

Send me your $35 and I will send you three pairs of paint sticks and three spring loaded squeeze clamps. And if you need the engineering drawings please sent an additional $100.

K.I.S.S.

Ben