Excellent point Dene. ?I noticed that many builders put their counterweights below the counterweight arm so in normal cruise it is just below the wing skin in the air stream and the recess for the counterweight is open when the aileron is fully deflected up. ?I put my counterweights on top of the counterweight arm so it is always inside the wing and only comes partially out of the pocket it's in when the aileron is fully deflected, but never leaves a gap something could fly into. ?
To be perfectly honest, I don't recall whether the plans called for the weight to be on top or under the counterweight arm, and I wasn't real big on following the plans anyway. ?(They were more of a suggestion to me than a plan.) ?So just for discussion, how did others mount their counterweights? ?And why? Addionally, I think many of us remember Jim Faughn losing an aileron counterweight while doing a fast pass at the gathering many years ago in Red Oak. ?Apparently the aluminum L bracket fatigued and failed. ?There was a recommendation to change to a steel L bracket after there. ?I never did and at 1000+ hrs, still have the original weights in the original place. ?Any discussion on the L brackets for the Aileron Counterweights? -Jeff Scott Los Alamos, NM > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Dene > Sent: 03/26/14 12:30 PM > To: 'KRnet' > Subject: Re: KR> Gap between counterweight > > Hi Sid > I personally think that covering that gap is a good thing from a safety > point of view. > We recently had a KR go down killing its occupant and the only clue they > could find was a dead bird on the runway. > It is assumed that the bird went into the gap between the wing and the > counter balance arm, jamming the aileron in the up position. The plane > apparently rolled violently and pitched down just after takeoff. > I believe the pilot managed to get it level before impact but the plane was > destroyed. > I had ideas of placing a "knife" in front of and in line with that arm. > > Regards > Dene Collett > www.denecollett.com
