Re: Elevator Trim Tab

[David Brown <velcty@earthlink.net>]

At 04:14 PM 6/30/98 -0500, you wrote:
>Could some of you aero types tell me if this is a bad idea?
>
>Please see:
>www.awpi.com/michalk/pics/eletrim.gif
>
>I'm thinking about cutting out a small notch at the trailing
>edge of the elevator.  In this notch will be epoxied an elevator
>hinge.  The trailing edge of the hinge will have sort of a bellcrank
>that is attached via a lightweight rod to a servo that is also
>embedded in the elevator.
>
>I know I'll have to rebalance the elevators to make this work.
>What sort of flutter problems would one have if the linkage
>connecting had some lash?


I'm certainly no aero type...but I did know a guy who landed his Baron
after the connector to his elevator trim tab came off. He said that out of
nowhere his plane went into an immediate and practically uncontrollable
pitch axis "flutter". Thought the plane was going to come apart. Smart
thinking by him saved him. Immediate power off, gear down and uphill if he
could to lose speed. He limped home @90 knots and still had a few minor
"aftershocks" on the descent. He became a fan of Beech's tough construction
after that.

Dave Brown