Theft protection

Submitted by Anonymous on

Forums: 

From: Bill Gradwohl <Bill [at] YCC.COM>
Subject: Theft protection
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1998 16:23:37 -0600
To: <lancair.list [at] olsusa.com>

Content-Disposition: inline

X-Mailing-List: lancair.list [at] olsusa.com



          <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<--->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

          <<  Lancair Builders' Mail List  >>

          <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<--->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

>>

Has anyone done anything to add theft protection to their aircraft?



A) the whole plane

B) the avionics











Bill Gradwohl

IV-P Builder

N858B

Theft protection

Submitted by Anonymous on

From: <ReganRanch [at] aol.com>
Subject: Theft protection
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1998 09:47:38 EST
To: <lancair.list [at] olsusa.com>
Message Header


Undecoded Message

         <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<--->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

          <<  Lancair Builders' Mail List  >>

          <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<--->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

>>

In a message dated 98-11-19 00:08:30 EST, you write:



<< Has anyone done anything to add theft protection to their aircraft?

 

 A) the whole plane

 B) the avionics

 

 Bill Gradwohl >>



The IV-P is like a bank vault compared to most spam cans. The only

modification that I would recommend is to put a 1/8" phenolic brace at the

6:00 position of the lock barrel. The brace should be about .02" shy of

touching the rotating lock arm. During an attempted forced entry the brace

prevents the lock body and mounting plate from deflecting, thus preventing the

lock from failing.



My plane got the acid test when my hanger was broken into about 4 months ago.

The only damage was a slightly bent door handle and a tiny chip of paint where

a screwdriver was used to try to pry open the door.



As long as you remember to lock it, your bird will be safe



Brent

Theft Protection

Submitted by Anonymous on

From: Bill Gradwohl <Bill [at] YCC.COM>
Subject: Theft Protection
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1998 21:30:07 -0600
To: <lancair.list [at] olsusa.com>
Message Header


Undecoded Message

Content-Disposition: inline

X-Mailing-List: lancair.list [at] olsusa.com



          <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<--->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

          <<  Lancair Builders' Mail List  >>

          <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<--->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

>>

I hope to spend some time flying outside the US, and was wondering about theft

protection measures for when the plane is sitting in less than ideal

surroundings.  

 

What I had in mind was something to make the plane unuseable unless you knew the

"secret" to flying it.  Any lock can be picked, including the door and master

switch when the prize is worth enough.

 

My background forces me to come up with electrical ideas. I was hoping others

would come up with mechanical suggestions to cripple systems that aren't

obvious. i.e. hydraulic gadget to lock the brakes, canopy lock alteration to

prevent closing without a key, gadget to lock the nose wheel off center, etc.  

 

I had one idea which involves a minor electrical modification that is absolutely

safe when I fly the plane, but absolutely unsafe or totally uncooperative

(depending on wiring) when someone else attempts to move it under its own

power.

 

I took the idea from a "wrap plug" used in the computer industry and the valet

keys that some cars are equipped with.  

 

Wires always go between two points. My idea is to take several wires from

critical systems that go from various points (A to B, C to D, E to F, etc) and

run them with a slight modification as follows: A to y, y to z, z to B; C to w,

w to x, x to D, etc. Electrically this produces the same result as the original

wiring and therefore is absolutely safe.  

 

The "secret" to the scheme however involves the intermediate y, z; w, x; etc

connections. By using a multi pin MIL connector to hold these y,z; w,x; etc

points, one could create various wiring alterations simply by plugging in an

appropriately wired plug. One plug would have the correct wiring diagram. It is

my "key" to the electrical system in the plane. I put it in my pocket when I

leave it.

 

Another plug would be wired in such a way so that critical electrical systems

either didn't work, or worked to the detriment of the thief. One could easily

make sure that fuel transfer pumps were inoperative, the ELT was tripped when

the gear came up, or any number of other imaginative pranks to make stealing the

plane terribly difficult. Just leaving the MIL plug with no connector in it

would cripple critical systems (open circuit) and make the plane unfriendly to

steal.

