REFLECTOR: Aileron control stick pound pull

[Andrew Ellzey]

Thanks for your reply Scott, I have tried everything that you have mentioned and I am glad to hear you say that it will get better with use. The only thing that I can see that would help at this point, is if the push pull cables were about 2 to 3 inches shorter the radius through the gear bulk head would be more gradual of a bend than it is now. Do the push pull cables ever need lubricating and if so what are you supposed to use. I would think that graphite powder would be better to use that the white grease as suggested in the manual. Has anyone given this a try or does the manufacturer of the cables have a suggestion on what to use? I would think that white grease would collect dust and dirt, and graphite shouldn't.

Thanks again,

Andy 



----- Original Message ----
From: Scott Baker <sbakr at comcast.net>
To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list <reflector at tvbf.org>
Sent: Saturday, January 3, 2009 7:05:11 AM
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Aileron control stick pound pull

Hello Andy,
Confirm the ailerons have freedom of movement with the cables disconnected. 
Make sure the foam core does not interefer with the 6' long aileron torque 
tube inside the wing.
The aileron push-pull cables will have more internal friction when they are 
new.  The tightness of the dust caps contributes to this.  The friction 
caused by the dust caps will become less over time.  When routing the 
push-pull cables, make as wide a bend as possible when turning the cables 
from the whale tale through the firewall.  Too tight of a radius will cause 
internal friction.
Note that stick force feel is different in the air than on the ground. 
Depending upon the tightness of the ailron trim spring, the ailerons can 
feel somewhat stiff on the ground - but feel great during flight.
My advise not to worry about the 2# aileron stick force for now.  Fly the 
aircraft and fine tune your determinations.  The aileron control motion of 
the stick should be smooth - no binding action.
Happy New Year!
Scott B.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Andrew Ellzey" <ajlz72756 at yahoo.com>
To: "Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list" <reflector at tvbf.org>
Cc: <scottb at velocityaircraft.com>
Sent: Friday, January 02, 2009 5:22 PM
Subject: REFLECTOR: Aileron control stick pound pull


I just completed rigging my aileron's and would like to know what pound pull 
should be expected on the control stick. Using a cheep fish scale for a pull 
gage I am getting about a 2lb pull needed for the first 1 inch of aileron 
travel and then a gradual increase to about 4lbs for full deflection. I have 
an XLRG with the cut down keel mod so my bell cranks are rigged accordingly 
(Velocity XL-5 Rigging). The 2lb pull is the best that I have been able to 
achieve and haven't lubed anything yet. It seems to me that the push pull 
cables should have been shorter to reduce the radius of the bend as it 
travels through the gear bulkheads. My push pull cables are 60 inches long. 
Was I supposed to receive shorter cables with the cut down keel mod? Is 
there anyone on the reflector with the -5 option that hasn't installed their 
push pull aileron cables that could measure their cables?

The manual calls for white grease under the rubber cups, has anyone found 
anything better? And yes, I reamed my rubber cups to reduce or completely 
eliminate any drag from the rubber wipers of the cups. I know that some say 
to completely remove the inboard cups, but if you do this the plastic guide 
that is under the cups doesn't stay in place without the cups to hold them.

I took the factory demo ride before I bought my kit in 2005, and I don't 
remember the aileron pull to be this stiff. What I remember was a very light 
touch needed to fly the factory XLRG.

Andy Ellzey
XLRG

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