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Paul Richardson
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 3
Location: O'Fallon, MO
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 Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 4:35 pm Post subject: RV-6A Tail Tie Down |
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One of my fellow aviators was taking off from a grass strip in our RV-6A when the tail tie down contacted a clump of grass and was bent backward, cracking the bottom rudder fairing. Anyone experience that, and do you have any good or bad news as far as expected damage? Specifically, I'm wonder about how much is really bent back where you can't see anything. He said there were no flight problems. He didn't know it happened until postflight cleaning.
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Paul Richardson
RV-6A 106RV |
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c.ennis(at)insightbb.com
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| Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 5:59 pm Post subject: RV-6A Tail Tie Down |
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Paul,
Shortly after my first few flights, while I was still trying to land my 6A
like a Cessna, I bent the tie down ring in the same way...grass strip, drop
on from 2 feet trying to flare. Anyway, I took the tiedown ring off and
straightened it, checked the rear bulkhead for damage,(found none) and built
a 2" diameter cupped recess into the rudder fairing for clearance for when
it happened again. When it happened again, I was pondering the newly bent
ring and fresh cracks in the fairing when an IA who I have trusted with my
life on more than one occasion, commented that it was entirely possible that
the next time it could cause rudder travel problems when I needed it the
most. I worked at fabricating some sort of skid/guard to protect the tiedown
ring but finally removed it altogether.
I have since learned to land without abusing my gear and have not missed
the tie down ring.
The stainless weldment which was on my 6A bent above the ring stem...saving
the bulkhead. Foolishly, I reinforced it before it was reinstalled. The
second time it bent in the same place in spite of the reinforcement, still
no bulkhead damage. Van designs them hell bent for stout. I am sure one
could come up with a ring and mount which would tear the tail off before it
bent...but I would rather spare the tail and lose the ring, and I don't have
to worry about the ring jambing the rudder if I slam it during takeoff.
Charlie Ennis
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denis.walsh(at)comcast.ne
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| Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 6:13 pm Post subject: RV-6A Tail Tie Down |
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Can't speak for the later models and or the removable ones; however
the old original tail tie down was welded to mild steel and would
usually bend without causing any damage to the bulkhead on such
strikes. Simply remove three bolts, pound it straight, and re install.
If it were jamming the rudder, it could be realigned by lying behind
plane and using foot to shove it forward. This to get it home to do
above precision fix.
Voice of experience.
Denis Walsh
On Apr 24, 2006, at 6:35 PM, Paul Richardson wrote:
| Quote: |
<prichar(at)mail.win.org>
One of my fellow aviators was taking off from a grass strip in our
RV-6A when the tail tie down contacted a clump of grass and was
bent backward, cracking the bottom rudder fairing. Anyone
experience that, and do you have any good or bad news as far as
expected damage? Specifically, I'm wonder about how much is really
bent back where you can't see anything. He said there were no
flight problems. He didn't know it happened until postflight cleaning.
--------
Paul Richardson
RV-6A 106RV
Read this topic online here:
http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=30440#30440
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Ed Anderson
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 475
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| Posted: Tue Apr 25, 2006 4:09 am Post subject: RV-6A Tail Tie Down |
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Hi Paul,
I made a spectacularly hard landing (cause was failure to fully check out
the effect of a propeller change on my rate of descent - it turned out it
was considerable {:>)) in my RV-6A. It was HARD and I ended up having to
eventually replace both main gear rods). When the bottom unexpectedly fell
out, I did managed to yank the stick back just before impact getting the
nose gear elevated to avoid tucking it under the belly. As a result, the
tail tie down and bottom rudder fairing contacted the runway. The tie-down
was bent back into the fiberglass rudder fairing, the fairing was abraded
where it contacted the runway.
On initial inspection that appeared to be the extent of the damage. After
getting the aircraft into the hangar and upon further inspection I
discovered that the rudder was slightly harder to turn than normal (even
after removing the bent tie down from its embedded position in the rudder
fairing). Upon closer examination, it was clear that the bearing races for
the rudder hinge fittings had been distorted by the impact. The hinge
fitting attached to the vertical stab being of thin 4130 had apparently
flexed under the landing impact but the stiffer end rod fittings attached to
rudder had not. As a result the bearing races had been distorted. The
hinge bolts were now rotating rather than staying fixed I had to replace
all three rudder hinge fittings.
