Gust Lock?

[merrja]

Hi All,

I was curious about what most people used as a gust lock?  I use a rubber coated twist tie between my Johnson bar and yoke and wondered if there was anything better out there? 

Thanks,

Jim

[Hank]

I wrap a bungee cord between the two yokes. If a storm is expected, I'll use two bungees, and add another between the right seat bar and the right yoke column. When the tornado hit SnF, I had two bungees on each, with no discernible I'll effects afterwards. I'll have to rummage around in my camera for pics.

[Mooneymite]

Seat belt.

I pull one of the front seats forward far enough to loop the seat belt on the yoke.

Edited February 7, 2016 by Mooneymite

[merrja]

I'll post a pic of the twist ties I use.  It's one of the 28" you can get at Home Depot. Holds the yoke quote well, but not as easy as a Cessna lock that puts a pin through the yoke column, 

[neilpilot]

I've used seat belts, but only rarely if outside and weather is expected.  Usually in hanger.

I'd be reluctant to tie anything to Johnson bar

[carusoam]

Seat belt = free, because you have one already.  It also ties ailerons as well as the elevator to keep from flopping through extremes.

Bungee cord = $5, and looks like have put some thought into the solution.  Doesn't capture the elevator.

Bungee cords = enough to wrap-up the ailerons plus connect the elevator to the rudder pedals.

Parking into the wind when you can...

Parking in a hangar when you can't...

Tornado and hurricanes = Seek shelter, call insurance company to inform them of their plane's last known address...

fortunately Mooney control surfaces are much more stable in high winds than other planes.  Tying them down is good for them.  The rudder doesn't move much because it is strongly connected to the nose wheel.

High winds and hail takes the fun out of parking outdoors...

Merrja, I'm looking forward to the pic of what a twist tie is....

Best regards,

-a-

[M20F]

I use 

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/pages/ap/controllocks/wind-lock.php

[DonMuncy]

I designed and built my own.

[takair]

When outside I use a variation on the seatbelt method, I use both.  Keeps the ailerons level in the wind and the spring for the rudder coupling remains neutral.  Just slide both seats forward and loop the onside belt on the inboard side of the yoke.  I usually have the elevator trim so there is a just a little load on the belt, happens to coincide with where I left it for landing.

[bonal]

The problem with all these solutions is they lock the controls but don't prevent the forces that act on the control surfaces which then transit through all the hardware between the surface and the associated controls. I use the seatbelt if left outside but luckily I am hangarred at home. With my Cessna I had 2 long pieces of very stiff hose with a cut along their length which I would bridge the ailerons to the flaps to anchor them together. Worked very well 

[carusoam]

Some issues not discussed openly...

1) Constant wear of some of the control parts while being stored outside in a windy area...

2) Damage caused by 'violent' full deflection of the control surfaces hitting their stops.

3) Anything that can be forgotten connected to a control surface must allow for safe flight.  This is for anyone that has tried to taxi while tied firmly to the ground...

4) Some of the coolest devices come out of Don's hangar! 

Best regards,

-a-

[Hank]

1 hour ago, bonal said:

The problem with all these solutions is they lock the controls but don't prevent the forces that act on the control surfaces which then transit through all the hardware between the surface and the associated controls. I use the seatbelt if left outside but luckily I am hangarred at home. With my Cessna I had 2 long pieces of very stiff hose with a cut along their length which I would bridge the ailerons to the flaps to anchor them together. Worked very well 

Can't prevent the forces that act on the control surfaces unless you park indoors, and many places that I visit, this is not possible. So because I can't control the weather,  I mitigate its effect on my Mooney. I've watched planes parked on the ramps with no control locks, ailerons moving back and forth from stop to stop as the wind blew. No thank you!

[MyNameIsNobody]

I stretch a short bungee that I knotted shorter from one yoke to the other.  Takes 2 seconds, Hooks are coated so they don't damage yokes and the whole thing is cheap/light and small as stored in hat shelf.  Rudder and elevator are non-issues in a Mooney.

[bonal]

I also try to mitigate the effects of nature when forced outside for say an overnight stay. Always try to point into the wind and use the seatbelt to control yoke to prevent movement. My Cessna had the lock pin for the yoke what I was describing was using a long stiff hose with a slice along its length that you slide  part ways over the ailerons and part ways over the flaps since the flaps can't move this would help to stabilize the ailerons reducing the amount of forces that impact on the actuators 

[Piloto]

I just lay the front seats back forward to insert the headrest into the yokes. It works really well for pitch and roll.

