G5 C172 Gust lock

luvflyin

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Luvflyin
A 172 I'm about to fly had G5's put in. There's a piece of tape over the gust lock hole that says "no gust lock" and there is a note in the plane saying don't use the gust lock lock because it hits the knob on the G5. The shoulder harness is wrapped around the yoke but that don't do nuthin because it's on inertia reels. The lap belts won't reach long enough to do it. It's one of those 3 point harness things with two shoulder harnesses. Seems a shame to not find a solution and leave the plane vulnerable to getting damaged if the wind gets howlin. If it was my plane I'd just get some 'rod' and bend something into shape that would work. Maybe the geometry of the yoke to the G5 won't allow that, I dunno. Anyway, has anyone seen a 172 with G5's that has a gust lock that works?
 
how hard could it be to bend the existing gust lock rod to make it work? Or, in a pinch, bend a coat hangar...
 
Wouldn't seem hard at all. I'll run that by the owner

And a lot cheaper than repairing a bent aileron and/or elevator, or damaged connecting rod. The seat belt thing generally isn't that good for the yoke either, over time.
 
What about one of these with a "remove before flight" streamer on it.
20 bucks.

3JCX4_AS01


https://m.grainger.com/mobile/product/3JCX5?cm_mmc=PPC:+Google+PLA&s_kwcid=AL!2966!3!166587749707!!!g!82129239117!&ef_id=WkK1ewAAAYQy3i7P:20180112185018:s&kwid=productads-adid^166587749707-device^m-plaid^82129239117-sku^3JCX5-adType^PLA


I wouldn't want my controls flopping in the wind, especially after I spent that kind of money kitting the plane out.
 
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The typical Cessna gustlock is one of those barely-adequate ideas. It still lets the ailerons and rudder move a little in the wind, and I regularly find control cables worn at fairleads and rub strips, and control surface hinges worn, even on low-time airplanes. Those kept in closed hangars don't suffer such wear. The gustlock does nothing for the rudder, either, and it can bang back and forth far enough to hit its stops, especially with old and soft steering bungees. The best solution is a set of external gustlocks; they stop all surface movement, saving hinges and cables.
 
Look around... Some factory Cessna gust lock slide over the yoke and some slide under the yoke. Under yoke type probably would not interfere with the G5 knob.
 
What kind of gust lock are you currently using?
If you get one like what’s shown below, there’s no reason why you couldn’t use it with G5’s.
C172_gust_lock.jpg
 
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