Damaged keel tube

[skeptic36]

Hi all,

 

Sunday morning didn't start well, 5am start, drove the 220+ kms to the airfield where I am doing my training, 8am get the wing out and with the cfi holding my hand I start assembling it. All goes well until I put the hang-bolt in and tried to push the base back over the contol bar, a bit of resistance as the front wheel mounts the bar so push a little harder with no result. The cfi steps in at this point to investigate why it won't go any further, after a while he notices the plastic stopper on the back of the pylon has been rotated 180 degrees and is contacting the keel tube this has put a small dent in the tube consequently my recently aquired trike is grounded until a new keel tube is found. How the that stopper got turned around is beyond me given it takes a major effort to rotate it one handed and it couldn't have been like that when it was packed up. Anyway there is nothing to be gained worrying about that, so my next problem is to tarck down a new keel tube for a pegasus Q2 wing so if anybody knows of a new or second hand one available that would save me ordering one from England I would appreciate it.

 

Regards Bill

 

 

[Adrian Lewer]

absolutely glad you did not fly, shows great responsibility. hope you get a new tube soon and get back in the air.

 

 

[Guest Crezzi]

absolutely glad you did not fly, shows great responsibility. hope you get a new tube soon and get back in the air.

Ditto that !

 

Its not the first time this has happened - I heard of a few cases in the Uk also.

 

There was an AN a few years back for cracking on Quantum masts (monopoles) - you should be able to find it on the RAA website. Hence I would be tempted to get a new 1 rather than 2nd hand.

 

Cheers

 

John

 

 

[allowera]

I don't know about a keel, but there is a Quantum Wing advertised in 'Soaring'.

 

300 hrs Ph. 02 42943256.

 

( I haven't seen it but it would be in good knick. )

 

 

[Adrian Lewer]

how r u going with the keel tube bill ? hope you get flying soon...

 

 

[skeptic36]

Hi Adrian,

 

No joy yet, I have a bloke who thinks he may have one in the shed and although I have let it be known that I am quite keen to get something happening I haven't heard anything yet, I've sent e-mail to both the oz distributor and the manufacturer in the U.K but as yet have not had a response.

 

Thanks for your interest

 

Bill

 

 

[Adrian Lewer]

jee wizz what a pain, the trike will think you have abandoned her... keep us informed.

 

 

[skeptic36]

Hi all,

 

Having looked in every crevice and under every rock I couldn't find a keel anywhere in Oz so I spoke to a lovely girl with an English accent on the phone last night and she has promised to send me one out immediately after she debits my credit card the appropriate amount

 

Regards Bill

 

 

[eastmeg2]

Bill,

 

Sounds like your credit card may take a "Pound"-ing.:hittinghead:

 

 

Cheers,

 

Glen

 

 

[Adrian Lewer]

buggar atleast you know one is coming..

 

 

[Guest Crezzi]

Hi all,spoke to a lovely girl with an English accent ...

Regards Bill

Pegasus must have changed their spares dept - it used to be run by a right miserable b***** !

 

Cheers

 

John

 

 

[skeptic36]

Hi all

 

Just staggering from one disaster to the next over here.

 

My new keel pole arrived today after my credit card took the required pounding as Eastmeg so cleverly described the vacuum created in my account (for those interested it cost $369.55 for the tube and $227.45 freight ). The excitement didn't last long because the parcel was damaged far worse than the one it is replacing (see pic) so I refused to sign for it and the last I heard it was on the truck on its way back to Melbourne and then I suppose the U.K

 

 

The good news is having sent pictures and documentation over it sounds like that nice girl at P&M (att Crezzi ;)) is going to send out another one without waiting for the first one to get back there

 

Regards Bill

 

 

[Adrian Lewer]

bloody hell mate i really feel for you... i am in the t/port game and there are some real idiots out there...

 

(moderated - language - Ian)

 

 

[eastmeg2]

Bill,

 

You definitely did the right thing by not signing for it.

