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Gust Lock

YellaDawg

Well Known Member
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Seems like I have seen where someone made a gust lock for the 14, any guidance. I did a search here but didn't get anything.
 
I have built my own using carbon fiber hiking poll and find it very effective and easy to use. It is only for the rudder and not aileron/elevator but that is the part that needs the most control during the wind. My elevator lock is from outside, again effective but it is on the outside of the plane.

I had antisplat gust lock for my RV7A which I gave it away, free, due to the cumbersome usage.
 
While there are a lot of options using pins and such on the rudder horn, I would not do that. Too many have failed when most needed - the rudder lever arm is just to big.

I have used this simple set up to secure the rudder on three RVs and recommend it. The only trick is to brush up on tying bowline knots for the knot that secures the end on the elevator hinge. You need a bowline there as you want to keep the knot outside of the hinge area.

The small piece of angle on the rudder trailing edge has rubber and a piece of foam as protection.

Other people use bungee cords instead of line. If you want to try that, keep the bungee cord a short and as tight as possible. I prefer the line.

Carl
BAAB1-BC4-F3-FE-46-A7-A42-A-FD9-FEBDEF224.jpg
 
I had an ASA gust lock originally, but it wouldn't fit on my sticks due to the palm swell on the Tosten Military sticks I use. I have a tie down ring on the tailwheel so I fabbed up a lock that just bolts through the tiedown ring. I just tie down to the stinger now as you would normally if you didn't have the ring.
It's simple, light and holds the rudder out a fair way to limit the bending load on the rudder. I just sling the seatbelt around the stick (its sits up on the palm swell) for providing the aileron/elevator lock. I figure an external lock on the rudder is fine given that you couldn't taxi to the runway without removing it.

Tom.
RV-7.


fast picture upload
 
Be Careful with gust locks

Check out the following NTSB Safety Bulletin:
SA-048 September 2015, revised December 2015
(Google it, thread link handling didn't seem to work)

I personally also know of two others in the USAF, one fatal in the O2, one in a C47 where they managed to use trim to get it around for a long long straight in approach.
When needed I use a bungee hooked on the rudder pedals and wrapped once around a stick. (RV4) If I am dumb enough to miss it, I can over power it.
 
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