List Activity

[derbaier]

Wow, about 25 messages in the last two days!
When I first became interested in the ThunderGull and searched out
this list, I got a little disappointed that there was not more
traffic. I began to wonder if interest in the ThunderGull was dying
out, and if I was interested in the wrong plane. On some of the
other lists that I am on there seems to be a lot of talk about
building problems, maintenance difficulties, performance problems, or
modifications to make up for performance issues. There is usually
positive talk too, but it seems like the search for problem solutions
is what keeps many lists going. After reading 25 messages here in the
last two days, it seems more like the folks here are just happy with
their planes and don't have much in the way of problems to discuss?

I really hope that I am interpreting the usual silence on this list
correctly?

Regards!
--Dave

[george@t...]

Yup. Happy with mine. Although I'm glad JD mentioned on another list his
Titans tendency to want to roll right or left. I don't remember which. Mine
has a tendency to want to roll left. His solution was to mess slightly with
the center position of the ailerons. Interesting option. Mark told me to put
some backing on the flap so that it can't be fully in the up position on the
left side to counteract the roll. I think I like the idea of just giving it
a just little right aileron roll when the stick is in the center position.

Nope. now that I think about it. Mark is right. Just goose the left flap a
little. there's no way to add a little right roll, without adding pressure
to the stick. I don't know what JD is thinking. His idea won't work. I guess
the left side of my wing is just a little heavier than the right side. Don't
ask me why... :-)

George

[derbaier]

Yup, I saw JD's post on the Titan list too. Both the Titan and the
ThunderGull seem to have a very similar wing design? Since I have
not built one yet, I am just thinking out loud, but is it possible
that during construction that the wing could get built slightly out
of square with the fuselage, or with a slightly different washout on
one side compared to the other? For what it's worth, I think that you
are on the right track with shimming the flap just a bit. If there is
any torque on the ailerons, the stick is just going to "feel"
centered in a different position, I would think.

Regards,
--Dave

[Jim C]

I got the same issue, but the controls are so light I hardly notice
it. When smooth out and flying hands off I sometimes have to put a
little pressure on the rudder, once again very light. I had also
thought about a light bungee cord to one side like I use to do with
the Challenger rudder pedals and tail, but I never really thought it
was that bad where I really needed to do that with the lightness of
the Gull controls, so I never did that. I never thought about the
flap thingy. That may be an idead to think about.

Jim

[J.D. Stewart]

> Yup. Happy with mine. Although I'm glad JD mentioned on another list his
> Titans tendency to want to roll right or left. I don't remember
> which.

Left.

> Mine has a tendency to want to roll left. His solution was to mess
> slightly with
> the center position of the ailerons.

You must be thinking of someone else. My solution at the time was to adjust
the aileron spades slightly.

> Interesting option. Mark told me to put
> some backing on the flap so that it can't be fully in the up
> position on the
> left side to counteract the roll. I think I like the idea of just
> giving it
> a just little right aileron roll when the stick is in the center position..
>
> Nope. now that I think about it. Mark is right. Just goose the left flap a
> little. there's no way to add a little right roll, without adding pressure
> to the stick. I don't know what JD is thinking. His idea won't
> work.

Not the one you said I came up with. The one thing I did find is that the
right flap was a half-degree lower than the left. I haven't flown it yet,
but I'm thinking that might be enough for my left roll. I'll find out soon..
If it still rolls, then an adjustment of the spades will do it.

J.D. Stewart
UltraFun AirSports
http://www.ultrafunairsports.com
Challenger Owners E-mail list and Website Administrator
http://challenger.inebraska.com

[J.D. Stewart]

Both sides of the wing are at 2.1 degrees, as the manual specifies.

J.D.

[Jim C]

JD - I'd be curious how that worked out - if it fixed the problem. I
may need to check the flaps to see if my right one is a bit lower or
not. My turn to the left is very minimal, but I do have one as
well. It hasn't been something I've really worried about at all
since it has been so very slight.

Jim C

[J.D. Stewart]

I got done around 9 last night, so there wasn't time to take her up for a
spin. Maybe tonight. I got the flap stops in last night also, so there
will be a definate stopping point when they're retracted.
The Gull or Odyssey both were close to the top of the list when I decided
on my current plane.

J.D.

PS. The whole building process is at
http://www.ultrafunairsports.com/titanbuild.htm

[george@t...]

JD,

What are aileron spades? Is it something like a trim tab?

George

[george@t...]

JD,

Are you saying that when the stick is in the center position, that you are
actually a half a degree of right aileron. Because the way I read it, then
that wouldn't make any difference when the stick was hands off. You would
still have a roll wouldn't you?

See, my situation is that I have a slight roll left when I'm hands off. It
doesn't matter what position the stick is in. It's in whatever position it
naturally wants to be in, but it still wants to roll left. It's only
slightly, but it's annoying if I want to really fly hands off.

George