tail plane

[Guest marbrody]

Hello

 

Mark from Armidale NSW

 

I have a 95-25 Ausflight drifter with a 582 and fly out of Armidale

 

I would like to draw peoples attention to a problem that i found with the drifter fitted with a trim tab.

 

If this effects you, then look at the cable that runs between the elevator and the tail plane itself..you will find that it is rubbing into the rear spar, where it threads through

 

Mine is a 1989 and I have put approx 673 hours on it since purchase in 2000 and found the rear spar cut one third of the way through.

 

I contacted Wayne fisher and he said he had never herd of it but checked out all the planes in his shed and got back to me saying all of them were effected including his relativley new experimental aerobatic drifter look alike. He is designing a quick fix for the problem

 

 

[Guest TOSGcentral]

Mark - top post mate!

 

Ian could I request that a copy of this is put in the 'incidents/accidents' thread please. Partly because of the quality of reporting and partly because it may encourage people to look a bit harder on their routine maintenance. Wayne is no slouch and if he had missed it then it underlines a few points does it not?

 

The RAAus Tech Manager should be informed immediately if that has already not been done.

 

Aye

 

Tony.

 

 

[greggf]

Wayne pointed this out to me a couple of weeks ago and, when I checked on my Drifter 912 I found the bowden cable has rubbed a slight groove. I covered the area under the cable with a teflon pad - only about 0.5 mm thick - to protect the tube from any further wear. Seems to be doing the trick.

 

Humble apologies for not thinking to mention it in this forum.

 

Gregg

 

 

[greggf]

I was also having some problems with tailplane "flutter". Just occasionally, at about 50 kts I would get some vibration from the tailplane. New wires, properly tensioned, really bothered me. Then Wayne suggested my windscreen extension was causing turbulence. Whipped off the extension and, voila! No more flutters. Smooth as!

 

It amazes me that the airflow, now matter how turbulent around the screen extension could get past the prop to cause drama with tha tail feathers. Still, it obviously did. Anyway, as I always wear a helmet with bubble visor these days, I have no need of the extension, so no loss. Might even pick up a knot.