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Locking a Cub

bbarker24

FRIEND
Anyone have tips or tricks to locking the doors or windows from the outside on a PA-18, or any cub for that matter? Right now I open the sliding window on the left and reach in to open the clamshell doors. I’d like to lock the sliding windows or the clamshell door/window on the right, but not sure if there are any options already out there?


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Locking any airplane like a cub just keeps the honest thieves out. Anybody with nefarious intentions will blow through anything else.
 
Buddy of mine dearly loved his Rockwell Commander 114. He had lavished all kinds of time and attention on it, making it cosmetically perfect, and modifying it to perfectly suit him. The interior was really nice, and he had just finished upgrading the avionics. Because he didn't want anyone to steal anything, he locked the plane up every time he parked it.

One morning he arrived to find someone had used a crowbar to pry open the locked door. They took about $5,000 of avionics, which would have been covered by insurance, and would have been easy to replace. But the crowbar damage to the cabin and door was substantial enough that it could not be repaired, and his insurance company wound up "totaling" his airplane.

Since hearing his story and thinking it through, I've never locked my airplane... I asked my insurance broker, and he agreed with me that they would rather pay to replace avionics than replace your airplane. He did strongly suggest removing everything of value from the plane before leaving it, though.

To me, locking a tube-and-fabric airplane is like locking a convertible... If they want something inside your plane, they're going to get it. The only question is, how much damage will they do in the process?
 
No point to it. Take out the 'good stuff' and find a parking spot with low potential of theft/vandalism.

Web
 
Get one of those little curved things that say, "Front toward enemy" and lay it on the seat with wires running to doors/window..........
 
My experimental has no locks, it'd be like locking your home's screen door, why bother?

I have left notes on my plane when landed in a place people don't expect to see a parked bird. One worry is that they call 911, thinking there is a problem. Theft, maybe, but a simple note handles both issues, one like this:

JAKE, I'LL BE BACK SOON, I'M NEARBY GETTING THE NEW SCOPE DIALED IN AND THE FIRING RANGE SET UP. WHEN YOU AND BUTCH GET HERE WE WILL SOON FIND OUT WHO IS THE BETTER SHOT, A FORMER RANGER, A MARINE SCOUT SNIPER OR A FORMER SEAL, HOPE YOU DIDN'T FORGET THE BEER! True story, it's worked every time I've used it.
 
Some cubs don’t have ignition keys, combined with an accessible cockpit doesn’t give the best feeling if it’s on a tie down at a destination airport. A little deterrence would be nice. I agree if someone wants to get in, they will get in.


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You can always put a secret enable switch for the master. Doesn't stop a determined thief but would stymy a knucklehead.
Some cubs don’t have ignition keys, combined with an accessible cockpit doesn’t give the best feeling if it’s on a tie down at a destination airport. A little deterrence would be nice. I agree if someone wants to get in, they will get in.


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Noticed that you didn't use former for the Marine.

My experimental has no locks, it'd be like locking your home's screen door, why bother?

I have left notes on my plane when landed in a place people don't expect to see a parked bird. One worry is that they call 911, thinking there is a problem. Theft, maybe, but a simple note handles both issues, one like this:

JAKE, I'LL BE BACK SOON, I'M NEARBY GETTING THE NEW SCOPE DIALED IN AND THE FIRING RANGE SET UP. WHEN YOU AND BUTCH GET HERE WE WILL SOON FIND OUT WHO IS THE BETTER SHOT, A FORMER RANGER, A MARINE SCOUT SNIPER OR A FORMER SEAL, HOPE YOU DIDN'T FORGET THE BEER! True story, it's worked every time I've used it.
 
Some cubs don’t have ignition keys, combined with an accessible cockpit doesn’t give the best feeling if it’s on a tie down at a destination airport. A little deterrence would be nice. I agree if someone wants to get in, they will get in.


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A cable prop lock is a easy deterrence for plane theft.
 
