REFLECTOR:AILERON CONTROL FORCE [text]

[Tom Martino]

Without the cables installed (behind the center keel) the stick flops
back and forth with virtually no resistance.

The ailerons move easily as well -- when the cables are not hooked up.

I believe the cables are the problem.  I have brand new Cablecraft
cables made -- supposedly high quality with low friction and efficient
in tight bends.

My cable routing is a gentle curve from the keel out to the wing root.

The auto pilot servo is hooked up with a push rod ... but doesn't seem
to add much resistance.

But when you add everything up ... it is stiff!  However, the movement
is smooth.

Thanks for all the tips. I will check each and every item again.

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Scott Baker [mailto:sbakr@comcast.net] 
Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 2004 5:47 PM
To: reflector@tvbf.org
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR:AILERON CONTROL FORCE [text]

Tom,
How do things feel with the aileron cables disconnected (at the back of
the
keel and inside the engine compartment)?  Does the stick flop back and
forth
without resistance?  How are the ailerons balanced?  Do they droop below
the
trailing edge of the wings and is their movement almost "frictionless"?
Do
the push-pull cables themselves move freely? In other words is the
control
resistance specific to the aileron cables - or are there other
contributing
causes?
Here are some things I would check:
1)  Make sure the hinges are lubricated (use Silicone lubricant on wings
that are painted - or a petroleum based lubricant if the aircraft is
still
in primer).
2)  The aileron torque tube movement inside of the wing is not
concentric.
The hole (cavity) inside the foam sometimes needs to be enlarged to keep
the
torque tube from rubbing against the foam when the ailerons are moving.
This is best inspected with the wings off of the aircraft.  With the
aileron
and aileron torque tube attached, look down the cavity (from the vantage
of
the wing root) and take a look-see if the tt is rubbing.  The aileron
torque
tube (inside the wing) has a union that features two bolts and nuts -
this
area of the tt is larger than the naked tubing and it sometimes rubs
against
the foam inside the wing.  Use a "ram rod" (broomstick) kind of device
with
sticky-back sand paper - and work on removing the foam where it is
required.
Make sure the foam doesn't interfere with the tt operation through it's
full
range of motion.
3)  Check the routing of the push-pull cables - making sure there are no
sharp bends as it travels from the keel through the firewall.  Too sharp
of
a bend will greatly increase the resistance in the cable movement.  You
may
need to re-route the cables to get a more gentle (more friction free)
approach.
4)  Are the control bearings inside of the keel aligned?  If not, you
will
feel resistance in the side-to-side movement of the stick.
5)  Make sure the rod ends are not binding on a) the keel aileron horn
and
b) the aileron tt horns coming out of the wing.  You may require a few
small
washers between the rod end and the aileron horn to keep things from
pinching.

Ronnie is correct, the cables will have some initial resistance when new
-
and become more free with time.  Still ... you need to feel comfortable
with
the aileron movement.  Reserve final judgment on this until after you
fly
and take note of the how the aircraft "feels".

Call us at the factory and we can help you brainstorm this further.
Best regards,
Scott B.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tom Martino" <tmartino@troubleshooter.com>
To: <reflector@www.tvbf.org>
Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 2004 2:35 PM
Subject: REFLECTOR:AILERON CONTROL FORCE


> Am I the only one experiencing this?  When I installed my wings and
airlerons, along with the associated control cables ... I could not
believe
the force it took to move them!
>
> I double-checked all the rigging and counter balance and am convinced
everything was done correctly.  I even went so far as having new
high-tech
cables built.  The results were the same.
>
> So my question to fellow builders/flyers ... is it just a Velocity
characteristic?  Are the ailerons "stiff".  Is it unrealistic to expect
them
to move like a regular plane?
>
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