FlyingMonkey Posted November 17, 2014 Report Share Posted November 17, 2014 Hey all... I noticed yesterday that my flaperon deflection when the flaps are down is not equal, the right side flaperon hangs over an inch lower than the left, measured from the same point on outside edge of the flaperon vs. the bottom of inside part of the wingtip where the flaperon meets the tip. How can I confirm that is is really a mis-rigged condition and go about having it fixed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anticept Posted November 18, 2014 Report Share Posted November 18, 2014 Hey all... I noticed yesterday that my flaperon deflection when the flaps are down is not equal, the right side flaperon hangs over an inch lower than the left, measured from the same point on outside edge of the flaperon vs. the bottom of inside part of the wingtip where the flaperon meets the tip. How can I confirm that is is really a mis-rigged condition and go about having it fixed? Maintenance manual! Page 4-33 through 4-47 is all about ailerons! There are linkages just aft of the pod and forward of the BRS that set the flaperon deflection. That's where I would look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runtoeat Posted November 18, 2014 Report Share Posted November 18, 2014 Hi Andy. Page 4-53 in the FD CTSW manual shows flap installation and adjustment. I see that it gives an allowed "play" between the flaps but I didn't see an allowed variance dimension. Based on what the manual says it allows for mismatch between the two flaps due to "play", I've got a strong suspicion that the 1" difference you have measured indicates that your flaps might require a little adjusting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMonkey Posted November 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2014 Maintenance manual! Page 4-33 through 4-47 is all about ailerons! There are linkages just aft of the pod and forward of the BRS that set the flaperon deflection. That's where I would look. I don't think setting flaperon rigging is something an owner can do. I read the ringing parts of the manual, but I will have to have my A&P make the adjustments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anticept Posted November 18, 2014 Report Share Posted November 18, 2014 I don't think setting flaperon rigging is something an owner can do. I read the ringing parts of the manual, but I will have to have my A&P make the adjustments. An owner can do measurements though as long as you do no disassembly. You did ask how can you confirm if it's misrigged Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMonkey Posted November 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2014 An owner can do measurements though as long as you do no disassembly. You did ask how can you confirm if it's misrigged That's true. The maintenance manual says there is a aileron rigging template in the appendices, but the only template I found there was for measuring trim tab deflection. Does anybody know where I can find the aileron deflection template so I can confirm the rigging? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Baker Posted November 18, 2014 Report Share Posted November 18, 2014 Does the airplane fly OK? Does the airplane handle OK with flaps deployed? Were the ailerons even before you lowered the flaps? Can you make them even by moving the control stick? Could it be the design of the trim system pulls the ailerons to one side when flaps are deployed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Baker Posted November 18, 2014 Report Share Posted November 18, 2014 At the back of the MM they have an adjustment report with all of the angles and measurements for each control surface. For the ailerons they should be even with the flaps at -6°. They should have the deflection prescribed in the chart. Flaps have their limits. They don't have any figures for ailerons with flaps down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMonkey Posted November 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2014 Does the airplane fly OK? Does the airplane handle OK with flaps deployed? Were the ailerons even before you lowered the flaps? Can you make them even by moving the control stick? Could it be the design of the trim system pulls the ailerons to one side when flaps are deployed? I didn't have enough time to check the whole system, I need to do that. I'll report what I find when I have some time to do that. The airplane seems to fly pretty well. But to fly straight, both the rudder trim and aileron trim are set with the indicator to the left of center. Not sure if that means anything, that could just be a maladjustment in one or both of the trim indicators, but that is where it flies straight and coordinated. Also, I have always had trouble landing with 40° flaps, the airplane usually seems to go left and put me left off centerline in the flare. It could just be a problem with my technique, but I don't have this problem at any other flap setting, including 30°. I let a friend land it at 40° and he had the same problem. If the flaperons are drooping unequally, they have the most droop at the 40° setting, and that might just be enough to cause directional difficulty that isn't significant at lower settings. I will need to check all the deflections and angles to know for sure what, if anything, is not right in the rigging. