Need Picture of TruTrak Installation

[Runtoeat]

If someone has a CTSW with factory installed TruTrak A/P, I would appreciate it if they would be able to post a photo of their aileron servo installation. I'm not sure if my servo is located in the correct location. My A/P was worked on by a previous owner and it is not located in the center on the top of the floor tunnel, equal distance between the two verticle aileron control rods but is offset to the right side of the top of the tunnel surface. This requires the servo arm's threaded connector to be extended to reach the left control rod. I'm wondering if the servo should be located closer to the control rod? If I might get a couple of shots like those I've attached, it would appreciated.

[N89WD]

No help buddy, mine are mounted differently..

[Runtoeat]

Hi Mike. Do you have a CTSW with factory installed TruTrak? Although your system is mounted differently, does your servo motor look the same as mine with phenolic drum and aluminum arm or is it completely different?

[N89WD]

It looks the same, yes. Would take pix but both servos are at TT right now. Yes I have a SW. It is a factory installed AP.

[BMcCand - N248CT]

I have a field installed Trutrak ap. The servo is offset as is yours. I'm attaching pictures viewed from left and right side (but not facing fwd)

and pdf's of prints for installation. I can get back into the baggage area if you need a shot looking forward toward the servo.

 

 

Regards, Bill

KA7061230 ASSY_2.pdf

KL7061160ASSY.pdf

[Runtoeat]

Bill, I GREATLY appreciate your post which includes installation drawing and pictures. These allow me to determine that my servo was installed in the correct location but the aluminum arm that connects the servo to the aileron rod attachment is shorter than yours and requires my rod end to be screwed out much more than yours to connect to the aileron rod. It also shows that the cable anchoring pin on your system is at the bottom of the spool, well away from the alumunum arm where my pin is very close to the arm and actually interferes with the arm as the servo rotates the spool. My pin and cable dislodged from the spool the other day during a flight in turbulent weather and I think this was due to the improper pin location relative to the arm. I believe that the pin's close proximity to the arm allowed the pin to be pulled out during rapid aileron movements I had to make to control my airplane in turbulence. The AP was not engaged so the servo was being "back fed" during these control movements. This pushes the arm which in turn pulls the cable that connects to the spool. If the pin would have been in the correct location, further around the spool, the rapid movement would not have been a direct pull of the cable on theanchoring pin. The phenolic spool, cable and connector arm is an assembly that cannot be serviced. This assembly is set up with all parts properly spaced and the cable tensioned at TruTrak. My system is of an older design and appears to not have the anchor pin down at the bottom of the spool when the spool is at the center of the arm. The TT tech I spoke to indicates that the new assembly incorporates improvements from the old design. Hopefully the new assembly which I have ordered from TruTrak will end up looking like your system and provide trouble free service, once it is installed.

[FredG]

Dick,

I sent three photos to the email address you have filed with the forum. Good luck.

Fred

[Runtoeat]

Hi Fred. Thanks for sending the photos. This is a great forum.

 

 

 

[rookie]

Dick,

 

Sorry I didn't respond sooner, I've been traveling. My unit was field installed and looks exactly like yours, ie:extended rod end. I'll check out the cable anchoring pin now that I'm aware of the problem you had. Since our installations look identical I won't be surprised if I'll find the same problen,

 

al meyer

[Runtoeat]

Hi Al. No worries about responding. First a word of caution. The roll servo is a component that controls or affects one or more control surfaces of the CT. Any work carried out related to the servo must be done by a certified mechanic. My comments are non-technical and should not be considered to be technical statements. Based on my recent experience, I would suggest that you might refer to Bill McCandless' posted drawing of the servo and verify that the anchor pin is at the bottom of the wheel, or close to the bottom, when the servo is adjusted so that the wheel is at the center of the aluminum arm - this is indicated by the arrow with a "G" on the drawing. If this is not the case, there is an updated assembly which consists of the aluminum arm and fiber wheel which has the cable correctly tensioned and anchored by the TruTrak factory. Zack or Lucas can be contacted at TT if one has questions.

[rookie]

Dick,

 

That was a good heads up. I checked, my anchoring pin is in the correct position. Perhaps one of the times I sent my unit to TruTrak for repair or firmware update they replaced it with a newer assembly. Anyway now I know mine is correct.

 

On another subject; is your home base 43G or KYIP? The reason I ask is if I can work out a safe way to cross Lake Michigan I might drop in one day next summer. As I did last summer I hope to do one long x-country each week, weather permitting. KSUW to 43G is approx. 5 hrs. So far the shortest distance I've found to cross( shore to shore) is 54 & 56 nm. Based on Eric Swishers data I would need approx. 14,000 agl based on a 11.5/1 glide ratio. Cutting it close but might be possible.

 

al meyer

[S3flyer]

Al,

 

I'm not from that neck of the woods nor have I flown over Lake Michigan but it would appear to me that the route: KSUW->2P2->TVC->43G would only add only 20nm to a direct route and would keep you within 35nm of land. 9.5K would keep you in gliding distance going east. 8500' would give you a couple miles of 'auto rough' .

 

 

Going further north: TSUW->ISQ->SJX->43G yields only a max of a 20nm water leg for alitudes of 5500/6500 but increases the trip by 50nm.

