Damaged Rudder

[bruceh]

There are plenty of finished tail kits out there that will never end up on a finished airplane. Put out the word that you want to buy a finished rudder and you are back in the air quick.

[kiwipete]

Freddy

Please get an experienced RV builder or aircraft technician to do a detailed inspection before you fly again. Checking the whole tail including, rudder stops, hinge bearings elevators etc

I rebuilt my rudder after a hanger rash incident. In the meantime I borrowed a rudder off a friend who was still only 1/2 way through their build.
I brought all the parts from Vans and started a new rudder. Less than a week later was good to go.
This maybe a good opportunity to meet the local home building community and gain valuable knowledge about your aircraft.

Regards

Peter

[BillL]

Originally Posted by Taltruda

Not interchangeable.. the -7 rudder has the riveted trailing edge, and the counterweight is a different shape. (As you know, the -8 has the bent style trailing edge)

I’m interested in where that clunking noise is coming from in his video?

The first rudder issued for the 7 was identical to the last 6 and 8. The 7 (short) had the .020 skin. The tall 7 rudder came from the 9.

All will fit but the short one (6-8, early 7) needs the VS glass tip to match. Finally, the actual hardware change is the rudder stops are different for the short and tall rudders.

Now, the OP does not need to know any of this, it's just too keep the record straight.

[DanH]

What brand of tail light is that? It appears to have a lot of mass, given the deformation due to inertia along the bottom edge of the skins.

To be blunt, excess mass at the trailing edge of the zipper rudder is not good for flutter resistance, and as it relates to torsional stiffness, this is the worst location for the mass, at the far opposite corner from the balance weight.

[stigaro]

Looks like the AeroLED SunTail. That's what Van's is supplying as an optional tail light. At least on my -14A.

[Ralph Inkster]

Originally Posted by DanH

What brand of tail light is that? It appears to have a lot of mass, given the deformation due to inertia along the bottom edge of the skins.

To be blunt, excess mass at the trailing edge of the zipper rudder is not good for flutter resistance, and as it relates to torsional stiffness, this is the worst location for the mass, at the far opposite corner from the balance weight.

I think the balance weight is the actual culprit in this scenario. Rudder slaps against it's stop, but nearly 4 ft up the rudder, the balance weight mass momentum can only be absorbed as a twisting moment in the structure.
The rudder isn't actually a closed structure, the trailing edge wedge isn't actually attached to the rib/spar/rib structure other than by the 2 side skins, and it's about 2" of unsupported skin (distance between trailing wedge rivet and last rib rivet) is the only thing left to absorb the structural twisting moment, thus the bulging.
I don't think the lamp is contributing to the damage in this case.

[DanH]

Originally Posted by stigaro

Looks like the AeroLED SunTail. That's what Van's is supplying as an optional tail light. At least on my -14A.

Ok, I guess it just looked big in the photos. The AeroLED spec sheet says 2.6 oz, about the same as any other tail light assembly.

[fredycompean]

Originally Posted by bruceh

There are plenty of finished tail kits out there that will never end up on a finished airplane. Put out the word that you want to buy a finished rudder and you are back in the air quick.

thank you. yes I will post on classfields

[fredycompean]

Originally Posted by kiwipete

Freddy

Please get an experienced RV builder or aircraft technician to do a detailed inspection before you fly again. Checking the whole tail including, rudder stops, hinge bearings elevators etc

I rebuilt my rudder after a hanger rash incident. In the meantime I borrowed a rudder off a friend who was still only 1/2 way through their build.
I brought all the parts from Vans and started a new rudder. Less than a week later was good to go.
This maybe a good opportunity to meet the local home building community and gain valuable knowledge about your aircraft.

Regards

Peter

I did send the photos and video to Randy Richmond near FortWorth in 52F. I believe he works exclusively on RVs. Tomorrow I am flying over to him for inspection and replacement.
Yes I appreciate meeting people in this great community. Thanks

Fredy