Re: REFLECTOR: canard bulkhead knees

[Alan Shaw <wingco@iu.net>]

Bob Ginsberg wrote:

> Well, here is a new question.
>
> About every 6 months or so I have to reglass the canard knees


This sounds like the most extreme case I have heard of.    Years ago I
re-did the knees in the old factory trainer with a different design.   It is
just a straight triangle with two layers of tri-axi on both sides of the
hypotenuse fanning out onto the bulkhead and belly.  The bottom back side of
the canard bulk head also got a large heavy lamination.   If they have had
to fix it since then I haven't heard.

It is very grubby job to grind out ALL the delaminated material.  If prep is
not done thoroughly the structure won't hold up.   The strut should be
angled forward 2 degrees at the bottom to prevent shimmy.   Tightening the
castle nut so it is hard to taxi may also be necessary depending on landing
technique.  The latter may also be an area for review.

I don't mean to blame this problem on your abilities.  The 173 without a 540
has the mains too far back which tends to put a lot of weight on the nose
wheel especially on landing.  With fixed gear it is not hard to rotate the
mains slightly forward.  Care has to be taken that when the pilot gets out
that the plane doesn't fall on it's tail so there is a limit to how far the
point of rotation can be moved.  At any rate this mod also shortens ground
roll on take off besides making the plane easyer and safer to land.

If you want to come to Melbourne again I'll fix your gear....hopefully
forgood.   We could also work on the strut rigging and  practice some
different landing techniques.

Alan Shaw

PS  It has been a little cool and windy but now spring is coming.   Our
hydrofoil water bike needs execize as do I.