 

 

Just my $0.02.

[Runtoeat]

Hi Al. Some thoughts on going over Lake Michigan. I flew over the lake coming back from Oshkosh in 2010. I traveled with my buddy in his CTLS. He is a many thousand hour pilot and is familiar with the "wet feet" calculations based on many trips made over water, including over the Atlantic ocean going to and from Europe. Lake Michigan is a big lake! It is also never warm, not even in August. We flew from Sheboygan on the Wisconsin side to the closest point on the Western Michigan shore. At 11,500', our plan was to turn back to Wisconsin if any problems came up before 20 minutes out and if we passed the 20 minute point, we would be able to glide to a landing somewhere near the Western shore of Michigan, should our engine quit. We had life preservers onboard and we filed our crossing with the FAA special crossing system "Lake Reporting Service". My attached picture may not show it too well but there is no land in sight, eventhough we are at 11,500'.

 

I would recommend that you do not include 43G airport in your plan. This airport is about 4 miles from my house and it is a very small airport with grass landing strip. The airport where I keep my plane is KYIP, Willow Run airport. The factory which built most of the B-24 bombers is located here still and the Yankee Air Force is here and flies their restored B-17, B-25 and C-47 aircraft. There is a full time tower and full time fire suppression station on the airport. There are hotels, shopping and resturants just off the airport. I would be happy to meet you and provide any transportation you may need.

 

Some alternatives to crossing Lake Michigan. How about flying along the Lake Superior shore thru the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and then cutting down thru the upper Lake Michigan and down the West coast (very scenic - especially the Traverse City area) and across Southern Michigan to Detroit? Or, how about coming down thru Illinois and asking for O'Hare ATC clearance to go past the Chicago waterfront (picture attached) and then down along the South end shore of Lake Michigan (not real scenic) and thru Southern Michigan (the Air Zoo air museum in Kalamazoo, Michigan is neat) into Detroit?

[207WF]

I have gone over Washington Island to North Manitou, or Schoolcraft to Beaver Island to Goodhart. Either route can be done at lower altitudes and glide to shore. WF

[rookie]

Hey Guys,

 

Great input; lot of of options. Now I can start working on all kinds different plans. One of the things I love about x-country is you get to enjoy it three times. Planning before you go, actually doing it and re-living it afterward. Even the times I planned on going to Page but didn't make it I still enjoyed the planning.

 

al,

[BMcCand - N248CT]

Hello again.

I'm posting the pitch servo drawing here too, in case someone has issues there.

Note that the floor should be reinforced where the 4 bolts go through, and bushing+washers used to prevent crushing.

There is a custom cover that velcros over the servo to prevent entanglements.

 

Dick, now that I know exactly what you were looking for, I can see my pictures were unclear, but the pdf is specific.

I would have needed to remove the plastic shield to prevent reflections.

 

BTW, over lake michigan - I went north and over the UP to avoid a long over-water flight from OSH to BOS. We didn't have life vests aboard.

 

Regards, Bill Mc.

DKA7061240ASSY_02APR08.pdf

[Runtoeat]

WF, the route you describe using the islands in North Lake Michigan to get to Oshkosh is another way to go. There's still a lot of water to go over and the water in the Straits of Mackinaw are very cold and fast moving. I may still keep a lot of altitude here too!

 

Bill Mc. That's a long flight from Boston to Oshkosh thru the Upper Pennisula of Michigan but it's an even longer drive! I think I might opt to go thru Southern Michigan and then up thru Illinois to Oshkosh. No water to go over and maybe close to the same distance as your Northern route? Back to the original subject of this thread - your attachment with the drawing of the roll servo was appreciated, thanks.

 

Actually, this thread has a lot of good info regarding travel. 50% of it might be best filed under "Trip Reports" category.

[Farmer]

We flew last year from OSH to RQB direct after departing Oskosh West runway and a right turn. There is a restricted area just south of that path, over the lake, that is inactive for the period just before, during and just after the show. I think that the route is about forty five miles from shore to shore. We crossed at 11,500. The CTLS, at 1320lbs was able to get to 11,500 by mid crossing. I think we were at risk for a couple of minutes. Just after mid way we started down. It seemed very comfortablle during CAVU weather. Here in Honolulu we spend a lost of time at 1000 feet and five miles offshore. Landings on runway 4 require crossing the reef runway, 8R at 500 feet and then dive for runway. Sometimes we are 500 feet above a C 5, or 747 that is rolloing directly below. The longest overwater leg I fly is about 82 miles. Most crossing of 26 to 35 miles and are are done at 3500 to 6500 feet. We put the vest on before we take off. Somewhere about 95% of our flight time is spent over water, much smoother that land in our gusty trade winds. Yes, we do think about it every time we fly.

 

Larry

[Runtoeat]

Larry, you undoubtedly have some of the most beautiful areas to fly over in Honolulu. When I see pictures posted by CT owners who fly in the mountains or near the sea, I am envious but this type of flying leaves very little margin for error and possibly no second chances if equipment fails.

 

I looked up KRQB. Interesting that I have flown in this area and have been in Big Rapids but have not noticed it. Great name - Roben Hood.