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Simple, cheap and effective control locks.

Did you once fly a Learjet? Back in the day, we locked our ailerons and elevators with - - you guessed it. The seat belt.

Bill

I used to use the proper LJ control lock strap hooked over the top of a rudder pedal then secured to the control column.:)
I simply use the seat belt on my 8 and two pieces of wood with a bolt and wingnut for the rudder, too easy:)
 
These light weight control locks will fit into a small Crown Royal bag, and weigh less than a pound. The one with the red hook (from Steve Melton) is the aileron lock. The one with the two black dowels (now yellow) goes on the left elevator counter balance arm, held in place with a bungee. The other two pieces are the rudder lock. They go on either side of the rudder bottom hinge point and must be fit to your airplane for proper length, but when finished, hold the rudder tightly in trail.

If you have a counter balanced rudder, locking the counter balance arm is a better solution. If you have a non-counter-balanced rudder, this option may work for you.

You’ll probably have to spin these pics around to get a proper view. I know there is a fix to this IOS phenomenon, but I haven’t figured it out yet.


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Simplest gust lock ever. Just drop from above. Self-adhesive velour inside. Did not test on the field so far. Fits 7,9 and 14. I am 5'8" tall and I can place it onto 7a but 5' girl will definitely need some step stool.
 

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Simplest gust lock ever. Just drop from above. Self-adhesive velour inside. Did not test on the field so far. Fits 7,9 and 14. I am 5'8" tall and I can place it onto 7a but 5' girl will definitely need some step stool.

Very cool! Bring it next time you are in neighborhood I will test it for you. Couple days ago we had a winter storm with higher winds. Ripped the windsock off the frame. I was lucky the plane faced the wind :D
 

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Very cool! Bring it next time you are in neighborhood I will test it for you. Couple days ago we had a winter storm with higher winds. Ripped the windsock off the frame. I was lucky the plane faced the wind :D

wow, it looks as if it bent the pole also and there is some SNOW!
 
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I don't know why the pictures loaded up side ways. When looking at the pictures, tilting your head to the left helps.

Here's my super low tech, cheap, and light weight, (12ozs), approach to control locks. The ailerons are just pipe insulation wrapped in duct tape with orange ribbon embedded. They stick up well above the top of the wing making them visible. One pushed/wiggled down on both left and right ailerons do a super job holding the surfaces still.
The tail section was made from some left over aluminum scraps. Stick on padding on the inside protects the paint. The center is wrapped in duct tape with the ribbon also embedded. Rivited on the side is where I slip a 3/8th dowel rod to get it up into place. Cotter pin keeps the rod from going through and holding the ribbon secures it to the stick as it's raised and slipped down the split at the top of the stab. Just enough duct tape around the center to make the slip a snug fit.
The elevator are a couple pieces of wood with the stick on pads for surface protection. A center bungie type line for tension and the ribbon. Stretched and slipped into the left and right elevators, they are very snuggly held in place.
A piece of pipe insulation wrapped in the tape and ribbon attached slips over the pitot tube.
Only thing I don't have figured out is something for the static ports. Still scratching my head on that.
When packing them up, they end up about the size of a grapefruit and slip easily into my little bag.

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