Tail Seals

[Throttle Pusher]

Is there an STC out there for seals on the horizontal stab as well as the gap between the horizontal stab and the fuselage?

[Treetop_Flyer]

Frank Sperandeo has the gap seals for sale, I believe. Check it out here: http://members.cox.net/mspearl/modsforsale.html.

-Dave

[Grantmac]

I don't see any STCs mentioned, are fairings and gap seals not an STC item? Because I'd love to make gap seals for my Clipper, especially the tail.

-Grant

[Treetop_Flyer]

I think Frank did his with a 337. I would guess that he could supply a copy of his 337 with the seals, but you would have to ask him.

[Curly]

Dan Rihn's "One Design" uses a teflon (I think) wedge in the rudder and tailplane gap. I don't know if it's certified or not - might be worth checking with Dan Rihn.

[Grantmac]

I wonder what the legality of using tape is. Just on an experimental basis to see if it would be worth doing permanently.

[Steve Pierce]

Cub Crafters sells a rubber moulding material that fits between the elevator and stabilizer. They are working on an STC. Maule uses a 3M tape on the top of the elvtor and the bottom of the stabilizer to seal the gap. Alaskan Bushwheels sells this tape. When I was working in Alaska last spring the AK State Troopers had the tape on their Super Cub elevators and said it was the best mod since VGs. Cub Crafters brought some of the gap seal to the Super Cub gathering at New Holstein and everyone that tried it loved it. One Cub driver told me he could tazi his airplane around with the tail in the air. Aviat has a strip of aluminum screwed to the orizontal stabilizer with rubber "J" channel where it touches the fuselage, however the stab. doesn't move on a Husky.

[Throttle Pusher]

Thanks for the info. The tape sounds like the way to go. As for the fuselage I'll have to chew on that one for awhile. Maybe theres a STC in my future?

[Gilbert Pierce]

My Model III KitFox would not 3 point land until I used 3M clear tape between the top of the horizontal stabilizer to the bottom of the leading edge of the elevator closing that gap. It made a very noticable difference.

[Grantmac]

So the tape falls under "trim" or the like and can be applied at will?

The Clipper has relatively poor elevator response and a pretty noticeable dead zone which is not control slop. I'd love to try sealing it up but only on a legal basis.

Thanks,
Grant