As I write this, our area is recovering from a storm that featured hurricane force gusts among its more exciting features. Wide-spread flooding and wind damage has been reported and our local chamber has asked me to pass on information for reporting damages.
I remember another storm a few years ago, when an aircraft on one of the tie-downs was damaged by high winds. The top picture shows what the rudder travel stop looked like afterwards. (That curved piece is supposed to be straight.) The lower picture shows a crack in the rudder's bottom rib. Having a gust lock helps prevent problems, but is not a guarantee that there won't be damage. It is important to check the structural integrity of your aircraft during your regular pre-flight walk arounds -- everyone knows that. After a windstorm, paying a little extra attention to the following areas is a good idea.
