Elevator Travel

[whee]

I'm working on setting my elevator travel on my 4-place. The up stop was welded in my the previous builder and stops the elevator at 27*. Cutting out the stop is doable but won't be a simple task. Will I miss that last 3* of travel?

[JimParker256]

Only if you REALLY need it sometime... Can you maybe file it or grind it down?

[whee]

Yeah, I got to thinking last night and wondered why I even asked this question; of course I want to get the full 30*. I must have been feeling lazy.

The stop needs to be moved 3/32" and I think I can come up with a solution that won't compromise any strength.

Thanks for the reply Jim

[Av8rPaul]

I was wondering thinking about about your longer fuselage and if maybe the original owner purposely decreased the travel?

[whee]

I was wondering thinking about about your longer fuselage and if maybe the original owner purposely decreased the travel?

It is possible but I doubt it. He didn't have the empennage so he had no way of setting it that exactly. I figure he positioned the up stop off the drawing. Since I used factory tail surfaces things had to be adjusted just a little.

[Bdflies]

"Stretched fuselage"? Forgive me, since I've obviously missed something. Tell me more about the stretched fuselage. Or, refer me to a thread discussing such.

Bill

[whee]

One of the jigs that was made to build BHs was made 2" longer to "improve" ground handling. The builder of my fuselage used this jig.

[Bdflies]

I see! One of my best buddies built a Bearhawk, several years ago. Before he sold it, I got several hours PIC in it. I was completely comfortable with the ground handling, but felt that it was just a bit pitch sensitive, at low speeds. Nothing terrible, mind you, so don't everyone start piling on about my criticism. Nicely balanced in cruise flight, but very light elevator when slow. When my buddy started talking about building another Bearhawk, I told him it would fly better (in my opinion) if it were a bit longer. Well, Ron is building another 4 place quick build and we understand that the airfoil shaped horizontal surfaces fixed the sensitivity. Or, maybe it was just me...
When I saw mention of yours being 'stretched', my first thought that you're going to have a great flying plane!

[Av8rPaul]

Roger. Looking forward to seeing your plane fly. The stretched Super Bear. :-)

[Wayne Massey]

I would take the time to correct it to 30 degrees now rather than chance wishing you'd done it later. In forward C.G. flight you will want all the elevator you can get for 3-point full stall landings. I use all 30 degrees full up elevator every time with significant nose up trim unless I'm doing wheel landings...

[whee]

I agree. It's fixed.

[marcusofcotton]

I use all 30 degrees full up elevator every time with significant nose up trim unless I'm doing wheel landings...

Trusting you realize that you'll have more up elevator authority at neutral or nose down trim, even though you have to pull harder. Some don't realize that...

Sounds like vortex generators under the Hstab are a good idea (at least on some).

[Wayne Massey]

Technically that is correct - I just prefer the feel of a light stick at a full flare stall. Go-arounds in that configuration can be a handful! :-)

[Mark Moyle]

Assembling the horizontal stabilizer and elevator…logged in today for the first time in…..years. Couldn’t recall the elevator deflection angles up and down… I’m way off.. loads down, didn’t bother to get the angle…but up is only 15 degrees… will have to move the up travel stop tube forward a bit to achieve to 30 degrees up… Don’t think my Pacer comes close to that which is why I went with the larger PA18 tail and VG’s on the bottom side of the horizontal stabilizers. It has gobbs of elevator authority even at forward CG with just me and no baggage….now if I can learn to see snow drifts when landing at night…grumble grumble…

[Mark Goldberg]

Mark - current plans show 35 degrees up deflection of elevators. So you might want to try to get closer to that. Mark

[Mark Moyle]

Thanks Mark

[alaskabearhawk]

The control horn on the elevator is offset, it’s not a 90 deg angle to the spar. Do you maybe have it installed backwards? In other words flip the left elevator over to the right side?

[Mark Moyle]

The control horn on the elevator is offset, it’s not a 90 deg angle to the spar. Do you maybe have it installed backwards? In other words flip the left elevator over to the right side?

Thanks Paul. These are Avipro parts. The trim tabs haven’t been cut loose from the trailing edge yet…..so only one way these will go one way. Wish this forum was on taptalk!