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No left aileron got my attention

12 posts in this topic

Posted (edited)

The plan last Sunday was to pioneer with my son (Maule) some new landing sites.

I was setting up for a landing and found that the stick would not move to the left but it would to the right.

I found that left rudder would give me decent left roll so landed at a nearby grass strip.

I would have had a hard time controlling the

I immediately found that the 1-1/2" diameter trim adjustment knob had come un screwed after 19 years and somehow found a convienent place that would jam the controls on my Kitfox.

I will hysol a thin aluminum plate to the tubes just below the aileron bell crank to cover the pocket that the knob got stuck in.

The batteries we use for head phones or other lose items like small flashlights could do the same harm.

This is my first time trying to post photos and it did not work so will keep trying.

Herman

Edited by herman pahls

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Posted

Herman,

Did you post pictures up with this? I'm curious what you have for a trim wheel since I haven't ever seen one with a wheel, at least not in an Avid.

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Posted (edited)

It was a nice day to fly.

And I have tried for hours to get the photo straight and add more photos.post-346-0-56869100-1395881135_thumb.jpg

Edited by herman pahls
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Posted (edited)

This is my trim and flap system which is where the knob came fromattachment=4869:image.jpg]

post-346-0-81494200-1395882245_thumb.jpg

Edited by herman pahls

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Posted

This is where the knob jammed the bell crank

post-346-0-03906300-1395882505_thumb.jpg

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Posted (edited)

This is what the bell crank should like like when it is free to move in the left aileron directionpost-346-0-21452500-1395882823_thumb.jpgpost-346-0-21452500-1395882823_thumb.jpg

Sorry about the crooked, double photos and multiple posts to get the message out.

Any lose items in our airplanes can have tragic consequences and I got very lucky I had enough aileron travel left over and a powerful rudder to compensate.

Turned out to be a great day flying with a burst of elevated blood pressure in the middle.

Herman

Edited by herman pahls

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Posted

Thanks for posting that Herman.  Its a good reminder.  I think i will go check for any possible problems with my control system.

Tom Jones

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Posted

Thanks for the post! It's always good to hear the stories where the blood pressure increases but everything comes out alright in the end. A great reminder why we preflight aircraft and how a little thing we miss might turn tragic.

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Posted

I thought all of the Avid/Foxes had a cover over the stick controls from seat angled to floorboards - isn't that in the manual?  ???  EDMO

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Posted

Wow!!! I knew a guy that had a Christen Eagle. He would make you empty your pockets before he took you up. He said a Bic lighter was the perfect size to get in the tail and jam the elevator!

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Posted

I had a similar incident happen many years ago in my Luscombe, the difference was mine limited elevator travel. Thank God for long runways and brakes. Glad everything worked out good for you. Mike

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Posted

My foot got caught between the rudder pedal and the frame.  Quick thinking and I did not need amputation. 

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