Paul 5r4
Well Known Member
I was doing a preflight this evening and discovered this on the rudder control horn. It sure looked like a crack and seemed to be verified because of the spot on the end that wraps to the thinner fore/aft surface. It's only on the aft side of the rudder horn. No sign of anything on the forward side. With the exception of the crack appearing to go around the corner like you see in first picture, the right side was exactly the same as the left pictured here.
IMG_7497 by Paul Gray, on Flickr
On closer inspection.... I removed some paint with a scribe from the end and saw nothing below the paint. Feeling better. Here's a pic of that.
IMG_7502 by Paul Gray, on Flickr
Here is a picture with some of the paint removed. Note the paint that's not completely removed toward the left side. No split or crack noticed so, I'm thinking just a crack in the paint.
IMG_7506 by Paul Gray, on Flickr
Located at the end of the scribe is where the crack was. I could not get the paint removed all the way into the corner. I see no sign of a crack now. Reinforced my belief of paint only.
IMG_7511 by Paul Gray, on Flickr
One last picture with the area cleaned as good as I can get. The "crack" would have run in the middle of the wide area of thinned paint. I see nothing. I felt confident enough to fly afterwards.
I was thinking that this could NOT be a true crack into the angle because of a couple things. One, there is never much force applied to my rudder. I've never done any acrobatics, not even lite stuff. Nothing more then keeping the ball centered on takeoff and during flight. Now I just need to touch up the paint. Thoughts are appreciated.
IMG_7513 by Paul Gray, on Flickr
IMG_7497 by Paul Gray, on Flickr
On closer inspection.... I removed some paint with a scribe from the end and saw nothing below the paint. Feeling better. Here's a pic of that.
IMG_7502 by Paul Gray, on Flickr
Here is a picture with some of the paint removed. Note the paint that's not completely removed toward the left side. No split or crack noticed so, I'm thinking just a crack in the paint.
IMG_7506 by Paul Gray, on Flickr
Located at the end of the scribe is where the crack was. I could not get the paint removed all the way into the corner. I see no sign of a crack now. Reinforced my belief of paint only.
IMG_7511 by Paul Gray, on Flickr
One last picture with the area cleaned as good as I can get. The "crack" would have run in the middle of the wide area of thinned paint. I see nothing. I felt confident enough to fly afterwards.
I was thinking that this could NOT be a true crack into the angle because of a couple things. One, there is never much force applied to my rudder. I've never done any acrobatics, not even lite stuff. Nothing more then keeping the ball centered on takeoff and during flight. Now I just need to touch up the paint. Thoughts are appreciated.
IMG_7513 by Paul Gray, on Flickr
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