Un-restrained Cessna rudders at Point Cook. Naughty, naughty.
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Same instructions both in the Cessna 152 and C172 POH.
C152. Page 8-8: Tie Down...Install a surface control lock over the fin and rudder.
C172 Same page - identical wording.
Cessna R172K...page 7-16...."In areas where high or gusty winds occur, a control surface lock should be installed over the vertical stabiliser and rudder.
Like policemen, CASA inspectors are never around when you want them...
C152. Page 8-8: Tie Down...Install a surface control lock over the fin and rudder.
C172 Same page - identical wording.
Cessna R172K...page 7-16...."In areas where high or gusty winds occur, a control surface lock should be installed over the vertical stabiliser and rudder.
Like policemen, CASA inspectors are never around when you want them...
Regardless of the semantics of "should" or "must" the end result is that unseen damage has been known to occur when control surface are permitted to flail unrestrained in strong winds. Examples were given in earlier posts. The fact also remains that complacency causes accidents and what on earth is this perceived insurmountable problem with taking the commonsense precaution of chocking the rudder of a light aircraft to avoid the risk of damage. The reasons given to restrain rudders and control surfaces are well known. The trend in recent posts is to find reasons why control surfaces should NOT be restrained.
If a student is seen to rapidly and viciously apply full control wheel and rudder movement hard against the stops during the pre-take off check of "Controls Full and Free movement" you can bet the instructor would say hold on a minute mate - why the bashing of the controls to full deflection like that - you could cause damage. And of course the instructor would be quite right. So what's the difference between a student abusing the controls - and a strong wind doing the same thing with the same potential risk of damage? That is why all surfaces should be restrained when the aircraft is parked especially if strong winds are possible.
If a student is seen to rapidly and viciously apply full control wheel and rudder movement hard against the stops during the pre-take off check of "Controls Full and Free movement" you can bet the instructor would say hold on a minute mate - why the bashing of the controls to full deflection like that - you could cause damage. And of course the instructor would be quite right. So what's the difference between a student abusing the controls - and a strong wind doing the same thing with the same potential risk of damage? That is why all surfaces should be restrained when the aircraft is parked especially if strong winds are possible.
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DC3 control chocks.
My first airline job was as a DC3 F/O. We installed aileron and rudder chocks in gusty conditions and when parked overnight. The rudder of the DC3 is huge with no damping or hydraulic assists. In strong winds it was difficult to control when turning during taxiing, and many a time at Essendon we used a rudder chock until lined up for takeoff. when it would be removed by an engineer. Later airline a/c have more sophisticated lock systems built in. When I retired I helped restore a DC3 and also built my own light a/c. I copied the DC3 chocks for my a/c as similar to most light a/c it does not have any built in system.
The Aileron and Rudder chocks are inserted on the control surface and prevent movement even on the control hinge. Therefore cables/ pullys/hinges/ stops etc cannot be damaged.
I thought, if it was good enough for MR Douglas it would be good enough for me. I always, even in the hangar, install the pitot/ static and tank vent covers as no one has told the bugs not to nest in these areas.
Then again it may be that I am just a little old fashioned. 25000 hrs.
The Aileron and Rudder chocks are inserted on the control surface and prevent movement even on the control hinge. Therefore cables/ pullys/hinges/ stops etc cannot be damaged.
I thought, if it was good enough for MR Douglas it would be good enough for me. I always, even in the hangar, install the pitot/ static and tank vent covers as no one has told the bugs not to nest in these areas.
Then again it may be that I am just a little old fashioned. 25000 hrs.
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Preflighting the 152 bout a week back I ducked into the cockpit to get something out of the seat pocket and noticed in the corner of my eye that the rudder had kinda shifted by itself already, cos I'd only had the rudder lock off about 1 minute mind you! There was a bit of wind blowing at the time so I guess that explains it...
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Naughty?
The old aeroplanes had rudders that were totally independent of any other systems, and would blow freely from stop to stop in a strong wind. They did get dmamged by wind, and had to have locks applied whenever they were unattended. Just like ailerons, elevators etc.
But the later model american built tricycle undercarriage aircraft often had the rudder coupled to the nosewheel when it was on the ground, and some had springs connecting the rudder to the aileron system.
So the rudders on many of these are, in fact restrained by the cables connecting them to the nosewheel(with springs). Often there is a disconnect system which disconnects the nosewheel from the rudder when the nosewheel oleo is fully extended, in flight.
Barons do have a mechanism for locking the rudder pedals, (which many pilots do not use) and, probably the best one is on the C402, which has a manually operated latch near the bottom of the rudder, which locks the rudder. If the pilot does not release it from the outside, he can do so by pulling the control wheel fully aft.
There are others, most of which lock the rudder from inside the cockpit, and are not visible from the outside.
Rudder damage caused by wind was common in the very old aircraft, and can occur on some of todays taildraggers etc which do not have rudders connected to anything except the pedals. I guess it's possible in late model tricycle aircraft, which do have rudders connected to the nosewheel,but I have not seen it happen in 40 years in aviation.
There is more to think about here. We have had a fatal crash in Australia,when a Baron pilot attempted a takeoff with controls locked. It can and does happen. Ed Hilary's wife was killed in a Pilatus Porter when a takeoff was attempted with control locks in place.
Think about the overall picture. And if you want to be sky police, get the facts right.
But the later model american built tricycle undercarriage aircraft often had the rudder coupled to the nosewheel when it was on the ground, and some had springs connecting the rudder to the aileron system.
So the rudders on many of these are, in fact restrained by the cables connecting them to the nosewheel(with springs). Often there is a disconnect system which disconnects the nosewheel from the rudder when the nosewheel oleo is fully extended, in flight.
Barons do have a mechanism for locking the rudder pedals, (which many pilots do not use) and, probably the best one is on the C402, which has a manually operated latch near the bottom of the rudder, which locks the rudder. If the pilot does not release it from the outside, he can do so by pulling the control wheel fully aft.
There are others, most of which lock the rudder from inside the cockpit, and are not visible from the outside.
Rudder damage caused by wind was common in the very old aircraft, and can occur on some of todays taildraggers etc which do not have rudders connected to anything except the pedals. I guess it's possible in late model tricycle aircraft, which do have rudders connected to the nosewheel,but I have not seen it happen in 40 years in aviation.
There is more to think about here. We have had a fatal crash in Australia,when a Baron pilot attempted a takeoff with controls locked. It can and does happen. Ed Hilary's wife was killed in a Pilatus Porter when a takeoff was attempted with control locks in place.
Think about the overall picture. And if you want to be sky police, get the facts right.
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Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: I prefer to remain north of a direct line BNE-ADL
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Regardless of the overall picture I have seen a rudder in a 182 trashed by winds because it wasnt locked, Im not infering what the picture is but I know what peeled and buckled aluminium looks like. Let's face it its relatively rare but if its parked facing the wrong direction with strong winds it doesnt matter how modern it is with nosewheel connected to rudder or whatver it can get damaged.
