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  #1  
Old 05-16-2010, 10:39 AM
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RV7AV8R RV7AV8R is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 426
Default Any further information on rudder failure?

There was reported a crash in Canada in Jan where the rudder and/or verticle came off an RV7, is there any more information to confirm this report? It is hard to believe this could happen.
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  #2  
Old 05-16-2010, 12:52 PM
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Location: Bennington, Vermont USA
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Default

I have the habit of moving my -6 around by standing in front of the empenage and pushing it backwards using the leading edges of the VS and HS. These are way sturdier on a Van's than anything else I have flown but I'm sure that this practice applies more load than they ever see in flight and have wondered if it could cause damage that might eventually lead to an inflight failure.

How do others maneuver their Van's tail draggers on the ground?

Jim Sharkey
RV-6
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  #3  
Old 05-16-2010, 01:01 PM
chris mitchell chris mitchell is offline
 
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Location: near Harrogate, England
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Yes - I do exactly as you do and I wonder if it is not a good practise??? I am going to build myself something to clip onto the tail wheel for moving the aircraft into/out of the hangar. Not quite sure how it will look yet....

Chris
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  #4  
Old 05-16-2010, 09:02 PM
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Location: KANE, Hugo, Minnesota
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Default

I believe the accident John is asking about was a tricycle gear RV-7A not a conventional gear aircraft. I too would be interested in any factual information anyone has regarding this accident.
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  #5  
Old 05-16-2010, 09:16 PM
DENMACRES DENMACRES is offline
 
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Location: MONTGOMERY, TX.
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Default tail dragger moving

I use a tail dragger dragger from the company of the same name. I works great. Some use a handle similar to a cessna nose puller.
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  #6  
Old 05-16-2010, 09:20 PM
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Location: Redmond, WA
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Anyone put one of these in a RV? Have one in my Luscombe, and am totally sold on them.
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  #7  
Old 05-16-2010, 10:37 PM
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Snowflake Snowflake is offline
 
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Location: Victoria, BC, Canada
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Mike, thanks for the link. I was just talking to a Cessna 140 owner on the weekend and lamenting that the same thing wasn't available for the RV's. Maybe we should design a home-grown solution?

Of course, it does mean adding weight to the tail of your RV... And it might stick out in flight if you roll. Not much of an issue for a 140.
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  #8  
Old 05-16-2010, 10:56 PM
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flyboy1963 flyboy1963 is offline
 
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Location: Lake Country, B.C. Canada
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Default rudder bar - locking

surely one of the great minds in the homebuilding world could devise a camloc or dzus type fastener, so a twist would lock the tube in a positive way.
Not as sexy, but a pin almost flush with the surface would do it, to!
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  #9  
Old 05-16-2010, 11:33 PM
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mculver mculver is offline
 
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Actually when Bud designed the commercial version, he set the tube up in a way that there is just enough friction to require you to pull it out. I'll have to look at the one on my plane to figure out how it's set up.

But to get back to how this is related to vertical stabs, at least in the case of the Luscombe it's easy to crack the VS attach bracket when you use the stab as a handle to maneuver the plane on the ground. There was an incident a few years ago where the stab partially separated in flight as a result. Oddly, also in Canada. The pilot was able to land safely, though.

I plan to install one of these on the -9 that I am building.
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  #10  
Old 05-17-2010, 05:00 AM
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pierre smith pierre smith is offline
 
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Default They were standard on Cessna Agwagons...

Quote:
Originally Posted by mculver View Post
Anyone put one of these in a RV? Have one in my Luscombe, and am totally sold on them.
...and Agtrucks. They also had a built-in clip so the handles stayed put.

You'd be surprised at the force applied to a fin during full-rudder crosswind landings. They've been laid over during too high airspeed snap rolls in various airplanes.

Best,
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