wera710

wera710

Well Known Member
Ran into an issue the other day when I had to park outside in a 22 mph gusting wind. Was not thrilled with the idea of using the harness as a stick lock. And of course that does nothing for the rudder getting slammed around.

Has anyone come up with any methods for a control lock?
 
SAFETY

I say that no control lock should ever be place on the stick in the back seat...and that includes seatbelts. If you put a control lock on, it should allow for removal of the control lock from the pilot position.

We are all capable of missing items on checklists or preflight inspections but I defy anyone to get into the front seat of an -8 that has the front seatbelt wrapped around the joy stick.
 
Thanks all! Thanks Pierre, that was EXACTLY what I was looking for. Guess I need to start surfing outside the RV-8 section. lol.
 
wera710 said:
Ran into an issue the other day when I had to park outside in a 22 mph gusting wind. Was not thrilled with the idea of using the harness as a stick lock. And of course that does nothing for the rudder getting slammed around.

Has anyone come up with any methods for a control lock?
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Seat belt in the front seat works fine and you don't need a rudder gust lock for the RV-8, the tailwheel will keep the rudder secure (make sure the wheel is centered so it locks).
 
For certified aircraft, the gust locks must be installed in such a way as to interfere with the pilot taking his/her seat. Thus a belt around the control stick works just fine. (I learned this tidbit while talking to the good people at Dakota Cubs during OSH this summer.)

And as already mentioned, making sure your tailwheel is straight with the locking pin engaged properly will keep the rudder from banging around.
 
We saw a spam-can's rudder totally destroyed last year when it was tail to the wind without locks. Wind shifted and slammed it hard and $10,000 later plus five months, it was flying again. Storms happen. So for me, I want a secured rudder if leaving it out overnight.
 
For certified aircraft, the gust locks must be installed in such a way as to interfere with the pilot taking his/her seat.
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Then how do you account for the rudder lock lever @ the horizontal stab on most Cessna twins?
 
Sam Buchanan said:
Seat belt in the front seat works fine and you don't need a rudder gust lock for the RV-8, the tailwheel will keep the rudder secure (make sure the wheel is centered so it locks).
Click to expand...

I used to think this also until I had a friend have his rudder damaged, because the wind was strong enough to break the tailwheel loose. Even though the airplane was tied down well.
 
Okay, I just re-read P23.679. Of course this isn't binding (pun) on us. I don't suppose a flight control check would satisfy 23.679b, do you?

Sec. 23.679

Control system locks.

[If there is a device to lock the control system on the ground or water:
(a) There must be a means to--
(1) Give unmistakable warning to the pilot when the lock is engaged; or
(2) Automatically disengage the device when the pilot operates the primary flight controls in a normal manner.
(b) The device must be installed to limit the operation of the airplane so that, when the device is engaged, the pilot receives unmistakable warning at the start of takeoff.
(c) The device must have a means to preclude the possibility of it becoming inadvertently engaged in flight.]


Amdt. 23-45, Eff. 09/07/93
 
aerhed said:
Okay, I just re-read P23.679. Of course this isn't binding (pun) on us. I don't suppose a flight control check would satisfy 23.679b, do you?

Sec. 23.
...(b) The device must be installed to limit the operation of the airplane so that, when the device is engaged, the pilot receives unmistakable warning at the start of takeoff.
...
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And yet it seems like every year a pilot takes off with a seatbelt wrapped around the controls. Go figure.

Here is a horrific video of what can happen should you leave the control lock on.
 
Sam Buchanan said:
Seat belt in the front seat works fine and you don't need a rudder gust lock for the RV-8, the tailwheel will keep the rudder secure (make sure the wheel is centered so it locks).
Click to expand...

I have three bent rudders in my hangar that were removed from Team RV aircraft that were damaged by the tornado at Sun-n-Fun. All from RV-8s that relied on the tailwheel to keep the rudder secure. I now use the Air Gizmo control lock on the rudder. BTW, if you haven't ditched the corkscrew tie downs by now, you should.
 
ronschreck said:
I have three bent rudders in my hangar that were removed from Team RV aircraft that were damaged by the tornado at Sun-n-Fun. All from RV-8s that relied on the tailwheel to keep the rudder secure. I now use the Air Gizmo control lock on the rudder. BTW, if you haven't ditched the corkscrew tie downs by now, you should.
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Ah....yes, a tornado will indeed bend stuff........ :)

But for less extraordinary circumstances it seems the tailwheel will do a nice job of keeping the rudder from flapping in the breeze.
 
i dont ever get out and not lock the controls. also, cover up the handheld, ipod, zaon and garmin antenna from the hot florida sun. you never know, except in the hanger wise guys. tiedown into the wind if you expect a strong blow.
img1168rc.jpg
 
control locks

My partner (who is very clever) just made this for our RV7a. Strong, light and very easy to use. nothing outside the plane to forget or misplace.

fearheileyw


Very cool the way you just reverse it to stow it under the panel. We use the PVC pipe system for the rudder.
 
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.
 
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.:D
 
algrajek said:
Air Gizmos. Work Great!
Nordo
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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.
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Still looking for better ideas.
 
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Control lock for RV-3,4,8

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
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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!
 
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
 
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