aerobatics question

May 15, 2004 11 Replies

I have an edge 540 with a few flights on it. I am having a problem with a horizontal 8. On the first down line when I give down elevator to start the second loop, it wants to roll out of inverted. It rolls to the same direction all the time. However, on a reverse outside loop, it shows no tendency to roll out. Any ideas as to what may be causing this? Thanks.



John VB


On 5/15/2004 8:33 AM Ted shuffled out of his cave and grunted these great (and sometimes not so great) words of knowledge:

Check the horizontal stab, control surfaces and ailerons to see if they have any flex in them. It sounds like one of the control surfaces may be cracked allowing it to flex in one direction, but not the other.

Hope this helps.

may be too much down elevator throw and it is snap rolling. Most of the Extra type aircraft are prone to this. You would usually notice it upright too but try giving it less down. program in less down than up elevator if you have a computer radio. Probably the reason it rolls the same direction all the time is due to torque.

Thanks for the reply. I have minimal elevator throws. It is very sensitive to elevator so very little throw is needed. It is not a snap, but just rolls out of it. I can correct it using ailerons, but shouldn't have to.

John VB

Good thought. All surfaces appear to be ok. The aileron gaps are sealed. I have equal throws in both elevator halves. I need to get some more stick time to try and diagnose exactly what is going on.

John VB

A overly sensitive elevator sometimes indicates the CG is too far aft.

Happy Flying,

Mike

Also look for a heavy wing. Lateral balance is very important to earobatic flight. With a heavy wing, you will have trimmed the plane for straight flight when upright. Inverted will exaggerate the imbalance.

sounds a bit on the tailheavy side.

Have you looked at the NSRCA trimming chart ?

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Cheers, Fred McClellan The House Of Balsa Dust home.mindspring.com/~the-plumber

Yes I have. Looks like I need to work through it with this plane.

John VB

That's a good thought. I checked the lateral balance a while back and it was ok. I think I will check it again.

John VB

I think the cg is ok. It is where the manufacuturer recommends it. I should have stated that the elevator is more sensitive than the other planes I fly. You don't need a whole lot of elevator to fly it. I've had a couple of dead sticks and it will slow down really nice with no bad habits.

John VB

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