RV-10 Retrofit Door Locking Kit Updated Product Release Information

The response to our new retrofit door locking kit has been very good. In response to some customer questions, I decided to start a new thread.

We have been asked to provide pictures of both the Red and Silver locking systems. Our website has also been updated to reflect this. We will maintain our introductory pricing of $329.95 on the kit through Oshkosh in the hope that we can get as many of these kits out and installed on aircraft prior to the show as possible.

Also, our kit is compatible with the 180 degree Plane Around latching system. This system doesn't require any modification to the internal mechanism of the aircraft. It is a simple replacement of the exterior handle with an integral locking mechanism.

As always, please contact us with any questions at [email protected].

Have a great week and happy building
Steve

RV 10 lock

Will you be at Oshkosh I like to pick one up when there

For anyone from out of the country that will be at Oshkosh and wants to purchase one of these, please send us an email at [email protected]

Steve

Sorry, I know everyone's thinking it based on the lack of responses, but those things are just plane ugly. They take the existing ugliness of the stock handle and expand on it. Not sure where you got your feedback from. You couldn't pay me to put those on my plane.
I like other products you have. You have a good idea with the locking mechanism, it's just not pretty.
My two cents. Just some constructive criticism and my opinion.

John,

Thanks for the constructive feedback! The good news is that you don't have to worry. We aren't offering to pay anyone to put these on their plane.

I am not sure which handles you ended up with, but most that I have seen utilize the stock Van's handles. These look a LOT nicer than the stock handles. And they are extremely easy to retrofit. Do they look as sleek as a flush door handle? Absolutely not. Are they a lot easier to install than a flush handle? Yes!!!! Do they risk damage to a painted aircraft to install? No!!! Do they require removing the internal door locking mechanism? No!!!

Are they leaps and bounds above the standard handle. Absolutely! They are designed for those builders/flyers who have the stock handle and want to upgrade it very easily to a nice looking locking handle.

Also, there are a lot of readers who don't post on here, and I can tell you that orders tell the true story. I am very happy with the initial response thus far.

Steve

Steve,

I also think may of us are wondering how the lock works. For us simple minded builders, there is the original plans door hardware and the separate lock cylinder. The question inquiring minds want to know is how the handle rotates with two door penetrations?

bob

rleffler said:

Steve,

I also think may of us are wondering how the lock works. For us simple minded builders, there is the original plans door hardware and the separate lock cylinder. The question inquiring minds want to know is how the handle rotates with two door penetrations?

bob

Click to expand...

Bob,

That's a good point, and I should probably go and take a video of the operation one of these days.

The elegance of this unit is in it's simplicity. The door handle replaces the stock unit. It is of the same design and function, except that there is a push lock the engages a receptacle. When the push lock is engaged, it prevents the handle from rotating which locks the aircraft.

When the key is inserted and turned, the lock retracts and the handle rotates normally. The receptacle that the lock engages replaces one of the countersunk door screws in the exact same location as the original screw, which allows you to make no changes whatsoever to the internal door rack mechanism. It also requires no setup changes if you are using the 180 degree rack.

Finally, the lock is set up in an offset fashion so that the door can not be inadvertently "locked" with occupants inside and the handle in the fully latched position.

I am attaching a link to the installation manual which has much more detailed pictures of how to install the lock. This will give a lot more insight into how it functions.

www.aircraftspecialty.com/PDF Documents/RV10 DOOR LOCK.pdf


Hope that helps
Steve

Just wondering, if keys are inside plane and someone 'inadvertently' locks doors by mistake or accidentally by pushing buttons, is this possible?

rvdave said:

Just wondering, if keys are inside plane and someone 'inadvertently' locks doors by mistake or accidentally by pushing buttons, is this possible?

Click to expand...

Dave,

Great question. It is very very unlikely.

Firstly, with the doors in the fully closed position, it is impossible to lock the doors from the outside. The lock is offset from the hole receptacle by approximately 10 degrees (a picture can be seen in the installation manual.) This is a safety feature designed into our locks so that if an emergency responder came to the airplane and pushed the wrong button, they could not inadvertently lock the aircraft. That is also why the handle has labels on it that labels which button locks it and which button opens the door.

In order to lock it, the normal button on the handle needs to be pushed, and it needs to be backed off 10 degrees or so before the locking mechanism can engage. This makes it a deliberate action to lock the aircraft.

The way we viewed it is this.... when the airplane is at home in our hangar it is not locked. And we include 4 separate keys for the door locks, so one set is with each set of aircraft keys, and the rest are in other safe locations.

When we go somewhere with the airplane, we would never leave our aircraft keys sitting in the airplane...so our keys would always be with us, even if we left the airplane unlocked. If someone was looking at the lock, they would have to deliberately push the button, rotate the handle aft, and then push the lock button. They would then have to go to the other side of the aircraft and do the same thing.

So I suppose it is possible, but I cant conceive of a likely scenario where my keys would be in the aircraft, and I would not be around it and someone would lock it.

Hope that answers your question
Steve

John
Well I guess every one is entitled to there own opinion. Personally I think your delivery was a little harsh.. Nuff said!

I just wanted to post a few more images. We finally got around to install the countersunk security screw in the RV-10 door handle on our aircraft. Attached is a close up shot of it. After installing the handle and making sure it operates to your liking, you can replace the standard stainless AN screw that we provide with this custom machined breakaway screw. It provides an added level of security in that it prevents removal of the handle with a screwdriver. More information is located in the installation manual.

Also, I have received several emails requesting pictures of the handle from a further distance to see what it looks like. I have attached an image of that also.

Thanks as always for your support.
Steve