Expert Opinion
AIN Blog: Trouble With Gust Locks

It is way too soon to speculate about what might have caused the Gulfstream IV runway excursion crash at Hanscom Field in Bedford, Mass. on May 31, but the NTSB preliminary report’s focus on the gust lock system raises some questions.

First, are gust locks even necessary on a large business jet like a GIV? The answer is yes, because there is nothing to hold the flight control surfaces still if strong winds are blowing, especially if the airplane is parked with its empennage facing the oncoming wind. Larger airplanes with hydraulically actuated flight controls aren’t subject to gusty wind damage because the hydraulics lock the control surface into position once the engines are shut down. This is also the case for fly-by-wire flight controls.

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Matt Thurber
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