We landed today and when the tail came down we immediately departed the runway to the right. I did see the other thread where a gentleman had the same issue. But my question is, I am not the builder of the aircraft and will be looking to have some repair work done. Can anyone suggest a good and reputable shop to handle this? I am in Arkansas so I would prefer that they be somewhat close by.
Van's Air Force
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She swapped ends
- Thread starter dcarfly
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Louise Hose
Well Known Member
Randy Richmond
At 52F inRoanoke, TX. He's top-knotch with all RV issues.
At 52F inRoanoke, TX. He's top-knotch with all RV issues.
swapping ends
I'm the guy who just had the same thing happen. Fortunately with lots of braking I kept it on the blacktop. Very sorry to hear about your outcome...
I'm almost sure my steering link went over center and locked me out momentarily, but I am also going to check that if anything, I am slightly toed out with my wheels.
Best of luck with your repairs!
I'm the guy who just had the same thing happen. Fortunately with lots of braking I kept it on the blacktop. Very sorry to hear about your outcome...
I'm almost sure my steering link went over center and locked me out momentarily, but I am also going to check that if anything, I am slightly toed out with my wheels.
Best of luck with your repairs!
Chris Hill
Well Known Member
Unfortunately I cant help you the info you want, BUT for you and anyone who has a similar experience, I'd like to know what the conditions were (crosswinds, grass/paved runway, etc) that enabled that situation to develop and what you did to try to control the situation with how successful you were. Hoping to learn! Thanks
This might sound like a negative post to some, and if it offends you, I apologize up front. I had a similar experience to what you are now facing, not the builder, and to possibly help save you from going through the frustration I experienced, I have someone I can highly recommend for you. Last September I hit a deer when landing. Right wing damage. I started asking for help here just like you're doing. I asked for help and advice everywhere. My insurance company had no suggestions for where to repair. It took nearly three months worth of phone calls, internet searches, trips to a number of airports here in Texas where I knew there were RV people, talked to the people at Vans, (they told me I should buy a $50 set of plans) attempted to call local folks on the Van's RV phone list of builders and owners, and nobody showed any serious interest. I couldn't find one RV person to even come and take a look at it so I might get some advice as to what I was facing and how I might approach the repairs. A couple of maybe I can helps, then no return phone calls, or I can't get to it until, ......and it went on for months, until I talked to Tim at Aerocrafters of Alabama. http://aerocraftersofal.com/services.php I pulled the wings, loaded it on a truck to Alabama from Texas, and a couple months later my RV came home better than new. They do nice work. They do what they say they will do when they say they will do it, and it was a pleasure to do business with them. If you have any questions, send me a pm here and I'll be very happy to answer any questions that I can..
For the OP, maybe if you can tell us where the airplane is currently (Arkansas isn't as big as Texas, but it still doesn't pin things down), you might find someone very close by that can help out - lots of builders in that state.
Paul
Paul
Repairs-KC Area
If you need major sheet metal repairs I'd suggest a call to Don Deason in Paola, KS. His FAA certified repair station is at the Miami County, KS airport (K81). See
http://deasonaircraft.com/about.html
His repair station normally does sheet metal repairs for certified aircraft, but he's also fixed RVs (and likes them due to parts availability). Don's estimate will also include paint if desired; painting is done by Aircraft Refinishing Co. (adjacent to his shop but a separate business).
Having said that, I'm with Paul-there are lots of builders in the area so a shout out to the EAA chapters in AR may help and photos/detailed damage description will help to focus the responses...you may find the parts you need here on VAF at a reasonable price if you have specific needs identified.
Best,
Mike
If you need major sheet metal repairs I'd suggest a call to Don Deason in Paola, KS. His FAA certified repair station is at the Miami County, KS airport (K81). See
http://deasonaircraft.com/about.html
His repair station normally does sheet metal repairs for certified aircraft, but he's also fixed RVs (and likes them due to parts availability). Don's estimate will also include paint if desired; painting is done by Aircraft Refinishing Co. (adjacent to his shop but a separate business).