 

In essence, it would be like rewiring the switches on the panel to perform

functions completely different than their markings would suggest. All it takes

is one or more MIL plugs, some wire, and some soldering time. I think it meets

the KISS test, and if someone wanted redundancy, it could be wired with two MIL

connectors in parallel where either would be enough to complete the circuits

under normal conditions.

 

My arrangement would be however I decided to wire it up, and someone else's

would be completely different. No two systems would be alike, so it would be

impossible (impractical) for someone to try to figure out how to hot wire the

plane.



Can someone come up with some mechanical gizmos?





Bill Gradwohl

IV-P Builder

N858B

Theft Protection

Submitted by Anonymous on

From: Marvin Kaye <marvkaye [at] olsusa.com>
Subject: Theft Protection
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1998 00:21:02 -0500
To: <lancair.list [at] olsusa.com>
Message Header


Undecoded Message

         <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<--->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

          <<  Lancair Builders' Mail List  >>

          <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<--->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

>>

Posted for "Curtis Krouse" <ckrouse [at] worldnet.att.net>:



Bill,



I've often thought that an keyless entry with a numerical pad that is being

used on some cars would be very benificial.  You could also install one in

line with your ignition switch.  That way no one could enter your cockpit

without knowing the code or start your engine ignition switch without

knowing the same code or different code.  Does that sound like something

that would work?  It works on autos, why not on airplanes?



Curtis Krouse N753K

Theft Protection

Submitted by Anonymous on

From: <ReganRanch [at] aol.com>
Subject: Theft Protection
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1998 10:59:18 EST
To: <lancair.list [at] olsusa.com>
Message Header


Undecoded Message

         <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<--->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

          <<  Lancair Builders' Mail List  >>

          <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<--->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

>>

In a message dated 98-11-20 00:36:16 EST, you write:



<< Can someone come up with some mechanical gizmos? >>



Why don't you just hide a switch to the starter solenoid and/or a valve for

the fuel. That way you can't forget it and it will prevent adding more of the

most failure prone devices in electrical systems, connectors. There are lots

of places to hide a switch in the cabin, gear wells or baggage compartment.



Another trick is to redirect the thief. Install a standard keyed ignition

switch (which are failure prone and have no place in an airplane) and wire it

so that turning it "on" disables the mags, starter etc. The actual mag and

start switches would be elsewhere. Time is a deterrent to theft. If you keep

the thief busy chasing a dead end, there will be a greater chance of him

getting caught in the act.



Side note: I flew to Las Vegas to attend COMDEX yesterday and for the first

time, other than at an airshow or flyin, parked next to another LIV-P (at

Signature Aviation). It was Jeff Sanders' bird and even with the cover on I

could still see the wild paint job. Jeff, you out there?



Regards

Brent

Theft Protection

Submitted by Anonymous on

From: Bill Gradwohl <Bill [at] YCC.COM>
Subject: Theft Protection
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 1998 11:39:06 -0600
To: <lancair.list [at] olsusa.com>
Message Header


Undecoded Message

Content-Disposition: inline

X-Mailing-List: lancair.list [at] olsusa.com



          <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<--->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

          <<  Lancair Builders' Mail List  >>

          <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<--->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

>>

The keyless entry devices don't pass the KISS test. They have been problematic on cars at ground altitudes temperatures and pressures. At aircraft altitude, battered by high winds, low pressure and low temperatures, I don't think they'd last more than a few flights, if that, if they are externally mounted.



Internally or externally mounted, I presume that a mechanical lock would still be present on the outside in case of malfunction or if the batteries in the remote sending unit died. That then does nothing for security, and simply becomes a convenience to unlock the door without the key adding the complications of a solenoid to the locking mechanism.



If the keyless entry device is to also function as an alarm with audible alerts, then its usefulness is again in question because we've all become deaf to those annoying noises over the years. Considering how often car alarms go off accidentally, hooking the ELT [LOJAC for aircraft:)] to the alarm signal probably wouldn't be a good idea.



Yes - I know the ELT isn't really LOJAC for aircraft, but ...



Has anyone put a key operated fuel cut off in line with the fuel system?  For those with header tanks, wouldn't there be enough gas available to take off and then run out of fuel if one were to forget to turn on the flow? For those without header tanks, what effect would the valve have on the engine driven fuel pump if the engine were cranked with the valve closed? Is there any chance of damaging seals or other components?



