REFLECTOR: FINALLY SOME TRUE DATA -- NOW WHAT

[Scott Derrick]

Tom,

You have figured it out. Your winglet/rudders are out of rig.

Of course the ball is centered on the ground when taxing straight, thats 
what it is telling you, your taxing straight down the runway. Its not 
until your wheels leave the ground that your flying surfaces(wings, 
winglets, rudders, etc)  take over that function. 

You need to shim the rudder your stepping on outboard to center the 
ball.  You can shim the other rudder in but not past the trailing edge 
of the winglet. NEVER NEVER shim a rudder inboard of the winglet 
trailing edge line!  Dragons live there.

Once you have the ball centered with rudder shims you can check your 
wing incidence by how straight(no wing drop) she flys hands off.  If you 
have to rotate a wing by inserting washers in between the spars on the 
wing attach bolts you may need to re shim a rudder to compensate.

Scott

Tom Martino wrote:

>Ok ... if I let my plane fly the way it wants, with wings level ... the
>"ball" is way off to the left (on the ground it is neutral) and the left
>wing wants to bank ... making a slight turn to the right.
>
> 
>
>To get the nose perfectly straight it requires a LOT of left rudder.
>Then the plane flees without any turning or banking tendencies.
>
>
>
>I don't think any vertical surfaces (winglets or rudders) are out of rig
>because at high speed ground roll (landing and taking off) the plane
>tracks perfectly.  It is only when lift is developed that the "ball out
>of center" phenomenon starts.
>
> 
>
>The trim tab did not help much and was removed.
>
> 
>
>I believe I need to decrease the angle of attack on my left wing to
>correct the problem.
>
> 
>
>When I checked incidence ... they were right on.
>
> 
>
>By the way ... does "P" factor cause some of this problem?  If the left
>side of my prop (as viewed from behind) develop more thrust ... wouldn't
>that cause the plane to fly off to the right?
>
> 
>
>I examined my engine mount and it is not canted to cancel out the "P"
>factor.  
>
> 
>
>Any thoughts?
>
>  
>
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