Elevator Rigging Series 5

[N14ND]

Check my work.

I am double checking my elevator travel. I am missing a few pages from Chpt 10, Rigging Flight Controls, pgs 36-40 and 43-45. What I remember about setting neutral stab position is taking the measurement from the the top of the forward tube from the horizontal stab and the vertical stab support tube that runs horizontal. That measurement should be 1-5/16" (?). The elevator was set neutral. My control column was set at 80 degrees. From there I have 39 degrees up travel and 18 down. Not so worried about nose down elevator being spot on. I could move the down stop on the control column, but I like where it is in relation to the instrument panel. My stops are set so that there's no interference with the seat support tube and the bottom of the instrument panel. I think the book numbers are 39 up and 20 down.

Not having seen what a neutral stabilizer looks like on a flying Kitfox, it looks like a lot of nose down. That position looks to be about 25% of stab travel. Is that were most of you set your trim for takeoff?

Thanks.

[PapuaPilot]

It looks like you information is correct. My takeoff trim is about 1/3 of the travel down from the top and it doesn't change much for cruise. Realize that the trim position will vary depending on your CG.

[N14ND]

Thanks Phil. I remember seeing those pages... Good to know on the stab trim. Just as a general question, how much of the stab trim do you use in normal operation? Landing, low and slow, doing your LASSO observation of a new strip?

[PapuaPilot]

My plane is near the forward CG due to the heavier engine. At half flaps I have 80-90% nose up trim on approach. At full flaps I have full trim and still need to hold a good amount of nose up pressure on the stick to maintain approach speed. When doing a strip check I would use half flaps and whatever trim would hold level flight at 65-70 mph.

[n85ae]

I said to heck with the weight, and made a ballast box and bolted it securely into the tail on N85AE
which has an IO-240B, I have never regretted it. My CG is decent, and I have never had any problems
running out of elevator. I would argue that any weight it added, is more than made up for with decent
handling.

I think a lot of times the concern about weight is overblown, and leads to compromise.

Jeff

My plane is near the forward CG due to the heavier engine. At half flaps I have 80-90% nose up trim on approach. At full flaps I have full trim and still need to hold a good amount of nose up pressure on the stick to maintain approach speed. When doing a strip check I would use half flaps and whatever trim would hold level flight at 65-70 mph.