Stabilator balance

[yankee-flyer]

Mounted the VStab and Stabil;ator on the tail cone today (I know--they gotta come off again--) and the stabilator-- without the trim servo mounted yet, is considerably nose heavy. Is that the way everyone's is or do I have to much balance weight?

Also, has anyone fitted the VStab abd rudder fiberglass caps with them mounted on the airplane? That seems to be one reason for taking them off another time and it looks like it should be possible to do that job with the assembly on the floor. Anyone do that?

Thanks once again

'Wayne Moyer 0241 "Little Bird II"

 

[Mich48041]

Nose heavy stabilator

Wayne,
My horizontal stabilator is nose heavy too. I thought perhaps I did not slide the counter weight tube in far enough because it lacked about 1/32" of being flush on the aft end. I asked a Van's employee at OSH and he said not to worry about a 1/32". I am happy to hear that yours is nose heavy too because misery loves company. Seriously, I think that it is designed that way. Painting will help but it will still be nose heavy. I trust that Van's engineers know what they are doing and designed it that way to prevent flutter.
Joe

 

[Geico266]

Until you get all the controls hooked up, trim servo, it will be nose heavy. After all is hooked up it is perfectly balanced.

 

[Mich48041]

Thanks Larry

Thanks Larry, that is good to know.
Joe

 

[yankee-flyer]

Thanks guys

As an aero engineer (retired) I probably worry too much about things that "don't seem right" too early in the process. I've gotten a tremendous amopout of info from this group and I'm sue I'll be getting a lot more.

Thanks again

Wayne