We all know the importance of aircraft wheel chocks . They’re a necessary tool that ensures your parked airplane doesn’t roll away, especially on sloped aprons. However, most of us don’t think about them much otherwise, and you probably haven’t thought about the best aircraft wheel chocks yet, as they usually don’t fit in your flight bag either.
Usually, the airports we visit have some chocks laying on the side you can use. Even though that’s usually the case, if you do a lot of trips, you might one day find yourself without any means to safely secure your airplane on the ramp. It’s a good idea to be prepared and invest in some decent airplane wheel chocks.
And as you will read below, these don’t necessarily have to break the bank.
In this guide, we go over some of the things you should keep in mind when purchasing chocks, and list some of the best aircraft wheel chocks available today!
In a Hurry? See Our Top Picks Just click on any image below to see price, ratings and reviews on Amazon.
If you’re interested in learning what to look for when buying a (new) pair of airplane wheel chocks, make sure to read our buying guide below as well.
The Best Aircraft Wheel Chocks in 2023 1. Jade Premium Rubber Wheel Chocks While many wheel chocks come with a connecting rope is never quite long enough, the Jade Premium Rubber Wheel Chocks solve that problem by including a long connecting rope to fit around large tires!
These chocks are made from durable and robust rubber that is far stronger than plastic chocks. Long lasting, slip resistant, weather resistant and oil resistant, these chocks are built to put up with heavy usage.
These chocks measure 8.3” x 4.5” x 3.9”.
$31.97
$44.97
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Last update: 4 hours ago
2. Valup Heavy-Duty Wheel Chocks Weighing just 4.2lbs each, these chocks are easy to place and remove. Measuring 8.3” x 4.5” x 3.9”, they are large enough to provide solid support while being small enough to use comfortably. Clear red stripes also improve visibility.
Made from durable rubber, these solid chocks are robust, weather-resistant, oil-resistant, and much stronger than plastic versions. The non-slip rubber provides an added element of protection and ensures your vehicle will not roll away.
These chocks measure 8.3” x 4.5” x 3.9”.
$29.97
$39.97
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Last update: 4 hours ago
3. Tigerchocks AC201 Lightweight Commercial Aviation Wheel Chocks The Tigerchocks AC201 consists of two polyurethane chocks connected by a 24″-long nylon rope lanyard. The polyurethane chocks resist impacts, wear, and water and are yellow for visibility.
Curved surfaces allow the chocks to be placed flush to the wheel.
These chocks measure 5.5″ x 4.5″ x 2.75″.
$67.65
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4. LJR – Handy Aluminum Wheel Chocks Lightweight chocks with adjustable cords ensure a snug fit for a wide range of smaller aircraft.
These chocks measure 2″ x 2″ x 8″.
$45.01
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5. ROBLOCK Wheel Chocks Heavy-Duty Rubber Wheel Block Rubber Wheel Chocks use a connecting rope 30” in length, making the chocks perfect for larger vehicles and aircraft.
Made from durable rubber, these solid chocks are robust, weather-resistant and oil resistant. The non-slip rubber provides an added element of protection and ensures your vehicle will not roll away. When using wheel chocks for your vehicle or light aircraft is that they are more than capable of providing strong and safe support.
These chocks measure 4.1” x 7.8” x 3.9”.
$28.99
$35.10
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Last update: 3 hours ago
What are Wheel Chocks and Why do we use Them? Wheel chocks are used for safety and accident prevention .
Chocking, also known as blocking, is done to prevent trucks, trailers and other rolling vehicles from unintentionally moving. In automotive transport, chocks are used to prevent rolling or overturning, while workers are loading, unloading, hitching, unhitching or servicing the vehicle.
Unintentional movement can be a scary and dangerous situation, which could cause serious injury.
In general aviation, the chance of being rolled over by a parked aircraft that has started to roll are slim.. however, with planes being as expensive and valuable as they are, you wouldn’t want to see your precious little Cessna roll away and hitting a person, hangar or other ground traffic.
What to Look for in Aircraft Wheel Chocks? There are a few factors to consider when purchasing wheel chocks for your airplane.
The first one is size .
The height of your wheel chocks matters: make sure your wheel chock is at least ¼ the height of the aircraft’s wheels , which is a good rule of thumb to use. However, different models are better suited to various needs and you should take this into consideration before settling on one model or another.
Next, the used materials and quality is important to consider. Chocks will spend a lot of time in all kinds of weather, so the best aircraft wheel chocks are usually the best durable, as this is a major factor to consider.
Rubber, aluminum, and plastic are among the most common materials for wheel chocks.
Airplane wheel chocks are often made of either aluminum, plastic or rubber. They all offer different features; make sure you buy one that is durable, and provides enough friction with the ground. Most models usually have some sort of teeth and non-slip materials to increase friction.
Rubber models will probably not last as long as their steel counterparts, but they can have better traction in wet conditions.
Besides different sizes and materials, wheel chocks are available in a variety of shapes , with some curved to fit tires more tightly than others.
Source: Checkers-safety.com
How to Properly Position Aircraft Wheel Chocks Not only the type of wheen chocks is important, it’s also vital that you know how to position them properly . When ‘chocking’ an airplane or vehicle, always follow these simple rules to ensure maximum efficiency and safety:
Always ensure the chock is centered and squared with the tire. Position the chock snuggly against the tire tread. Always use wheel chocks in pairs. Wheel chocks must be positioned downhill and below the vehicle’s center of gravity. On a downhill grade, position the chocks in front of the front wheel(s). On an uphill grade, position the chocks behind the rear wheels. On a level grade, position the chocks on the front and back of a single wheel.
Conclusion Buying some decent aircraft wheel chocks is never a bad idea, especially as an aircraft owner. Compared to costly repairs in case your plane starts rolling away.. wheel chocks are a good investment, which certainly doesn’t have to break the bank . We hope you got some value out of this guide and our recommendations above.
To conclude this post, let’s again look at some of our top picks when it comes to the best aircraft wheel chocks:
Happy flying!
