Folding wing tip and biased locking device

An aircraft wing comprising a fixed wing and a wing tip device at the tip thereof, wherein the wing tip device is configurable between:

• (i) a locked flight configuration for use during flight and (ii) a ground configuration for use during ground-based operations, in which ground configuration the wing tip device is moved away from the flight configuration such that the span of the aircraft wing is reduced, the aircraft wing comprising a locking mechanism for locking the folding wing tip device in the locked flight configuration, the locking mechanism comprising a locking hook associated with one of the folding wing tip device and the fixed wing, and a locking pin associated with the other of the folding wing tip device and the fixed wing, and a first spring biasing device at one end of the locking pin and a second spring biasing device at the opposite end of the locking pin, wherein in the locked configuration the locking hook is engaged with the locking pin and the first and second biasing devices springs act to preload the locking mechanism.

A method of locking a wing tip device into a locked flight configuration on an aircraft having a fixed wing and a wing tip device at the tip thereof, the aircraft wing comprising a locking mechanism for locking the folding wing tip device in the locked flight configuration, the locking mechanism comprising a locking hook associated with one of the folding wing tip device and the fixed wing, and a locking pin associated with the other of the folding wing tip device and the fixed wing, and a first spring biasing device at one end of the locking pin and a second spring biasing device at the opposite end of the locking pin, the method comprising the steps of:

• moving the wing tip device into the flight configuration and actuating the locking hook to engage with the locking pin, such that the first and second spring biasing devices act to preload the locking mechanism.