Possible Rudder Airworthiness Directive
- Thread starter Steve Pierce
- Start date
Frank Green
MEMBER
Frankfort NY
Talked to my local FSDO rep. a couple weeks ago and asked her if she has heard anything and she said no. But also said she wouldn't be surprised to see it go thru. And she has a vested interest since she has a TriPacer.
Graham, Texas, United States
No word. When there is it will be posted immediately. I am a pessimist and don't believe it will go through.
Frank Green
MEMBER
Frankfort NY
common sense says it won't but we're talking about our present government here
Wag-builder
Non-Member
Livingston, TN
The latest is that is has been passed around in the FAA and nobody wants to deal with this. We have Senators also addressing the FAA on your behalf. Currently it resides with the chief of aircraft certification, and no action expected before October 2024.
Graham, Texas, United States
Thanks Steve, good to have the right people on our side
pa20
SPONSOR
Wellington, NV (NV33)
Steve,
From the perspective of the SWP owner...I believe that your doubt about the FAA adopting this AD, makes you an optimist! Or, am I being too optimistic my own self?!
Thanks go out to all the "experts" who have put forth a great amount of effort to defeat this ill-conceived AD.
cub_driver
MEMBER
I'm sure everyone has seen this because I'm way late to this thread...
moe2goe
MEMBER
St. Pete, Fl.
Just saying, my pacer was flooded before I could cover the new rudder from Univair. I have shipping crate, let me know if you would like new rudder at a discount. moe2goe@aol.com.
Thanks, Moe
Thanks, Moe
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moe2goe
MEMBER
St. Pete, Fl.
25%less than univair, no charge for crate , you pay shipping.
moe2goe
MEMBER
St. Pete, Fl.
moe2goe
MEMBER
St. Pete, Fl.
The invoice shipping charge includes cost of crate
moe2goe
MEMBER
St. Pete, Fl.
I can deliver to sun n fun for free
moe2goe
MEMBER
St. Pete, Fl.
$723 and it’s yours no shipping
Brand new
Subsonic
FRIEND
Merritt Island, FL
Just have to say, meeting Moe2goe was a real treat. Nicest guy in the world. This guy suffered huge losses in the hurricane floods a couple of months ago - two special cars and a great airplane - lost- yes insured, but you know how that goes. I bet you didn’t know that about him. Met me in the KTPA Signature FBO with the rudder and gave me a ride to my doctor appointment. Just wanna say thanks.
-Subsonic
-Subsonic
PeterPiper
SPONSOR
Delta Junction, Alaska
I just came across this discussion. I am currently putting a Tripacer back together with a new rudder I bought from Airframes Alaska. It is a Super Cub rudder but is the same part number as listed in the PA-22 parts book. The reason for the replacement is that, during annual, I felt a bulge under the fabric in the post. I removed the fabric and found a hole about the size of a quarter. Perhaps I shouldn’t even be posting this photo, as it could potentially further muddy up the water. This failure is not characteristic of a stress fracture. I am guessing that at some time, this rudder sat outside in the weather, top side down, allowing rain water to accumulate. Then during freezing temps the water froze. I leave this photo, only to warn others to look closely at rudders bought from salvage that may have set out in 4-season weather.
I don’t think the presence of a beacon had anything to do with cracking of the rudders in question.The beacons are mounted in line with the hinge point, so would not add stress as if they were mounted fore or aft.
The top of the rudder does have counterbalance surface extending forward of the hinge line, so when the rudder flaps side to side, as it does when the plane is tied down and being subject to wind, stress is multiplied. I wonder what planes these rudders were on, tail draggers or trikes. Super Cubs and Pacer rudders don’t have the dampening effect that Tripacers and Colt rudders do, by virtue of the aileron/rudder interconnect system. The rudders that are free to bang against the stops would have to endure much greater torsional stresses just above the top hinge and below that counterweight - where these rudders are cracking.
I don’t think the presence of a beacon had anything to do with cracking of the rudders in question.The beacons are mounted in line with the hinge point, so would not add stress as if they were mounted fore or aft.
The top of the rudder does have counterbalance surface extending forward of the hinge line, so when the rudder flaps side to side, as it does when the plane is tied down and being subject to wind, stress is multiplied. I wonder what planes these rudders were on, tail draggers or trikes. Super Cubs and Pacer rudders don’t have the dampening effect that Tripacers and Colt rudders do, by virtue of the aileron/rudder interconnect system. The rudders that are free to bang against the stops would have to endure much greater torsional stresses just above the top hinge and below that counterweight - where these rudders are cracking.
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Smokey
MEMBER
Fort Atkinson WI
Your picture looks like bursting from frozen moisture in the tube. Assuming that it sat outside in Alaska?
PeterPiper
SPONSOR
Delta Junction, Alaska
Actually, the plane was flown up here from Michigan in 2012. The rudder is obviously not original - different covering from the rest of the plane and older. It looks like old junk, probably from salvage.
Graham, Texas, United States
Looks like water was in the tube and it froze but odd that it was trapped in the top of the rudder.
PeterPiper
SPONSOR
Delta Junction, Alaska
So there would be no tail wheel horn, being that this is a Tripacer, right? I have attached photos of my new and old rudders. You can see that, if stored up-side-down, rain water would enter and accumulate in the top end of the tube. Of course, I don’t know that this is what happened. It’s just the only explanation I can come up with. I do know that the lower end of that tube was open - not covered with fabric.
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Jim
MEMBER
Fennville, MI
Hi Peter,
If you haven't installed an ADSB solution yet it may be a good time to look into your options. One of them would be installing in the tail light frame. The hole is a tad small, it's not recommended just hogging it out bigger. perhaps you can beef that area a little internally to accommodate an EZ install before covering.
If you haven't installed an ADSB solution yet it may be a good time to look into your options. One of them would be installing in the tail light frame. The hole is a tad small, it's not recommended just hogging it out bigger. perhaps you can beef that area a little internally to accommodate an EZ install before covering.
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Graham, Texas, United States
So this did not occur on a flying airplane but was found on a spare part?
PeterPiper
SPONSOR
Delta Junction, Alaska
The damage would have occurred on the rudder when it was a spare part, stored outdoors, up-side-down. It could not have happened after being installed, because after installation it would have been top-side-up and the water would have drained out the bottom. This damage had to have occurred prior to installation. It is bizarre, but the installer had to have missed noticing it. It wasn’t noticed for more than a year after arriving here even. It was a hardly noticeable bulge, appearing to be a lap weld under the fabric.
Subsonic
FRIEND
Merritt Island, FL
Yep, that's a likely explanation.
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