Upcoming
Workshops
HANDS ON
HINTS FOR HOMEBUILDERS
GUST LOCK
Dec. 10-11 • Houston, TX
Composite Construction, Electrical Systems,
Fabric Covering, Gas Welding, Sheet
Metal, & What’s Involved in Kitbuilding
Jan. 7-8, 2012 • Griffin, GA
TIG Welding
Jan. 14-15, 2012 • Watsonville, CA
Repairman (LSA) Inspection – Airplane
Jan. 14-15, 2012 • Watsonville, CA
Van’s RV Assembly
Jan. 28-29, 2012 • Oshkosh, WI
Composite Construction, Electrical Systems,
Fabric Covering, Fundamentals of Aircraft
Building, Gas Welding, Sheet Metal,
& What’s Involved in Kitbuilding
Jan. 28 & 29, 2012 • Oshkosh, WI
Test Flying Your Project ( 1 day class,
offered Saturday and again Sunday)
Jan. 28-29, 2012 • Oshkosh, WI
Repairman (LSA) Inspection – Airplane
BY CHUCK BURTCH, EAA 10213; TECHNICAL COUNSELOR
THIS SIMPLE GUST LOCK can be made for a
minimum of money and perhaps save a
maximum in potential damage to control
hinges and linkages. The extreme can be
undetected damage and a compromised
aircraft taking to the sky. One good feature
of these locks is that they can be taken
along in flight for those cross-country
flights when you have to tie down outside.
The example here is for my Aeronca
Champ. It is made of five-ply 1/4-inch plywood by 5-inch diameter, a 1/4-inch hex
bolt threaded all the way by 2-1/2-inch
length, (two) 1/4-inch flat washers, a 1/4-
inch wing nut, a “remove before flight”
streamer, and some Styrofoam padding. Use
1/4-inch by 20 hardware and not aircraft.
Drill the 1/4-inch holes in the plywood
discs a little sloppy so the discs can con-
form to a taper-type control surface, say an
aileron. A smaller 3/16-inch bolt could be
used if you have a closer fit of the control to
the fixed structure. I have even seen sheet
metal locks on a very close fit. The padding
can be glued on with 3M Super 77 spray
adhesive or an equivalent. Assemble parts
as shown in the photo.
To see EAA’s collection of Hints for Homebuilders
videos visit www.SportAviation.org.
Feb. 11-12, 2012 • Chesapeake, VA
Composite Construction, Electrical
Systems, Fabric Covering, Gas Welding,
Fundamentals of Aircraft Building, Sheet
Metal, & What’s Involved in Kitbuilding
Feb. 25-26, 2012 • Orlando, FL
Composite Construction, Electrical Systems,
Fabric Covering, Sheet Metal, &
What’s Involved in Kitbuilding
See the complete list of all our workshops
at SportAir.org/workshops/index.html
SportAir.org
