Where do you get them?:
Cleaveland Aircraft Tool
What do they cost?: $14.50 per pair or $25.00 for two pair + shipping
Cheers: clever; simple design; light weight; practically
indestructible; compact.
Jeers: Won't fit under RV pressure recovery wheel pants that
are set close to the ground; may require an assistant to help set the chocks
completely under the tires.
Don't you just hate it when you are at a fly-in breakfast and the
interloper who managed to sneak a spam can into the RV parking area cranks
up and blows your plane back a few feet following his full-throttle start
up? This was possible not only due to the pilot's lack of sense but also
because you forgot, or more likely, didn't want to bother with unpacking
wheel chocks and anchoring your plane.
Ralph Koger, of Koger Sunshade fame, is
producing a clever set of chocks that you can easily carry with you to avoid
damage from uncaring Cessna drivers. These rugged chocks are constructed of
high density plastic and cleverly designed so they will "nest" together in
your tool bag. You have your choice of black or white chocks so you can be
properly color coordinated once you arrive at a fly-in.
A couple of plastic snap pins are included so you can snap the chocks
together for storage (or for use with a tailwheel plane, see below). Ralph
also thoughtfully includes a pair of longer pins so you can nest two pairs
of chocks together.
The chocks are designed to allow the wheels to roll up on the chock to
resist having the chock skid on the pavement. This was a little difficult on
the smooth concrete in the hangar since I really needed another pair of
hands to rock the plane while I positioned the chocks. Here the chocks are
in place around the main gear of Bob Butler's RV-6A with the old style wheel
pants.
(Note: Ralph has informed me of his procedure for setting the
chocks under the tires; "The way I do it I place the chock in back of the
wheel and push on the leading edge of wing and kick the front chock with my
foot; works better that way." Sounds like a plan to me.)
When I attempted to place the chocks around the wheels of 399SB,
they wouldn't fit because I installed the pressure recovery pants on this
RV-6 as close to ground as practical for aerodynamic reasons. The only
option on my plane was to chock the tailwheel. I snapped a pair of chocks
together, turned them ninety degrees to what you see here, rolled the
tailwheel into the chocks, and turned the chocks back as shown. The nosegear
crowd should be able to get a pair to fit in a similar fashion around the
nosegear.
No doubt you will find other uses for the chocks, such as boat and
snowmobile trailers, and for use at the campground with your travel trailer.
The chocks are suited for use with full size tires and should last until you
either lose them or loan them out to an (ex) friend. As you can see, two
pairs of chocks store in a very compact space and weigh less than a pound.
The RV pilot should find these chocks suitable for use with his plane unless
the wheel pants are very low to the ground; I intend to carry a pair for
securing the tailwheel of my RV-6.
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