Controls

Pedals V Rudder Bar / Torque Tube Safety Strap / Control deflections

Pedals V Rudder Bar

 

I was reading in some back issues of the Buckeye Pietenpol Association newsletter why rudder pedals should not be used. They said that the rudder bar prevents people from pushing with both feet and bending the rudder control horn. I guess it happened to a few people. There was a suggestion that you some how interconnect the rudder pedals to prevent this. Attached are two pictures of one way to install brakes with the rudder bar. Not very elegant but I guess it would work.

Chris Tracy

 

Torque Tube Safety Strap

 

Dear All,

There was a query that we forgot to ask about at the White Waltham gathering yesterday. We are a bit puzzled by the safety strap which wraps over the top of the control column torque tube where it passes over the top of the aft ash u/c cross member. The torque tube is fairly flexible at mid-span and we can only assume that the strap is intended to stop the tube deflecting upwards under the tension of the aileron cables. To ensure we understand things properly, could you comment on the following questions please:

Have you/do you intend to fit a safety strap?

What purpose is it meant to serve?

Have you bolted it to the ash cross member, or is it screwed to it as stated on the drawing?

What clearance (if any) have you provided between the strap and the torque tube?

Have you made it to the drawing or have you made a more sophisticated arrangement such as a split plastic (low friction) bush?

All comments will be gratefully received.

Best Wishes, Chris and Fran

c.barley@ntlworld.com

 

Control Deflections

 
I had 3 calls in quick succession earlier this year from people asking about the amount of control movement they should build in to the Pietenpol. Sounds to me like several builders are going to finish at about the same time! Anyway – here’s what I can tell you. Elevators: 20 degrees up/15-20 degrees down. I’ve run out of elevator before now in a machine with something less than 20 degrees up and found myself almost bending the stick trying to get a decent break during a stall test. Don’t be tempted to add any more – 20 degrees up is perfect. Rudder: I have fitted stops to retain 1” clearance between rudder and elevator at full deflection on G-BUCO. This works fine for me. Ailerons: You don’t want the down-going aileron spar to clout against the wing. I’ve fitted blocks to the fuselage floor under the ends of the aileron bellcrank to act as stops. They allow a gap of about ¼” between the wing and the bottom edge of a closed aileron. And whilst we are talking ailerons, tape over the gap on the upper surface during covering – it lightens the stick load considerably. AJ.