Given that this happened to your friend on a grass strip, the impact was
undoubtedly less severe than mine - but have him check the rudder hinge
bolts to make certain they are not rotating when the rudder is moved.
Ed
Ed Anderson
Rv-6A N494BW Rotary Powered
Matthews, NC
eanderson(at)carolina.rr.com
---
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_________________
Ed Anderson
Rv-6A N494BW Rotary Powered
Matthews, NC
eanderson@carolina.rr.com |
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Mark Phillips in TN
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 431
Location: Columbia, TN
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| Posted: Tue Apr 25, 2006 6:34 am Post subject: RV-6A Tail Tie Down |
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In a message dated 4/24/06 9:02:45 PM Central Daylight Time,
c.ennis(at)insightbb.com writes:
| Quote: | but I would rather spare the tail and lose the ring, and I don't have
to worry about the ring jambing the rudder if I slam it during takeoff.
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I welded a piece of 5/16" or 3/8" stainless steel rod (not sure which size)
about 12" long to a stainless plate that is located in the same location as the
ring mount. The rod is bent aft just below the plate and extends rearward at
a slight downward angle, maybe 20-25 degrees from the rudder bottom.
Originally, I had bent the rear end of it into a loop that I used to tie-down the
rear for the climb test before first flight.
After about 20 hours I cut the loop off with about 5" of the rod remaining
aft of the plate, then fabricated a small clamp out of stainless. It is simply
a rectangular block with a hole near one end that slips over the end of the
"tail skid". A slot is cut from the opposite end of the block to the hole, then
another hole is drilled through ninety degrees from the first- this passes
through the slot. On one side of the slot, the hole is tapped for the same size
tie down ring used for the wings, and the other side of the slot is bored out
to clear the threads. Slip the block over the rod, insert the tie-down ring
on the un-threaded side and screw it in until it clamps down on the rod.
Easily removed and stored in the plane. You have tail protection without risk of
damaging the ring and without the ring hanging in the breeze, I'm sure it gets
me at least .0005 additional knots due to less drag...
I've got some fotoz of this gizmo somewhere, but not on this machine- if the
above description is really confusing I could dig one up and forward...
| Quote: | From The PossumWorks in TN
Mark Phillips - N51PW, almost 300 hours
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From The PossumWorks... |
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dbris200(at)sbcglobal.net
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Apr 25, 2006 7:30 am Post subject: RV-6A Tail Tie Down |
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Van's already has a fix for this problem, it's called a tailwheel....
do not archive (since I'm sure that it's already in there)
Fiveonepw(at)aol.com wrote:
| Quote: |
In a message dated 4/24/06 9:02:45 PM Central Daylight Time,
c.ennis(at)insightbb.com writes:
>but I would rather spare the tail and lose the ring, and I don't have
>to worry about the ring jambing the rudder if I slam it during takeoff.
>
>
I welded a piece of 5/16" or 3/8" stainless steel rod (not sure which size)
about 12" long to a stainless plate that is located in the same location as the
ring mount. The rod is bent aft just below the plate and extends rearward at
a slight downward angle, maybe 20-25 degrees from the rudder bottom.
Originally, I had bent the rear end of it into a loop that I used to tie-down the
rear for the climb test before first flight.
After about 20 hours I cut the loop off with about 5" of the rod remaining
aft of the plate, then fabricated a small clamp out of stainless. It is simply
a rectangular block with a hole near one end that slips over the end of the
"tail skid". A slot is cut from the opposite end of the block to the hole, then
another hole is drilled through ninety degrees from the first- this passes
through the slot. On one side of the slot, the hole is tapped for the same size
tie down ring used for the wings, and the other side of the slot is bored out
to clear the threads. Slip the block over the rod, insert the tie-down ring
on the un-threaded side and screw it in until it clamps down on the rod.
Easily removed and stored in the plane. You have tail protection without risk of
damaging the ring and without the ring hanging in the breeze, I'm sure it gets
me at least .0005 additional knots due to less drag...
I've got some fotoz of this gizmo somewhere, but not on this machine- if the
above description is really confusing I could dig one up and forward...
>From The PossumWorks in TN
Mark Phillips - N51PW, almost 300 hours
|
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