Control locks

[N2709P]

What is being done to secure the flight controls while parked outside? Tying the control wheel back with the seatbelt and lowering the flaps or some other type of control restraint?
Thanks!
N2709P

[Will K]

I use the seatbelt through the control yoke method. Works fine when I need it.

[Gilbert Pierce]

I have control lock that locks the rudder pedals and the stick. They have an almost identical one that locks the rudder pedals to the yoke
It is small and light weight
https://gustlock.com/default.asp
https://gustlock.com/product_info.asp

[Brian]

I bought one from this eBay seller which locks the Elevators & Ailerons effectively.
Its light weight to haul and clamps in place in a minute or so.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/27521422625...3ABFBM4Nuhzcti

For the rudder and flaps I like these that Spruce sells:

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catal...hoCNrAQAvD_BwE

[Steve Pierce]

A link to some made by a fellow Tri-Pacer owner here. https://www.shortwingpipers.org/foru...ck-for-Clipper

[andya]

My solution was to use some PVC pipe correct diameter, sliced down the middle
to fit between the instrument panel and the yoke, pick what ever length you want
to hold the elevator where you want it. May need to use fwd trim to hold the yoke
against the "spacer" to hold it in place. the ailerons just use a bungee cord of a good
length to keep yokes close to center. Has work fine here. The only thing I never
worked on was an easy way to keep the rudder from flapping.

[N2709P]

Pulled the trigger on a set of gust locks. These are made by a SWP member and are of excellent quality. We bought 5 locks. Two for the aileron/flap junction, one for each side of the elevator counter balance and one for the rudder. We considered tying down the controls with the seat belt, lowering the flaps and letting the interconnect system handle the rudder. I do not like that system as I have seen damage done to parts of the control system due to the leverage on the affected parts. Being a Florida resident and having spent part of my life as a younger man in Alaska, I have seen how mean Mother Nature can be. On the road, we always try to hangar the TriPacer if possible, but if the weather is bad, there is a lot of competition for the available hangar space so be prepared. I am going to research making a set of elevator locks that will hold the elevators in the down position like we had on the DC-3.
N2709P

[akflyer]

A chunk of 5/8" ply, a jig saw and a drill. Cut 2 8" discs per lock with a 1/4" hole in the center, glue some foam padding on one side of each and a wing nut on the bolt. Take a walk up and down just about any airport here and you will see multiple variations of this on just about every tube and fabric plane out there. Been using them 30+ years and have never had an issue in 40-65 mph winds.

Pretty much the same thing you just bought, but I have always used round ones, not squared off like those.

[CTJER]

Stabilizer close out. I made this from .125 laminated wood. Painted safety orange. Hard to miss during preflight, but may add a remove before flight streamer.

IMG_0065.jpeg IMG_0066.jpeg

[Pacer42Z]

Great idea, may I copy it?

Juergen
Pacer N3342Z