Abstract: A control surface restraining system for variably restraining a control surface on a flight vehicle includes a passively triggered and manually movable control surface restraint for keeping the control surface aligned along a longitudinal axis of the flight vehicle, while allowing for temporary control surface rotation during handling and loading. The control surface restraining system allows the control surfaces to be manually rotated out of and back to the “zero position” (i.e., aligned along the longitudinal axis) for loading the flight vehicle with a common load strap, and thereafter maintained in the “zero position” until launch for proper control actuation system initialization. Upon launch, the control surface restraining system is passively actuated for releasing the control surface, requiring no active stimulus from the guidance section, power, or associated wiring, therefore saving critical space and volume within the tactical flight vehicle.

Abstract: A control surface restraining system for variably restraining a control surface on a flight vehicle includes a passively triggered and manually movable control surface restraint for keeping the control surface aligned along a longitudinal axis of the flight vehicle, while allowing for temporary control surface rotation during handling and loading. The control surface restraining system allows the control surfaces to be manually rotated out of and back to the “zero position” (i.e., aligned along the longitudinal axis) for loading the flight vehicle with a common load strap, and thereafter maintained in the “zero position” until launch for proper control actuation system initialization. Upon launch, the control surface restraining system is passively actuated for releasing the control surface, requiring no active stimulus from the guidance section, power, or associated wiring, therefore saving critical space and volume within the tactical flight vehicle.