I hope someone can help me with these problems. I finished the stick controls, and when the cables are tensioned for the elevator at neutral stick position the cables seem fine. When the stick is moved off center, (forward or back) the cable gets very loose. Now, I know I've got the geometry correct according to the plans, so why does the cable go slack? After looking at the cable and pulley geometry, How do you not get slack? What to do?
On another note, What are the practical limits for up-and-down elevator distance or angle?
George Allen
Control cable slack
Re: Control cable slack
Hi George . on the cable slack problem , it think everyone has witnessed that on planes built to the plans as I did. I know that some folks add a small spring attatched to the top cable behind the pilot seat between there and the bell crank . It is just to take up the slack as the cable is moved.
I didn't put there because I didn't think of it till after I had covered the fuselage and I didn't want to try to fix a attatch point for the spring with one hand up through the inspection cover. I just adjusted my cables in as well as I could without making them too snug and just live with a little slack.
I didn't put there because I didn't think of it till after I had covered the fuselage and I didn't want to try to fix a attatch point for the spring with one hand up through the inspection cover. I just adjusted my cables in as well as I could without making them too snug and just live with a little slack.
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Bill Church
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2017 8:48 am
Re: Control cable slack
George,
There aren`t any control deflections shown in the plans.
Practically, they will be limited by the actual movement that the pilot can physically move the stick fore and aft. I realize that doesn't really answer your question, but it does establish the maximum possible physical movement limits of the stick, and therefore, the corresponding elevator movement. However, there is some published data that you may find of interest.
In the UK, the construction of amateur-built aircraft is much more regulated than it is in North America. The Light Aircraft Association has published a Type Acceptance Data Sheet for the Pietenpol Air Camper (see link below). On page 4 of the TADS you will find that they have determined the control surface deflections for the elevators to be 20 degrees up and 20 degrees down.
http://www.lightaircraftassociation.co. ... CAMPER.pdf
Bill C.
There aren`t any control deflections shown in the plans.
Practically, they will be limited by the actual movement that the pilot can physically move the stick fore and aft. I realize that doesn't really answer your question, but it does establish the maximum possible physical movement limits of the stick, and therefore, the corresponding elevator movement. However, there is some published data that you may find of interest.
In the UK, the construction of amateur-built aircraft is much more regulated than it is in North America. The Light Aircraft Association has published a Type Acceptance Data Sheet for the Pietenpol Air Camper (see link below). On page 4 of the TADS you will find that they have determined the control surface deflections for the elevators to be 20 degrees up and 20 degrees down.
http://www.lightaircraftassociation.co. ... CAMPER.pdf
Bill C.