REFLECTOR: Aileron self-centering

[Ronnie Brown]

I'm not sure you have a problem.

The 172 that I flew for 10 years didn't do a very good job of returning to
wings level if you turned the yoke loose while in a turn.  In fact, if you
were more than about 20-30 degrees banked, it would turn even steeper.
Called spiral stability - I'm not sure I understand why that is desirable in
a certified airplane.

The tendency for an airplane to return to wings level is dihedral effect.
The Velocity is supposed to be fairly good at trying to do this, although I
haven't really tested this on my 173 Elite RG.  You wouldn't think the Velo
would be as good as a C172, since the 172 is hanging under its wings - the
Velo has mid wings, and they go straight out.  I guess the swept wings
causes the dihedral effect.  I love the way mine flies, very stable for
cross country and IFR.  And it handles well at low speed, on final.  Just
lands fast like a canard.  Otherwise, GREAT airplane!

Having the ailerons set at 1/2" down while centered sounds scary.  That
would cause a pretty good pitch "down" effect.  Are you saying that your
ailerons go to faired straight neutral while in the air?  Sounds like
something is giving too much slop in your aileron control linkages?

My ailerons have one piece torque tubes - no connector near the aileron end.
I don't see the slop or give that some folks say they see with the "off
center" aluminum torque tube arrangement.  I can't see that it matters where
the torque tube is mounted in relationship to the hinge line.  As long as
the torque tube is attached in such a way that it points to the aileron bell
crank at the root of the wing, I don't understand the "wrap-up" that you
mention.

Ronnie






----- Original Message -----
From: "Lynn Gallup" <LGallup at mn.rr.com>
To: "Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list" <reflector at tvbf.org>
Sent: Monday, August 02, 2004 6:17 PM
Subject: REFLECTOR: Aileron self-centering


| Velo-people,
| A while back I started a thread called "aileron stiffness". This really
| related more to the degree of aileron self-centering following a turn than
| to stiffness per se.  On my airplane I thought the ailerons displayed
almost
| no self-centering in flight and I attributed this to stiffness or friction
| in the system.
|
| I noticed that on the ground the aileron control seemed fairly smooth and
| easy compared to in-flight so I decided to reject the "stiffness and
| friction" hypothesis and look elsewhere. I postulated that there might be
| some kind of "slack" or "wrap-up" in the system due, possibly, to bending
of
| the aileron torque tubes because they are not attached at the center of
| pivot of the ailerons. As an experiment, I adjusted the ailerons so they
had
| a half-inch of droop when centered. I felt this would torque-load the
system
| in flight and I should feel at least something different. I have now flown
| the airplane about ten hours this way and pretty much put it through it's
| paces. My feeling is that the change definitely helped but not enough.
|
| I believe the aileron droop idea is really a second-order fix, good enough
| for an experiment but not the primary factor so I really don't want to
| increase the droop;  I might break something - Like my head. So I am now
| thinking about two things (1) replacing the aluminum aileron torque tubes
| with steel and/or (2) installing universal joints where the tubes attach
to
| the ailerons.
|
| Have any of you had any experience with either of these ideas?
|
| Regards,
| Lynn
|
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