 

It seems nothing has changed in the freight industry over the past 20 years, still as heavy handed as ever.thumb_down

 

Hope the next one arrives unscathed . . . best of luck.

 

Cheers,

 

Glen

 

 

[skeptic36]

You wouldn't believe it - they tried to deliver the damaged one again today.

 

It must have got back to Melbourne and been sent back again

 

Regards Bill

 

 

[Guest rocketman]

Dumb question on the damage to your keel tube. How bad was the dent, and where was it located? Did the manufacturer say it had to be replaced, or could it be repaired?

 

 

[skeptic36]

Hi Rocketman,

 

The dent is hardly bad at all just a line across the tube about 30mm long and 2 or 3mm deep at the deepest point tapering out to nothing at the ends, it is approximately 200mm behind the roll bracket - hang bolt assembly. I didn't bother trying to get an opinion from the manufacturer as in my experience there is nothing to be gained for them to give it the o.k but plenty to lose if it goes awry so they will always err on the side of caution ( rightly so) and recommend tests be done or the part replaced, the testing would probably cost more than the part. As far as repairs, I guess you probably require testing as well, if it was a $10k part you might look at it.

 

One thing is for sure, it is not worth the risk to myself or my passenger for any amount of money.

 

Now if those transport operators could just get their act together there is some enjoyment waiting to be enjoyed.

 

Thanks for your interest

 

Regards Bill

 

 

[Guest rocketman]

Without photos to look at, my guess is that it is repairable (my opinion as a LAME). Provided there are no stress points behind the dent, it possibly could be done. First and foremost is to dress out the dent. To do that I think you could form a mandrel out of hardwood (just smaller than the internal ID of the tube), mount this on a piece of tube that you can insert up the keel tube and work it up the centre of the tube. Slowly work the dent out. Provided the tube is straight, you would then need to get the repair crack tested (dye penetrant would be satisfactory). If no cracks, put the tube back into service, but maintain a regular inspection on the area. I really don't think you would have an instant catestropohic failure, because the repair area is behind your main hang point. There is even an option after this is done to insert a piece of aluminium tubing up the keel tube and secure in place with epoxy.Talk it over with your level II maintainer. Maybe even approach the RAA technical people.

 

 

[Guest rocketman]

re the dye penetrant inspection, most GA workshops will have the stuff, and probably most good engineering suppliers. GA - general aviation - cessna and all them things.

 

 

[skeptic36]

Thanks again for your intrest Rocketman.

 

I guess the advantage would be to get the thing flying again quicker than waiting for the part to arrive from the U.K but I'm not sure there would be a lot in it financially.

 

Regards Bill

 

 

[eastmeg2]

Hi Bill,

 

I can't say for sure since I've not seen you're damaged keel tube, but if it was me I would not fly it with any dents in major structural components like the keel tube, leading edge spars, cross bars, down tubes and control bar. I just would not feel confident flying it in that condition, even with the dent straightened out - I don't believe in straightening aluminium as it's so prone to microscopic fatique stress damage when you do.

 

Regards,

 

Glen

 

 

[Guest rocketman]

had a thought on your keel tube. Have you approached Airborne for advice? They might be able to give you some guidance on what you could do.Neale.

 

 

[skeptic36]

Thanks Neale,

 

The new tube arrived yesterday in good condition, so all being well I hope to log a few hours this weekend.

 

Regards Bill

 

 

[eastmeg2]

Hi Neale,

 

I seen people approach Airborne for advice on other makes of trike in the past, and probably quite correctly from a legal liability perspective, Airborne declined to offer advice on other manufacturers trikes - in the instances that I have heard of.

 

Note: I do not represent Airborne in any way, shape or form. Although I am a repeat Airborne customer.

 

 

[skeptic36]

You wouldn't believe it they tried to deliver that same bent tube again today.

 

It must have went back to the U.K again this time judging by the time since their last attempt

 

Regards Bill