José

[Andy95W]

Headrest? What's that?

 

[M20F]

The issue I see with using a seat belt is you put the ailerons to full deflection and then the wind pushes on them, can't think that is good.  I get zero deflection on my ailerons and they don't move when you go out and try to jiggle them (rock solid flush with the wing/flaps), I am guessing Don does as well with his home built device.  All for being a CB but really think it is a better deal to spend $80 on a real control lock or build something like Don did versus twisting the wheel  and running a seat belt through it.

[Bob - S50]

We use two bungees.  One we run from the right seat adjustment bar, around the left seat inboard horn of the yoke and back to the same bar.  The second one runs from the left seat bar, around the right seat yoke horn and back to the bar.  Does a pretty good job of locking the ailerons and elevator.

[Rustler]

This might be a little bit more trouble than tying seat belts to yokes, but I'll guarantee no control surface will ever move if you make these.

Take a small, phenol cutting board and cut it in half. Drill appropriate-sized holes in the middles for a long wing-nutted bolt, maybe 3". Glue some rubber tool-box liner to one side of each half. Slip the bolt through both pieces, with the rubber side to the middle. Now slip the bolt into the slot between the elevator and the horizontal stabilizer and tighten finger tight. Do the same with the aileron.

A little more trouble to apply, but no movement.

[Marauder]

This might be a little bit more trouble than tying seat belts to yokes, but I'll guarantee no control surface will ever move if you make these.

Take a small, phenol cutting board and cut it in half. Drill appropriate-sized holes in the middles for a long wing-nutted bolt, maybe 3". Glue some rubber tool-box liner to one side of each half. Slip the bolt through both pieces, with the rubber side to the middle. Now slip the bolt into the slot between the elevator and the horizontal stabilizer and tighten finger tight. Do the same with the aileron.

A little more trouble to apply, but no movement.

Now you got to show us some pictures. I would like to see how it sits on the plane.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[RLCarter]

On February 9, 2016 at 10:21 PM, M20F said:

The issue I see with using a seat belt is you put the ailerons to full deflection and then the wind pushes on them, can't think that is good.  

load would be less than when flying, if the wind gets stronger than that it's the insurances plane at that point so I'd doesn't matter 

[carusoam]

If you keep the hurricane wind speed below maneuvering speed...

either way, being out in a windstorm like that, a lot of things are going to be bumping by.  Make sure everything is tied down around you as far up wind as you can...

Best regards,

-a-

[ArtVandelay]

On February 9, 2016 at 10:21 PM, M20F said: The issue I see with using a seat belt is you put the ailerons to full deflection and then the wind pushes on them, can't think that is good.  

load would be less than when flying, if the wind gets stronger than that it's the insurances plane at that point so I'd doesn't matter 

Would it if the wind was from the aft direction, I don't normally fly backwards? I use the seat belt, but will try the seat back trick. I'm normally hangared so only need to do this occasionally.

[M20F]

8 hours ago, RLCarter said:

load would be less than when flying, if the wind gets stronger than that it's the insurances plane at that point so I'd doesn't matter 

Duration of the load I would think over time could have impact, in my mind it is a problem better solved by @$20 to make something yourself or $80 to buy a gust lock.  YMMV.

[carusoam]

Duration and our sheet metals and rivets are not as critical as load and yield. When the load on a metal part reaches a point the metal starts to stretch or bend, That is the yielding that has now made the metal piece unusable.

A control surface flopping in the wind experiences tremendous loads when they crash into the stops.  Like falling and hitting the ground.

a constant high wind blowing accross control surfaces would be a concern.  Wind swirling around coming and going in gusty blasts is detrimental.

Mooneys tend to stay on the ground and don't flip over like the high wing Cs.  

The other guys:

When the high wing breaks a wing tie-down, it drives the opposite wingtip into the ground.  If there is no tail tie down the wind can lift the tail and drop the plane on its nose.

Along with a good control lock as discussed here.... Always use good tie down ropes.  UV light is tough on rope and polymer straps over time...

Best regards,

-a-