Having said that, I'm with Paul-there are lots of builders in the area so a shout out to the EAA chapters in AR may help and photos/detailed damage description will help to focus the responses...you may find the parts you need here on VAF at a reasonable price if you have specific needs identified.
Best,
Mike
CLoser than you think
Sorry to hear about your troubles Duane....I flew a friend to Mena AR to pick up his baron and found the most amazing aircraft sheetmetal structural repair shop. Hampton Aviation. http://www.hamptonaviation.com/Gallery.html. I met the staff there and they were extremely friendly, honest and upfront.. The insurance companies are also, already very familiar with their work..If it were me, I wouldnt hesitate to call them and discuss your project. They were very nice to me and also, they are fairly close to you.
Mike D.
Sorry to hear about your troubles Duane....I flew a friend to Mena AR to pick up his baron and found the most amazing aircraft sheetmetal structural repair shop. Hampton Aviation. http://www.hamptonaviation.com/Gallery.html. I met the staff there and they were extremely friendly, honest and upfront.. The insurance companies are also, already very familiar with their work..If it were me, I wouldnt hesitate to call them and discuss your project. They were very nice to me and also, they are fairly close to you.
Mike D.
Thanks guys for all the information. I have met Vernon Hampton at Hampton Aviation in Mena and was in contact with him last night.
As far as the conditions, here we go. We were landing on runway 26 at KCWS. There were 2 people on board, winds were pretty much down the runway at less than 10 Kts (a guess, not reported). The temps were in the high 90s. I 3 pointed the airplane, did not bounce, rolled straight for just a few seconds and then the airplane veered to the right. Full left rudder was applied, right aileron, and left brake. The airplane departed the runway.
I am going to have them dis-assemble the tailwheel and inspect for worn or broken parts. The airplane has about 850 hours on it and went through it's condition inspection in May. I will have them check the toe on it as well.
Again, thanks for all the help.
Duane
As far as the conditions, here we go. We were landing on runway 26 at KCWS. There were 2 people on board, winds were pretty much down the runway at less than 10 Kts (a guess, not reported). The temps were in the high 90s. I 3 pointed the airplane, did not bounce, rolled straight for just a few seconds and then the airplane veered to the right. Full left rudder was applied, right aileron, and left brake. The airplane departed the runway.
I am going to have them dis-assemble the tailwheel and inspect for worn or broken parts. The airplane has about 850 hours on it and went through it's condition inspection in May. I will have them check the toe on it as well.
Again, thanks for all the help.
Duane
Can we help?
Duane, there is a pretty active RV group in Arkansas, MidSouth RVators and there are a couple of pretty good builders at North Little Rock, a couple in Hot Springs, 3 in Pine Bluff that I know of. Coincidentally, we had 6 RVs at HOT this morning for the EAA chapter breakfast.
If you want someone who has built a couple to take a look up close, just let me/us know. Might be able to help you better define the scope of the repair.
I might be able to grab another builder and drop by tomorrow if you like. In RV time, you're 14 minutes fom KORK. Just let us know!
Bill S
7a Got the Grin!
Duane, there is a pretty active RV group in Arkansas, MidSouth RVators and there are a couple of pretty good builders at North Little Rock, a couple in Hot Springs, 3 in Pine Bluff that I know of. Coincidentally, we had 6 RVs at HOT this morning for the EAA chapter breakfast.
If you want someone who has built a couple to take a look up close, just let me/us know. Might be able to help you better define the scope of the repair.
I might be able to grab another builder and drop by tomorrow if you like. In RV time, you're 14 minutes fom KORK. Just let us know!
Bill S
7a Got the Grin!
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MauiLvrs
Well Known Member
That doesn't mean you can't fix it if you want to...
What happened?
