CGRetired

My Feedback: (1)

I had some 'hanger rash' on my Midwest Aerobat that I noticed last week. The horizontal stab was cracked right where it meets the fuselage. There was a nice dent in the leading edge of the stab that looks like I may have accidentally banged it against the door jam or something.

Anyway, I removed the covering and fixed the problem by adding a small piece of 1/8 ply over the area and used epoxy to glue it into place.. used clamps to hold it there.

Well, all looked good, I covered the area and headed out to the field yesterday.

Well, my initial flight was good, but I kept having to add right aileron trim to get it to go straight, it kept going to the left if left hands-off. I finally got it trimmed up ok, but it took much more trim than it ever had. So, I flew it around and ended up going dead-stick as I was setting up my approach. No big deal, those end up being my best landings...

I fueled it up and took it up again. I was flying it around and got it into a flight pattern that had it heading almost directly towards me. That's when I noticed that the horizontal stab did was not parallel with the wing. At first I thought I was seeing things because it was always good and straight so I landed it. When it got on the ground, I took a good look at it and, indeed, it (the horizontal stab) was not straight. It was out of alignment by about 3 or 4 degrees, down on one side.

This was the reason for all the trim. Now, I'm not sure what to do about it. I guess I need to remove the stab and straighten it out, but hey, this thing has a LOT of epoxy back there.

Any suggestions?

DS

2slow2matter

My Feedback: (1)

heat will soften up the epoxy. Take the covering off of the tail feathers, and hit it with the heat gun. Get it hot enough, and that stab should come out. You will be best served by then building a new stab and re-gluing it back in. A hot knife will help get any remaining epoxy off of the stab saddle.

CGRetired

My Feedback: (1)

Thanks. Great suggestion. I love that plane and really want to fix it up right.

Midwest has two allen-cap screws holding the stab in place. The kit comes with the vertical stab already installed. I will have to be very careful when re-installing the horizontal stab so I don't mess up that alignment.

Thanks again. I will give it a try this weekend... that is if we have lousy weather.. if it's nice, I still have my Tiger 60!!

Kaos Rulz

Before removing the whole stab, try heating up the epoxy to the point where you might be able to straighten the stab without removing it. Worth a try. Good luck with it.

CGRetired

My Feedback: (1)

Hi Ed. Another great suggestion. I will give it a shot. Never know!!!

Thanks.

DS.

Pilot Chad

My Feedback: (4)

Dick,
Did you improve any of your landings and do go arounds?

CGRetired

My Feedback: (1)

Hi Chad.

Well, the landings were not a problem, it was the decision to either land or go around that was the problem. That will take some time, as usual, to engrain that in this old pea brain of mine, but yesterday, I had no incidents at all, and every landing was very nice.. even did several go-arounds just to save face..

ds

Pilot Chad

My Feedback: (4)

That's good. I have come to find out that when i store my planes in the garage, hangarrash is not a problem. This might do the same with you. Of course, our garage doesn't have any cars. We just have alot of junk and bikes etc.. and storing in the garage makes it easier to load up everything..

2slow2matter

My Feedback: (1)

go arounds = touch and goes?

Pilot Chad

My Feedback: (4)

Go arounds= Never hitting the ground because the approach is horrible for me..

Most of the time instead of calling landing for my first few tries i call landing approach. It works better.

red head

Dick ---- Those screws are mostly there for people that don't know how to line the stab up or don't want to use glue, You don't have to put them back if you pay attention to lining the stab up when putting it back on. The only reason the screws are in mine is for a place to hook the antenna rubber band. Try the heat gun idea but be carefull you don't get things to warm for too long a time, once you get the stab off you should be able to grind the excess glue off and re glue it straight. NO BIG DEAL. Heck, just jump in, the waters fine and it's a good learning situation. ENJOY !!!!!!!! RED

CGRetired

My Feedback: (1)

Hey Red.. like your attitude .

I was out at the field last night talking to my mentor (instructor and long time pattern pilot and all around great guy) about the problem.

He looked it over and said 'Does it fly after trim?' I said 'Yep, it does'. Then he said, "Well, if you don't want to break it down and fix it, then don't. You have other planes that are straight, fly them!!"

I just don't like looking at it on approach and seeing the misalignment of the horizontal stab with the wing. Other than that, it does indeed fly ok, some times aerobatics are crooked, but hey, that is more me than the plane.. .

But I have taken note of your advice and suggestion. I may fix it and I may not. Depends. As I said, it flys.. and if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

2Slow... on approach, a go-around is adding throttle and not landing vs landing. In my case, as I stated in a previous post, was that I would force the landing in spite of the fact that I should have 'gone around' and not landed. I bent my plane doing that and I realized it when it was to late.

Chad.. I don't HAVE a garage.. I have a town-house with a junk room that is getting more and more cluttered..[X(] but with airplane stuff

britbrat

-- croocked --- Hmmmm, you sound like a sport pilot! [8D] Is there any other way to do aerobatics?

CGRetired

My Feedback: (1)

Hi Brit.. ha.. man, are you right on with that statement. I guess I expect straight to be straight, but who knows, right? And, who is watching!!! But, I hope, some day, to move into the Sportsman Pattern and straight becomes an issue. But, for now, anything that resembles a stall turn is ok with me!

DS

red head

DICK ---- Maybe having a crooked tail on the AEROBAT will force you to make corrections, then when you fly something else you will automatically make corrections and the judges won't see what you did because it was natural. ANYWAY, ENJOY !!!!! RED