In gliders we do a positive control check before the first flight every day. You have someone put pressure against each control surface and you move all the controls through their full range against the resistance. It is done on gliders because the control srfaces are removable for transport and you need to be sure all the linkages are correctly secured.
I highly recommend doing this on a new homebuilt with as much pressure as you would ever reasonably expect to exert on the stick. If something is going to break you want it to break on the ground. A lot of people just check for free movement with no pressure on the control surfaces and that won't tell you if you have a weak link or a pulley bracket about to break off or something. Brian Kraut Engineering Alternatives, Inc. www.engalt.com -----Original Message----- From: krnet-boun...@mylist.net [mailto:krnet-boun...@mylist.net]On Behalf Of haroldwoods Sent: Thursday, December 30, 2004 11:10 AM To: kr...@mylist.net Subject: KR> control surface loss. I had a complete control loss at 5000 feet while testing a Jodel D11. There was a very bad weld on the control stick. I was doing a power stall and applied strong back stick pressure at a high angle of attack.. It is unpleasant to go for a roller coaster ride with the stick in one hand and an unbelieving eye looking at the broken end. I found that a very high speed, the Bowden operated trim tab would not move. Thus my KR2M is going to have a strong electric trim tab, not only on the elevator but the rudder and aileron as well. The control stick and associated parts are stronger than normal. I do not object to the extra weight involved.I hope to get it in the air in 2005. Harold Woods Orillia,ON. Can. haroldwo...@rogers.com _______________________________________ Search the KRnet Archives at http://www.maddyhome.com/krsrch/index.jsp to UNsubscribe from KRnet, send a message to krnet-le...@mylist.net please see other KRnet info at http://www.krnet.org/info.html