Second time flying an RV-4 that I did not build. At 6'1" and 200 pounds everyone said I would fit nicely in the airplane. I didn't fit but flew it anyway. My knees were bent at almost a 45 degree angle, which caused my feet to angle forward. This caused a tendency to touch the brake when I meant to apply rudder. So I just flew with the balls of my feet on the rudder. Well, apparently my left foot slipped up the rudder pedal on what was a nice landing in calm wind conditions, and I lurched toward the left side of the runway. No matter how much right rudder/right brake I used it didn't help much. Fortunately it was a 100 ft wide runway and I came to a stop pointing 90 degrees from runway heading (still on the runway). I thought perhaps a flat tire, but not the problem. The only thing I could conclude was the previous statement that my foot moved up from the rudder bar to the brake pedal. Right rudder just increased the pressure that my left foot had on the pedal. Just not enough room for my leg to come back.
Soooo...I installed a set of the JD Airparts rudder extensions, but this didn't really solve the problem. Then I modified the brake pedal by moving the brake cylinder pickup point lower. This tilted the brake pedal forward, but still had plenty of room aft of the firewall with full rudder/brake.
No further problems were experienced. Photos of the brake pedal extension work are available if you email me at [email protected]
Jim
Second time flying an RV-4 that I did not build. At 6'1" and 200 pounds everyone said I would fit nicely in the airplane. I didn't fit but flew it anyway. My knees were bent at almost a 45 degree angle, which caused my feet to angle forward. This caused a tendency to touch the brake when I meant to apply rudder. So I just flew with the balls of my feet on the rudder. Well, apparently my left foot slipped up the rudder pedal on what was a nice landing in calm wind conditions, and I lurched toward the left side of the runway. No matter how much right rudder/right brake I used it didn't help much. Fortunately it was a 100 ft wide runway and I came to a stop pointing 90 degrees from runway heading (still on the runway). I thought perhaps a flat tire, but not the problem. The only thing I could conclude was the previous statement that my foot moved up from the rudder bar to the brake pedal. Right rudder just increased the pressure that my left foot had on the pedal. Just not enough room for my leg to come back.
Soooo...I installed a set of the JD Airparts rudder extensions, but this didn't really solve the problem. Then I modified the brake pedal by moving the brake cylinder pickup point lower. This tilted the brake pedal forward, but still had plenty of room aft of the firewall with full rudder/brake.
No further problems were experienced. Photos of the brake pedal extension work are available if you email me at [email protected]
Jim
JonJay
Well Known Member
Hmmm, that is three RV8's I know of that departed the runway in similar fasion in the last year. I would be curious to know what tailwheel they each had or any other potential similarities, short of pilot error. Is there possibly something going on here? That seems to be high number but may just be coincidence.
I know that two of them departed right, not sure about the third.
I know that two of them departed right, not sure about the third.
rzbill
Well Known Member
I'd rather groundloop than pole-vault over the nosewheel.
Yeah yeah, to each his own.
The one and only reason I said anything is that it has been proven impossible to have a trike conversation on VAF without a tailwheel comment by somebody.
Therefore, this thread could NOT pass unscathed.
***EDIT*** Well there you go. You can see below that the moderators changed the above message because it was deemed to harsh to criticize taildraggers. There was no profanity involved I assure you (even though I wanted to)
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A models
Thank you for writing this. I met with a group of builders when I started my project. I was astounded at the attitude of some when I mentioned that I was building an A model. One of the reasons I am building one is I prefer the way they sit on the ramp. They simply suit my eye better. But, I respect those that have a differing view. If we were all real "men", wouldn't we design and build our own unique designs instead of constructing these wimpy prepunched kits?
Thank you for writing this. I met with a group of builders when I started my project. I was astounded at the attitude of some when I mentioned that I was building an A model. One of the reasons I am building one is I prefer the way they sit on the ramp. They simply suit my eye better. But, I respect those that have a differing view. If we were all real "men", wouldn't we design and build our own unique designs instead of constructing these wimpy prepunched kits?