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMonkey Posted November 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2014 At the back of the MM they have an adjustment report with all of the angles and measurements for each control surface. For the ailerons they should be even with the flaps at -6°. They should have the deflection prescribed in the chart. Flaps have their limits. They don't have any figures for ailerons with flaps down. Thanks Tom, I will look over that chart and measure against them when I get a chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Baker Posted November 18, 2014 Report Share Posted November 18, 2014 I didn't have enough time to check the whole system, I need to do that. I'll report what I find when I have some time to do that. The airplane seems to fly pretty well. But to fly straight, both the rudder trim and aileron trim are set with the indicator to the left of center. Not sure if that means anything, that could just be a maladjustment in one or both of the trim indicators, but that is where it flies straight and coordinated. Also, I have always had trouble landing with 40° flaps, the airplane usually seems to go left and put me left off centerline in the flare. It could just be a problem with my technique, but I don't have this problem at any other flap setting, including 30°. I let a friend land it at 40° and he had the same problem. If the flaperons are drooping unequally, they have the most droop at the 40° setting, and that might just be enough to cause directional difficulty that isn't significant at lower settings. I will need to check all the deflections and angles to know for sure what, if anything, is not right in the rigging. The trim indicators don't really mean anything, they are just a reference. You can loosen the them and slide them to center if you want. As for the pulling to the left. If I have a student say that the airplane is doing this or that I tell the to complain to the pilot, because he is the one making the airplane do what it does. In your original post you said the right aileron was drooping more than the left. With the adverse yaw that the CT displays especially at slow speed I would expect the airplane to go right instead of left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runtoeat Posted November 18, 2014 Report Share Posted November 18, 2014 Hi Andy. Based on my observation of rigging of my CT, here is some suggestions that might assist you in doing a quick determination to see if you're in the ballpark for adjustment of the ailerons. Make sure both flaps are equal by seeing if they're each meeting the little flap stub coming from the fuselage. Can't recall if they meet this in the -6 or zero flap setting? If flaps seem to be close to each other relative to the flap stub on the fuselage, next look at where your ailerons are, relative to the flaps. Center your stick and verify it's centered by looking into your cargo bay to verify the aileron rocker is level. Go to -6 with the flaps. Your ailerons should be level with your flaps when flaps are at -6. Differences between ailerons will require rigging adjustments. There are other considerations involving measurement of deflections of the ailerons and correct correlation of the rods and bellcranks for the ailerons. Rigging is not for the uninitiated and must be done by certified and experienced persons! My ailerons were not equal and I noticed that equalization of these corrected my tendency to drift during my landings.. This makes sense because by not being equal to one another, you are in a constant turn when the stick is centered. Moving the stick never puts the ailerons equal. Consequently, constant use of the rudder is needed to fly straight (but you're also in a constant slip!). Post has been edited. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMonkey Posted November 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2014 Hi Andy. Based on my observation of rigging of my CT, here is some suggestions that might assist you in doing a quick determination to see if you're in the ballpark for adjustment of the ailerons. Make sure both flaps are equal by seeing if they're each meeting the little flap stub coming from the fuselage. Can't recall if they meet this in the -6 or zero flap setting? If flaps seem to be close to each other relative to the flap stub on the fuselage, next look at where your ailerons are, relative to the flaps. Center your stick and verify it's centered by looking into your cargo bay to verify the aileron rocker is level. Go to -6 with the flaps. Your ailerons should be level with your flaps when flaps are at -6. Differences between ailerons will require rigging adjustments. There are other considerations involving measurement of deflections of the ailerons and correct correlation of the rods and bellcranks for the ailerons. Rigging is not for the uninitiated and must be done by certified and experienced persons! My ailerons were not equal and I noticed that equalization of these corrected my tendency to drift during my landings.. This makes sense because by not being equal to one another, you are in a constant turn. Moving the stick never puts the ailerons equal. Consequently, constant use of the rudder is needed to fly straight (but you're also in a constant slip!). Thanks Dick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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