REFLECTOR: Rudder cable attch point

Terry Miles terrence_miles at hotmail.com
Fri Jan 18 11:10:07 CST 2008


Alex, John, Scott,

Thanks for the advice.  Turns out I do have the bushings not just a cable
clamp on the rudder end, and for ease of fix I am hoping I had what John was
nice enuf of advise, and that maybe my assembly is over torqued a bit.  I
hope to get to this today, but haven't yet.  And/or maybe a zip tie or
something can restrain the cable from flipping back.  Darrell-nice video!
Aree you seeing this on yours?  Can you manually grab the control surface
and move it full outboard and back without issue?

 

Alex, I have everything internal.  But I can unscrew the horn itself form
the bottom of the rudder and hopefully have enuf space to see what's what.

Terry

 

  _____  

From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On
Behalf Of Scott Baker
Sent: Thursday, January 17, 2008 7:44 PM
To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Rudder cable attch point

 

Terry,

 

What you describe is a common situation and one that has important safety
ramifications!

I recommend that you install the AN111 cable bushing, which allows the
rudder cable<>rudder horn connection to swivel, rather than bend.

The use of the AN111 cable bushing attachment does not guarantee the rudder
cable will not loop around the rudder horn, but it helps.

 

Important warning: Immediately prior to takeoff _always_ visually confirm
that both rudders are in their trailing position; and not deployed due to
the rudder cable looping itself over the rudder horn.  If a rudder cable is
wrapped around the rudder horn, it is virtually impossible to 'undo' the
situation to bring the rudder back to its normal trailing position during
flight.  If un-noticed and uncorrected, the aircraft will perform an
uncommanded turn towards the side of the deployed rudder.  Aileron
counteraction alone will probably not overcome the uncommanded turn caused
by the rudder.  The best way to regain directional control is to deploy the
other rudder (so now both rudders are deployed at the same time).  This
causes drag, but at least the aircraft is now controllable with ailerons.

 

To those who have not experienced  a rudder cable looping itself over the
rudder horn - it happens most often when the aircraft is parked pointing
downwind without rudder gust locks.

It can also happen during taxi operations or (for aircraft with the new toe
brake assembly) during runup if the rear of the aircraft is exposed to
strong winds.  If the wind is strong enought, it will overcome the rudder
return spring - deploy the rudder - sometimes causing the slack rudder cable
to wrap itself around the rudder horn.

 

SB

 

 

----- Original Message ----- 

From: Terry <mailto:terrence_miles at hotmail.com>  Miles 

To: 'Velocity Aircraft <mailto:reflector at tvbf.org>  Owners and Builders
list' 

Sent: Thursday, January 17, 2008 4:46 PM

Subject: REFLECTOR: Rudder cable attch point

 

XL-5

 

When I preflight my rudder, the rudder cable end flips over on it self at
the bell crank and then won't retract the control surface all the way back
because it's bent back on itself.  A tap with an inserted long screwdriver
is all that is needed to get it to rotate back the way it should. 

 

 I checked w/ the factory.  Solutions are replace what I have w/ an AN111
cable bushing.  They also said some have fixed this with a strategically
placed zip tie or the like to prevent this.  Even a gust of wind on the ramp
can do this to me.  I cannot see in there good enough to say more yet until
I pull the rudder off, but I thought I would check in advance.

 

Anybody have any experience with this?  

 

Regards,

Terry


  _____  


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