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Aileron flutter

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rickofudall

Joined: 19 Sep 2009
Posts: 1392
Location: Udall, KS, USA

Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2010 9:06 am Post subject: Aileron flutter

Greg, Let me add my voice to those advising you to get the aileron counterbalance kit from Kolb and install it before doing any further flying. I, too, am the voice of experience on the subject. I encountered it on my first flight in my Kolb Mk IIIC as a lazy wagging of the ailerons at low cruise speed. It seemed controlable with the stick and I let it go. Two days later I did a higher speed pass down the runway for a video and the lazy wagging became a violent buzz. I pulled up, landed, and called Travis. Once the counter weights were on I verified that the aircraft can be flown up to redline airspeed without the onset of flutter.  DO NOT put this off. Ground your airplane, get the counter weights and install before further flight. PLEASE. It really is a matter of life and death.

While you are at it, check all hinges, rod end bearings, bell cranks, holes and bolts in the aileron control circuit. If it happened to you, it most likely happened to the previous owner, too. If any of these parts show slack, wear, or movement in ways that are not intended repair / replace as required. Parts are cheap, funerals aren't.

  Looking forward to years of Kolb flying stories from you.

Rick Girard

-- 

Zulu Delta

Kolb Mk IIIC

582 Gray head

4.00 C gearbox

 3 blade WD

Thanks, Homer GBYM

 



It is not bigotry to be certain we are right; but it is bigotry to be unable to imagine how we might possibly have gone wrong.

   - G.K. Chesterton



 

 

  [quote][b]

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Richard Pike

Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 1671
Location: Blountville, Tennessee

Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 7:15 pm Post subject: Re: Aileron flutter

Since I couldn't see the original from Greg, this is sort of a shot in the dark, but if there is flutter - fix it. 



I have an adjustable aileron trim tab on the right wing, and at 88 mph indicated, the right wingtip would disappear into a blur. Knowing that was not good, I got the aileron counterbalance kit from Kolb and the blur went away permanently. Peace of mind increased exponentially.



Then there was the matter of the rudder flutter, take your feet off the rudder pedals and they would start to shuffle and the tail would start to wig-wag. Got Vince to follow me to see what it looked like in flight, and his immediate comment over the radio "Don't know what you are doing, but you better make it quit - your boom tube looks like a sine wave."



Short version - flutter or control surface misbehavior for any reason is totally unacceptable: fix it.  Unless your next-of-kin is really into slow cars and sad music...



Richard Pike

MKIII N420P (420ldPoops)

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Thom Riddle

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1597
Location: Buffalo, NY, USA (9G0)

Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2010 4:33 am Post subject: Re: Aileron flutter

Richard,



"Slow cars and sad music". what a wonderfully clear way to make a point!



do not archive

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Thom Riddle
Buffalo, NY (9G0)

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