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PIREP on AIRGIZMOS gust locks

scsmith

Well Known Member
I've had an Airgizmos gust lock for about, oh I don't remember exactly, maybe 5 or 6 years. During that time, it has gotten used very rarely. I don't park out on a ramp very often, just when I am visiting somewhere. And of those times, I confess I often don't put the gust lock on. I know that is at my peril, and I'm now pretty consistent about it.

Still, I bet that gust lock has been out in the sun for a total of less than 30 days.

The red webbing that holds the two pieces together has completely disintegrated. I don't know what the material is that they use, but it is not nylon webbing. Maybe polypropylene. Yes, Nylon deteriorates in the sun too, but no where near as fast as this webbing has.

The Airgizmos gust lock is a very nice design. But poor materials choice has made it become non-functional very quickly. Perhaps in the intervening time between when I bought mine and their current production, they have changed materials? I don't know.
 
New straps are only $5.00 from Airgizmos. At 6 years old that is less than $1.00/year.... Compared to the cost of repair from a gust, that seems like a pretty good deal! ;-)

-Marc
 
I used one on our Britten Norman Islander that lived on a ramp on a small island in the NW Caribbean. The red webbing didn't last at all. On top of that the flip down hold down fixture they use to keep the webbing in place does not hold down tight enough to keep the gust lock in place. What we did was replace the red webbing that came with the gust lock with a real webbing , 1" wide, and tied a knot in the new webbing at the hold down point to keep it from creeping. In heavy winds the unit was useless until we started using the newer webbing with the knot. And on occasion we would come to check the airplane after a frontal passage and would find the gust lock not in its proper place. Moved by the wind, an indication that the control surfaces had been moving. We only used them for the ailerons. In the course of nine years we replaced the units numerous times because the plastic would become brittle and break. Not just crack, but break.
 
My brother and I have been quite happy with the Anti splat "Ultimate Gust Lock". It's expensive, but locks all three controls from the cockpit...
 
A couple of years ago I spoke to the AirGizmos guys at OSH. I complained about the deteriorating webbing issue, and also the plastic locking thingy didn't hold the webbing in place properly. They had me bring the gust locks to his booth and replaced both webbing and the plastic thingy with a slightly redesigned locking mechanism, gratis. All is well since then. They are much easier to install and hold tighter. Give them a call they might just replace yours too, or better yet, bring them to OSH :)

Lenny
 
Kyle I used this type of furniture pads as aileron locks. Drilled two holes in a pair and zipped together with tiewrap.

Makes sense. I read your original post as indicating that system could secure the control systems for rudder, ailerons, and elevator. I couldn't make that work in my mind...
 
New straps are only $5.00 from Airgizmos. At 6 years old that is less than $1.00/year.... Compared to the cost of repair from a gust, that seems like a pretty good deal! ;-)

-Marc

If they were used every weekend, they wouldn't have lasted 6 months! I'm not paying $5 for such c#*p.

I've written Airgizmos to see if they have changed the material. Otherwise, I'll just make my own nylon webbing straps.
 
Rudder lock

A piece of aluminum angle, some foam padding and some white line.

The line goes through the elevator leading edge cutout for the journal bearings, back down and tied with a Bowline knot. The elevators and ailerons get secured with the pilot seat belt around the stick.


This has keep the rudder locked and secured in all types of weather.

Carl

Rudder_lock.jpg
 
Air gizmo

Contact the company, they replaced a 8 year old 496 panel mount for me for free when the locking tab broke.
Excellent company.
Dave
 
Airgizmos

Airgizmo gust locks:
I also had that problem a number of years ago. I bought them in approximately 2009. I talked to them at KOSH about it several years later when I had the problem. They told me that they had changed the material used to make the webbing and replaced mine at no charge. They have been good since. Wish I had exact dates.
 
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I bought a set of these a few months ago and like others am not impressed. I can't vouch for the webbing one way or the other, but the way they "lock" is loose and unreliable. I may try to replace the webbing and lock or just build my own. They have a good idea, but poorly executed IMO.
 
Ultimate Gust Lock

Best money I ever spent. One item locks all controls in all directions before you get out of the plane.

From Antisplataero.com

check it out.
 
A couple of years ago I spoke to the AirGizmos guys at OSH. I complained about the deteriorating webbing issue, and also the plastic locking thingy didn't hold the webbing in place properly. They had me bring the gust locks to his booth and replaced both webbing and the plastic thingy with a slightly redesigned locking mechanism, gratis. All is well since then. They are much easier to install and hold tighter. Give them a call they might just replace yours too, or better yet, bring them to OSH :)

Lenny

I did the same. btw, one of the principals of the company is a RV-10 builder. I haven't talked to them in a couple years, so I don't know if it's flying yet.
 
I emailed the Airgizmos guys and they just sent me the overhaul kit for the gust lock. It includes new webbing and a new cam lock.

Stand-up guys! I really appreciate it.

They mentioned that old webbing was the same material, but did not get a specified UV protective treatment. Hope this one holds up better.
 
The problem I had with the Airgizmo control locks is that they didn?t work. I could pull them apart, after being locked down, with my hands and I?m not that strong. When I put them on my airplane, I could just wiggle the trailing edge of the elevator and they would loosen right up without much force or effort. I returned them to ACS where I bought them for a refund at OSH this year. I made my own locks, like I did on my first two airplanes and they work great.

On a windy gusty day your control surfaces are going to try to flap around a lot. The Airgizmo locks didn?t hold mine at all.
 
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