Control stick/aileron travel

[gregc]

More experienced builders would probably have realized this quickly but I didn't so I decided to post this in case it saves someone some time. I spent all day adjusting, checking and re-checking my ailerons prior to finishing the cable ends. The Companion plans call for 23 degrees up and 17 down. I realized pretty quickly that I didn't have 40 in total, I had about 37. It seemed that the control stick throw was the limiting factor but I didn't think much about it and I forged ahead figuring that I would make sure I had the right ratio of up to down. It was time consuming to try to get everything perfect. Having spent a lot of time to get it optimized I then looked at the control stick and made the tiny chamfer you can see in the picture. Voila! 41+ degrees and easy to get 23/17. Definitely should have done that first!

control_stick.jpg

[AKKen07]

I had to do the same thing to a greater degree to make sure the stick(s) doesn’t (don’t) contact there.

[svyolo]

I am rigging the ailerons now. I knew the stick constrained the ailerons. The elevators are constrained by mechanical stops at the tail. The rudders as well. There are bolts welded to the rudder post to act as mechanical stops. The ailerons will go a little more than 23 degrees up before they bind in the aileron pocket, but a lot more than 17 degrees down. The stick is the limiting factor.

[svyolo]

The ailerons have physical contact with the aileron pocket at a few degrees more than 23 up, a lot more than 17 down. I am a bit confused. But a few measurements make me think I need to clearance the stick assembly to achieve either of those.

[AKKen07]

Well... when I went through all the rigamarole of rigging the ailerons I ran into a problem with contact at that point. Mark really helped me work through getting everything set up. One issue that I had to figure out was that physical contact and getting it clear was important to getting everything else set up correctly. I don't want to sound like the expert that I am not - but I am confident on that point. I can't be sure without being there to work with you on your setup but I would bet you can fix your interference at the pocket by adjusting the turnbuckles in your system.

[svyolo]

23/17 I have no aileron contact with the pocket, not even close. To that movement, movement is free and clear. Factory jigs. I disconnected the pushrod before I did all this. I will put them back on tomorrow morning to see if that effects things. The wings are not on at this point, but I recorded measurements a year ago when they were on.

The pushrod might be a limit, but it would be very difficult to get the geometry right for it to constrain movement in both directions. I don't know for sure, but I think it is done with the stick assembly.

The 23/17 differential is done by the offset in the control horn, by design.

[noema]

Same on the Patrol with elevator back, the stick did not have full range without nibbing off a bit of the torque tube assembly.

[svyolo]

Wel,l I was wrong. I do need to remove some material from my stick, but the ailerons pushrod/hinge acts as a positive stop at about 23-24 degrees up, But not down. Only looking at one aileron at a time, I wasn't smart enough to realize that the two move opposite, and the up lock acts as a down stop for the opposite side.

[Nev]

I did the same today and added 2° range to the ailerons to give the full 40°. This was something that was checked this afternoon during the 100 hour/annual inspection. I'm pleased to say it went well.

[svyolo]

I may add some thin tubing to the hinge tube to act as a bumper.