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By reading the responses, I'm not sure that everyone is talking about the same 'leading edge'. It's the leading edge of the vertical fin that's being tweaked, not the leading edge of the rudder counter balance.
Thank you, I myself had been misinformed and was thus doing the same. Appreciate you catching that and correcting me.
So I decided to just fly the airplane a couple weeks ,as is, to get a couple super calm days with equal fuel and a passenger before I adjust anything.
The airplane flies along "fat dumb and happy" interconnect slack, with no inputs. No heavy wing. Wings level with the ball (just kissing the left) However... the yoke goes slightly to the right, the left aileron dips down about a 1/4" and the right aileron dips up the same.
What do you all suppose is happening? Is it even worth chasing? I could adjust the yoke to be straight and forget about it. (My son says I'm neurotic, "leave it alone."1586210067590.jpeg1586210292099.jpeg1586210332717.jpeg
Wondering if your flaps retracted are at different angles? I had The Fabricman’s Pacer here for a about a year...rebuilt the engine and tried to solve the rigging issue...heavy wing, don’t recall which side now. The one issue I couldn’t overcome was the differences in the flaps. Both were not flush with the bottom of the wing when retracted. One is 1/4”-3/8” below the bottom of the wing, the other wasn’t as bad...who ever rebuilt the wings riveted the flap and aileron mounts to the false spar without insuring the flaps were flush with the bottom of the wings... it flew half a ball off and wasn’t easy to keep coordinated. Thought the problem might be the slip/turn indicator.. Replaced the non pma’d slip and turn indicator with a new certified one... not!
Wondering if your flaps retracted are at different angles? I had The Fabricman’s Pacer here for a about a year...rebuilt the engine and tried to solve the rigging issue...heavy wing, don’t recall which side now. The one issue I couldn’t overcome was the differences in the flaps. Both were not flush with the bottom of the wing when retracted. One is 1/4”-3/8” below the bottom of the wing, the other wasn’t as bad...who ever rebuilt the wings riveted the flap and aileron mounts to the false spar without insuring the flaps were flush with the bottom of the wings... it flew half a ball off and wasn’t easy to keep coordinated. Thought the problem might be the slip/turn indicator.. Replaced the non pma’d slip and turn indicator with a new certified one... not!
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I know I adjusted the flap trailing edge with a straight edge. Good point! I'll check to see if they are flush.
Another thought I'm pondering. Could the aileron cables have uneven tension from one side to the other? Or would they balance out. I'll recheck all tensions this weekend when I can borrow the gauge back.
I thing a straight edge placed on the bottom of the wing and bottom of the flap should be flush with both surfaces with flaps up.
If that is ok then check ailerons trailing edge to flap and possibly adjust aileron trailing edge to flap trailing edge.
After that is all aligned, fly it and center the "ball" and see if it desires to roll. if so then adjust one or the other aft wing strut.
Short story, friend had a C-150 which he rebuilt. Airplane required lot of aileron pressure to fly wings level. Thought he was going to have to
adjust the wing angle with the cessna cams at the trailing edge. I flew it before he got to changing wing adjustments, found that if
I set it up for cruise flight and used rudder pressure to center the ball, airplane flew straight and level. Adjusted rudder trim tab
and airplane flew great forever more.
I thing a straight edge placed on the bottom of the wing and bottom of the flap should be flush with both surfaces with flaps up.
If that is ok then check ailerons trailing edge to flap and possibly adjust aileron trailing edge to flap trailing edge.
After that is all aligned, fly it and center the "ball" and see if it desires to roll. if so then adjust one or the other aft wing strut.
Short story, friend had a C-150 which he rebuilt. Airplane required lot of aileron pressure to fly wings level. Thought he was going to have to
adjust the wing angle with the cessna cams at the trailing edge. I flew it before he got to changing wing adjustments, found that if
I set it up for cruise flight and used rudder pressure to center the ball, airplane flew straight and level. Adjusted rudder trim tab
and airplane flew great forever more.
Yes. That's how it is rigged. Rechecked it yesterday. Bridal cable to yoke is centered. Flaps adjusted with straight edge. Aileron trailing edges adjusted. Actually my ailerons have a tiny bit of twist, so i averaged inside and outside trailing edges. Yet when it flys, the aileron and yoke move as I described. Flys straight as an arrow with no inputs in this configuration.
Jan
Gotcha. I was just thinking about your post when I was at the hangar and was hoping some pics might help. But then realized mine don’t line up!!! Hahaha!!
J Ryd, take a digita level and measure the angle of the outboard aileron bay rib between the spars on each wing. Those should be pretty much the same, I suspect yours are not and the ailerons are compensating. Everything I have ever rigged correctly had the ailerons in trail with the wings. Then you have to ask yourself if it flies straight why mess with it? Might fly a little faster. I would check the angles and then contemplate.