jsharkey

jsharkey

Well Known Member
During taxi for my second or third flight something felt wrong with the feel of the rudder. As I taxied some more I felt a gentle "tug in the gut" during LH turns and eventually realized that my lap belt was looped around the rudder cable. Something to check - especially with passengers.

Jim Sharkey
RV6 - Phase 1
 
Can certainly happen. I do the "controls free & correct" before takeoff. I look over my shoulder to see that the rudder is truely swinging side to side.

L.Adamson ---- RV6A
 
Alex warned me

During my transition training Alex mentioned this as a check to be done, especially with passengers. I always have my passengers check that the seat belt is not around the rudder cable or the headset wire. How do you like your new ride?
 
Best Plane I Have Flown

Frank Smidler said:
During my transition training Alex mentioned this as a check to be done, especially with passengers. I always have my passengers check that the seat belt is not around the rudder cable or the headset wire. How do you like your new ride?
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Still learning but it flies straight and true with hands off. Rudder trim in cruise is good "as is" too and I only seem to need aileron trim (right hand) when I slow to traffic pattern speed - need to work out why on that one (ideas?)

LH canopy strut gave up the ghost and had to be replaced and I'm still trouble shooting the primer solenoid - starts fine without prime though but I'll need it for winter. Temps are all fine but I had to add a thin aluminum heat shield under the LH exhaust tail pipe joint where the it gets close to the cowl and was beginning to scorch it. Oh and I need to replace the LH fuel drain "O" ring which is weeping - the trouble with a "brand new" aircraft that took nine years to build is that some of the perishable parts aren't brand new any more!

Jim Sharkey

PS - keep at it out there - it's worth it :)
 
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I had the belt around the flap handle in the -3 once. Made that landing interesting. :eek: It is now part of my pre-engine start check list.

Good warning Jim.
 
Jim

Congrats and a good point about the lap belt..If you get into acro that involve spins, snap rolls etc then the rudder becomes very important so this as a preflight item is critical.

Frank
 
Before any passenger other than Tuppergal gets in the plane, I place both seatbelts on the seat pointing towards the stick (center of the seat cutout). I then have them 'get-in', sit down, reach under and pull the belts out from underneath them, works fine everytime :D Rosie
 
Rosie said:
Before any passenger other than Tuppergal gets in the plane, I place both seatbelts on the seat pointing towards the stick (center of the seat cutout). I then have them 'get-in', sit down, reach under and pull the belts out from underneath them, works fine everytime :D Rosie
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I do the same.
 
seatbelt/rudder cables

Had this happen on a flight in a buddy's 9A. Rudder felt 'funny', but after landing and shutdown when belts were removed all was ok. I fabbed a couple cable shrouds that look like narrower armrests and installed them over the rudder cables. Should be very hard to get the seatbelts looped around the cables now.
 
I need to get my mind out of the gutter

Somewhat like the recent post titled "where can I get my spinner polished?", I had something else in mind. I incorrectly assumed this was about clipping part of yourself into the seatbelt latch...
 
Nothing to do with lap belts but..

jsharkey said:
Still learning but it flies straight and true with hands off. Rudder trim in cruise is good "as is" too and I only seem to need aileron trim (right hand) when I slow to traffic pattern speed - need to work out why on that one (ideas?)

LH canopy strut gave up the ghost and had to be replaced and I'm still trouble shooting the primer solenoid - starts fine without prime though but I'll need it for winter. Temps are all fine but I had to add a thin aluminum heat shield under the LH exhaust tail pipe joint where the it gets close to the cowl and was beginning to scorch it. Oh and I need to replace the LH fuel drain "O" ring which is weeping - the trouble with a "brand new" aircraft that took nine years to build is that some of the perishable parts aren't brand new any more!

Jim Sharkey

PS - keep at it out there - it's worth it :)
Click to expand...

The need for aileron trim is when slowed for approach AND with at least some flaps deployed - so "bingo" the flaps must be asymmetric :)
Something to check and fix.

Jim Sharkey
RV6 - Phase 1
 
MSFT-1 said:
Somewhat like the recent post titled "where can I get my spinner polished?", I had something else in mind. I incorrectly assumed this was about clipping part of yourself into the seatbelt latch...
Click to expand...

Heh Heh...done both...ouch and Ahhh...lol
 
Classic Aero Side Panels

I have the Classic Aero Sportsman Side Panels (you could even make them yourself), problem eliminated.

ProductImages.asp
 
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Jim F

I dealt with that problem by running a length of clear poly tubing through snap bushings past the seats, then ran the rudder cables through them. This prevents the seat belts from grabbing the rudder cables.

I know this is a problem, as I discovered it while strapping into a friend's 6A. It seems that those pesky belts just naturally coil around the rudder cables if they are exposed.

Jim F
9A at the painters...
 
Jim F said:
I dealt with that problem by running a length of clear poly tubing through snap bushings past the seats, then ran the rudder cables through them. This prevents the seat belts from grabbing the rudder cables.

I know this is a problem, as I discovered it while strapping into a friend's 6A. It seems that those pesky belts just naturally coil around the rudder cables if they are exposed.

Jim F
9A at the painters...
Click to expand...

I have the plastic tube with the rudder cables inside running from the pedals all the way to the fuselage exit hole in the tail. It does support the cables in the seating area so they can't droop down which could make it easier to get the seatbelt around. Even with this I still instruct passengers to be aware and to check.
 
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