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11-04-2014, 04:48 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Berlin, Germany
Posts: 46
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Rudder balance
Hi guys,
what would you think? Is it necessary to balance the rudder?
Thanks for your consideration.
Pit
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11-04-2014, 09:49 AM
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 119
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Follow the directions on the plan, I don't remember doing anything special.
Jim Fogarty
RV9A N492RV
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11-09-2014, 01:50 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Sydney, Aust.
Posts: 820
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Selma
Hi guys,
what would you think? Is it necessary to balance the rudder?
Thanks for your consideration.
Pit
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Definitely Yes. I am not privy to the flutter analysis for the -9's, but at the speeds we fly, an unbalanced control surface would be much more susceptible to it.
__________________
Once you have tasted flight you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return - Leonardo DaVinci
My Flickr gallery: http://www.flickr.com/photos/35521362@N06/
RV-9A - Finished on 10th February 2016 after 4 years, 9 months and 19 days! The 1020th RV-9 flying.
First flight 26th March 2016. Essential specs 145KTAS @ 2400RPM, 8000', 24.2LPH, Initial RoC 1800FPM.
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11-14-2014, 01:04 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Mahomet, Illinois
Posts: 2,195
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I think rudder balancing is unnecessary. It's not called for by Vans and I never gave it a thought. Of my six or seven good friends who built RVs, none of them balanced the rudder .... and none of us have had any issues.
__________________
Terry Ruprecht
RV-9A Tip-up; IO-320 D2A
S. James cowl/plenum
(Dues paid thru Nov '18)
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11-14-2014, 08:13 PM
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: Ga
Posts: 662
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Balance
Hummm, it's in the plans for the -7, -8, -9, -10. Etc. I would think that Van's may know something about the subject if they put them in the plans.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rupester
I think rudder balancing is unnecessary. It's not called for by Vans and I never gave it a thought. Of my six or seven good friends who built RVs, none of them balanced the rudder .... and none of us have had any issues.
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__________________
Craig
RV-3 Sold
RV-4 Sold
RV-6a Sold
RV-9 IO-360 CS, Built and Flying
Aerostar 600A, Family Hotrod
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11-18-2014, 03:12 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Wichita, KS
Posts: 1,958
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Quote:
Originally Posted by grubbat
Hummm, it's in the plans for the -7, -8, -9, -10. Etc. I would think that Van's may know something about the subject if they put them in the plans.
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Don't see it in the plans for the -9. Do you have a reference?
__________________
Kurt W.
RV9A
FLYING!!!
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11-18-2014, 04:57 PM
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: Ga
Posts: 662
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Counterbalance skin and weight
For the RV-9, it would be located on page 6-4 in the section "BUILDING THE RUDDER SKELETON" about three paragraphs from bottom. Drawing 7 should show the weight placement.
Control surfaces (rudder & elevators) should be in trailing position after final fitting and painting.
__________________
Craig
RV-3 Sold
RV-4 Sold
RV-6a Sold
RV-9 IO-360 CS, Built and Flying
Aerostar 600A, Family Hotrod
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11-18-2014, 05:56 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Posts: 2,357
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I think that some of the people posting on this thread have different understandings of the question "is it necessary to balance the rudder?"
Some people read that question as meaning "is it necessary to add sufficient balance weight so the rudder is balanced about the hinge line, just like the elevators?"
Other people read that question as meaning "is it necessary to install the balance weight that Van calls for in the plans, or can I safely leave it off?"
Build the rudder with the balance weight that Van's supplies. They have done the engineering and flight testing to show that the supplied weight provides adequate flutter protection. There is no need to add additional weight so the rudder is 100% balanced.
On the other hand, if you leave the weight off, you have no idea whether the rudder will flutter inside the approved speed envelope, or not. Flutter, if it occurs, will likely lead to loss of the rudder and possibly the VS, likely leading to a fatal accident.
Build the aircraft as called for in the plans.
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11-18-2014, 06:16 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Wichita, KS
Posts: 1,958
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You're exactly right, Kevin. I became concerned when I perceived others as saying that the rudder should be neutrally balanced about the hinge line as the elevators are. There is no mention of this in the plans.
Yes, my rudder has the drawing-specified balance weights installed, but I never did check for neutral balance. As far as I can tell, neutral balance is not required by the plans.
__________________
Kurt W.
RV9A
FLYING!!!
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