Control lock when tied down

[jmcd]

Hi,

Just wondering what the consensus is on the best way to secure the flight controls when tied down outside. I have a couple ideas but I am sure somebody here has a better idea.

Thanks,
Joe

[Kirk]

I have a tie down strap with a cam buckle and coated hooks large enough to fit over the horizontal part of the yoke. One hook on each side of the yoke, then loop the strap up around the 2 rudder pedals. Snug it down a bit. Not so hard that you are stressing anything and the yoke is pulled forward, deflecting the elevator down. Rudder is held neutral. Makes for a very secure control tie.

For more mild conditions I fabricated external locks for the ailerons using scraps of laminated flooring. A long, thin brass machine screw and wing nut with red streamer completed the job. Faster and easier than the above method. Really easier to just buy a decent set, but I do like to tinker and save money.

Kirk

[netconn]

Seatbelt around the yoke.

[Mog]

Seat belt on the yoke, my custom flap locks for the flaps. And nothing for the rudder as it seems to not flop that much anyways.

[andy]

I use a tie down strap that loops around both inner control yoke handles and under the brake pedals on both sides. I used to use the seat belt but it gets worn out quicker when it's used like that. The seat belt also doesn't hold the ailerons in neutral position. That exposes entry holes in the underside of the wings where the counterweights are located. Birds like to nest in the wing tips if they can get in through those holes. It took me several hours to remove bird nests with eggs from the wing tips once when I had the airplane tied down on the ramp for a couple of days. My hands were too big to get into the small openings so my wife had to do it.

[Mog]

That’s why I use my flap locks. They lock the flaps to the ailerons. So all the seatbelt does is holds the elevator in place while the flaps and ailerons effectively hold themselves in place.