In my area, which does have covert ops training from time to time (I've seen Blackhawks, C-17's, young guys wearing military overalls but no identifying tags, and firing ranges with the targets multiple thousands of feet away) this note has a decent believeability factor! Our terrain is similar to Afghanistan, so goes the training theory.

My older brother is a former Marine scout sniper, (and still doesn't need glasses)and he could be visiting, so leave my plane alone! I also don't lock my house, not once, ever, just remote enough to not make much difference if someone wants in. These new tech video doorbell thingies have caught my eye though. Up at the Stibnite mine site this weekend upriver from Yellow Pine, numerous signs let you know they had video surveillance, who knows, maybe that's possible nowadays for your Cub. Maybe a placard stating so anyway?
 
I was going to say something about convertibles, but too late. Over 57 years, often stored outside at strange places, I have only lost a pair of original hubcaps and a set of tie down ropes. The rope thief was kind enough to leave one set, holding the Cub in light winds until I got there.

Only other thing I lost was a transponder that never came back, and a bicycle stolen out of the airport manager's office - after the airport was securely fenced for $15 million . . .
 
One spring we were working a moose capture project out of a remote Alaskan village. There was a Husky a Scout and a helicopter, parked overnight at the village strip.

I “locked” the Husky as was described above: close right side door/window, then reach through from the other side to latch the door. The Scout and helo both had key locked doors.

We came out one morning and the survival gear was missing from the Scout and helo. The Husky hadn’t been opened. The door locks on the other two aircraft had been jimmied, but fortunately not damaged.

I went to the VPSO’s house and explained to him what had happened. An hour later, four kids came to the airport with the survival gear, very contrite. They had a steel piece they’d used to pick the locks, but they hadn’t been able to figure out how to get into the Husky. Never occurred to them to come at it from the wrong side.

MTV
 
"I have left notes on my plane when landed in a place people don't expect to see a parked bird. One worry is that they call 911, thinking there is a problem. "

Had something similar happen to me. I was parked on Knik gravel bar in AK and took a hike with my dog. I had a for sale sign with my phone number in the window, and an ATV tour guide called the number, worried I was in trouble. At least he didn't call 911.
 
Always slightly crack the fuel caps when parked in foreign territory. The curious tend to close them all the way afterwards. Had it happen when locals climb over anything new in sight.

Gary
 
We had some vandalism at a seaplane base on the Hudson River. We set up a battery powered fence charger with alligator clips to the inboard chine. Never had any more problems!


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Oh, and don’t forget the Soviet republic of New Jersey requires not one, but two locks on all aircraft left for more than 24 hours! Go figure.


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If you want to lock up valuables, consider locking underseat storage under the back seat. The lock is obscured by the seat cover and most thieves won't think to look there.

Lock the plane with a prop lock - a relatively inexpensive plastic-coated cable lock. It won't stop dedicated thieves, but may discourage joy-riding, or at least encourage the joy-riders to steal a different airplane.
 
I also believe in the running theory of a bad guy will find a way to steal what he wants.

But, as accounts above also prove, your aircraft just needs to be slightly harder to access than anything near it.

Much like you and your friend outrunning the bear....


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Oh, and don’t forget the Soviet republic of New Jersey requires not one, but two locks on all aircraft left for more than 24 hours! Go figure.


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I park mine tied down in a hayfield in Freedom/Stillwater once a year for a few days.

Glenn
 
I park mine tied down in a hayfield in Freedom/Stillwater once a year for a few days.

Glenn

Glenn, you do know that NJ has a law that says you can’t take off from other than a NJDOT licensed airfield? I’ve recovered a lot of airplanes over the years that for whatever reason ended up landing off airport. In NJ, they ended up being “ stolen” but would mysteriously end up at an airport!


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Oh, and don’t forget the Soviet republic of New Jersey requires not one, but two locks on all aircraft left for more than 24 hours! Go figure.


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Does the law say what the 2nd lock needs to be attached to?
 
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