Bill Gradwohl

IV-P Builder

N858B

Theft Protection

Submitted by Anonymous on

From: John Cooper <heyduke [at] digital.net>
Subject: Theft Protection
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 1998 16:14:56 -0500
To: <lancair.list [at] olsusa.com>
Message Header


Undecoded Message

         <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<--->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

          <<  Lancair Builders' Mail List  >>

          <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<--->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

>>

Some quick thoughts:



1. For an aircraft such as my L-235 with a low-budget VFR only panel, the

priorities are different than for a L-IV with $60,000 in avionics

installed. In my case, I will not even be locking the canopy. I would much

prefer that any potential thief just go ahead and steal the $4,000 in

equipment in the plane than...say...take a crowbar to my canopy to break in.



2. For you high-dollar flyers, the solution is obvious. Connect a cheap GPS

to a cell phone via some voice-synthesis interface electronics. Whenever

you park the aircraft, tell the GPS you are "home", and that if it senses a

change in position of greater than 5 miles, it should call you on the

cell-phone and tell you where it is. A poor-man's LoJack...



(If any of you angels out there would like me to design such an device,

please let me know, since I will be out of work soon.)

Theft Protection

Submitted by Anonymous on

From: by way of Marvin Kaye <marvkaye [at] olsusa.com> <N295VV [at] aol.com>
Subject: Re: Theft Protection
Date: Sun, 22 Nov 1998 10:02:24 -0500
To: <lancair.list [at] olsusa.com>
Message Header


Undecoded Message

         <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<--->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

          <<  Lancair Builders' Mail List  >>

          <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<--->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

>>

From: N295vv [at] aol.com  (n295 v v @aol.com)



The cheapest and most efficient theft deterrent is a Prop Lock.  I have tried

several, and have settled on the $19.95 bicycle lock made by the same people

that make the steering wheel bar lock for cars.  It is available from lots of

stores, Wal Mart, included, I think.



It is bright red, slips nicely over the root of the prop, is case hardened,

and has a very satisfactory locking mechanism with a good key.  I was rather

amazed at how nicely it fits on the prop.  It would be impossible to remove

with tools generally available at airports.



For trips into Mexico and other drug countries, as well as the US border

areas, I use the Cobra Lock.  This lock is very heavy, wraps around the prop,

and would take a lot of ingenuity to defeat. In reality, it is probably no

more secure than the two-pound bicycle lock, but it LOOKS mean, and if you

have drug runners looking for a IV to run a thousand pounds of dope, you want

a mean-looking lock.



If you are travelling in Central American countries, try going to the security

chief at the airport and offering to pay for a couple of soldiers with guns

for 24 hour guard duty.  Twenty or forty bucks will buy you some sleep.  Be

sure to tip the guards themselves when you leave--they probably didn't see any

of the money.  Don't let the bribery bother you.  It really isn't much

different than an overnite tie down at some of our more innovative FBO's here

in the US!



David Jones

Theft Protection

Submitted by Anonymous on

From: <GBFitz [at] aol.com>
Subject: Theft Protection
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1998 02:25:03 EST
To: <lancair.list [at] olsusa.com>
Message Header


Undecoded Message

         <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<--->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

          <<  Lancair Builders' Mail List  >>

          <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<--->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

>>

Concentrate on disabling the engine starting system and/or the fuel delivery

system.  Start with the starting system, and put some secondary switch in

series with whatever circuit closes your starter relay (or put another relay

and controlling circuitry in series with your existing starter relay).  If

this isn't enough, you can do some things to disable the ingition systems and

fuel pumps, if your plane uses them.  Just make sure that anything that

interrupts the fuel or ignition systems gets (electrically) removed from the

system once your engine starts, to keep a failure in your theft prevention

system from causing an unplanned change to your flight plan.



Personally, I like the prop lock idea myself.  Another simple device is the

brake system locks sold in performance car catalogs.  It works kind of like a

parking brake, where you apply brake pressure and then lock the switch.  They

use barrel lock cylinders, so they're harder to pick than standard locks.

Although you'd need 2 of them to totally disable your plane, I would think

that 1 would prevent your plane from going very far, if distance around in a

circle doesn't count.





Gary