Elevator Balance

Wednesday of next week we will be attaching the counterweights on the elevators. When I owned my Comanche, balancing the stabilator was critical. We would add or remove weights so that with the cables not attached the stabilator would be level.
Question: Why is it not important to add or remove weight from the counterbalance on our elevators so that it balances and is in trail with the H.S.? Vans simply says attach our weights and be happy. Isn't a balanced tail a little more important than that when descending at yellow line at 200 knots?
Don Oltman

Balance is not nearly as critical with elevators as it is with stabilators.
Also different aircraft have different requirements.
Van's designs do not have a history of flutter problems. Typically you should balance your elevators slightly "nose-down" before painting. Paint will affect them in a "tail-down" manner.

Van says: Don't worry

Its funny, when Van explicitly says its ok to have the elevator a bit in trail nose down, its often been questioned.
On the other hand, when Van is adamantly opposed to engines of more horsepower and increasing gross weight among other things builders want to do to his design, many think they know better without giving it a lot of thought.
FWIW Don, I had the same thoughts when my elevator did not exactly balance out.

Here is a quote:


PostPosted: Thu Apr 21, 2011 6:40 pm Post subject: Control surface balancing Reply with quote
Quote:
From VANS, Scott R:

Chris, Balance limits are a 'maximum' so if your measurements fall anywhere
between zero and the limit, you're good. We've done extensive GVT (ground
vibration testing) and flight testing on the RV-10. The intent is to be
able to trim the weights according to the plans (if called out), bolt them
in and be well within the limits. We put the balance limits in the flight
test section because some builders alter the control surfaces during
construction...additional or different trim mechanisms, skin thicknesses
etc.

If your control surfaces are built according to the plans and your paint job
is not 'extreme', you should easily fall within the limits.

Just to be clear here, Van's does provide limits for elevator balance in the documentation provided with the finish kit, and they specify that balance should be checked for conformance.

elevator

O.K. that's what I was looking for. So they do address it in a later kit. Clearly I have a long way to go but I will look at it again in the finish. Thanks for the help guys.
Don

Mine is not painted yet. Installed weights per plans. During spiral down descent 203 kts and no problems anywhere. This was after installing pants. It did not take much of a nose down attitude to get there either. It would be very easy to exceed Vne. I will check balance again after painting.