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Old 10-13-2006, 06:55 AM
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CGRetired
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Default RE: In flight CA hinge failure...

One thing I didn't see in any replies (may have missed it) but double applications of CA can and will cause failure. The failure in the picture looks like the CA hinge 'tore' away from the joint, not pulled out from the balsa that it was set into. Double applications of CA can result if you put one side of the hinge in ( let's say you put it in the vertical stab ) and let it set. Then apply CA then attach the other side of the control surface, in this case, the Rudder and let that set too.

This is a double application of CA and is probably going to fail. I saw this myself with my Tiger 60 aileron a while back.

I was not aware of this double application of CA and, for simplicity sake, and because I didn't know better, I put the hinge in the wing TE and applied glue then mounted the ailerons and applied glue again. Not good. After several flights, I noticed that the ailerons were beginning to get 'loose' or flex when pressure was applied. My flight instructor asked me a few questions and it came out that I had applied CA twice to the hinges. We took the ailerons apart, and re-hinged it, this time correctly. The old hinges were loose in their slots and were ready to pull out. One actually broke or tore like the picture above.

That does not mean that this was the cause of the failure, it appears that flutter may have taken it's toll by tearing as mentioned above. But dual glue applications can and will make the hinges brittle and prone to failure.

DS