Right Rolling tendancies
I am a student pilot, and owner of a 1974 PA28-151. After my last annual ( I believe the rigging was redone) my plane started to roll severely to the right when in flight. Mechanics have since adjusted the flaps several times, somewhat alleviating the problem,and now it still rolls, albeit slower and not as severely. The flaps and ailerons now do not line up. I wonder if anyone else out there has had this problem and appreciate any input!
Comments
If yours flew straight beforehand and lousy after the Annual it was probably screwed up.
back to neutral specs, check to see if any residual roll remains, amd then adjust the flaps tp eliminate the residual
Ok, to answer a few questions. Yes the rudder trim was neutral, until my last flight training session, when the instructor fiddled with it somewhat to adjust for the roll. As far as why it was rerigged, I have no idea, but will ask next time I speak with the mechanic who did so. The log book was endorsed by an appropriately rated pilot (who happened to be renting the aircraft from me for business purposes from time to time so would have no reason "help" the mechanic)...he found it to be fine. When I was transporting it from Canada to Washington, as I did not have a pilot's license I had to hire a Canadian pilot to bring it down with me, and then have a US pilot meet us to carry on to where I am now based. (gotta love bureaucrasy)...Both immediately noted the right roll, as have two instructors, and of course myself.
So, now I am in the midst of two different mechanics trying to sort it out. As there are no more flap adjustments available, the mechanic who rerigged wants everything put back to neutral, which at this time it is not, and to begin at square one. This will probably happen next week, and hopefully I will not have to foot the bill! (Could be a whole shop day!)
Will keep you all posted. I appreciate all your help and any other ideas you may have! Hopefully this will be rectified. I don't need anything else to think about while I am training!!!
Smooth Skies
Flygirl
That's it so far...will post results to this mystery.
> Ok, found out that rerigging was done due to worn
> cables. Also had a comment that possibly someone
> had nudged the wing while it was parked. Now for
> the latest, still under investigation, it seems
> that the wings do not match! Mechanic says there
> is an 11 degree difference in dehedral, and one
> wing has a bolt hole that is standard while the
> other does not! So, it would seem that the whole
> thing was rigged before my annual to compensate
> for this, eliminating the roll. When it was
> rerigged it was done "properly", without
> compensation resulting in right roll.
This almost seems like a joke but today who knows. What mechanic will re-rig an aircraft because of "worn" cables? Does he mean they were tensioned to proper specs? Were they worn (frayed) and replaced? On top of that, what is this about two different wings? How much re- rigging will compensate for this and who in their right mind would sign this monstrosity off?
Well, I have passed on and asked questions of my USA mechanic using all of your responses (tough being a newbie, as this is all a new language for me!)..thanks to everyone.
He is now pouring over old log books. I did inquire re the following. He spoke with the Mechanic in Canada and has told me the following:
Both forward aileron cables were replaced. The plane was rigged to spec, but not with knowledge of the wings differential of, yes, 11 degrees on top of the 7. (oddly, it is NOT noticeable).. As it was rigged to spec, and no correction made for the difference in dihedral the result is the right roll tendancy. This plane did not roll at all previously. I have owned it since March 2008...(I knew nothing about planes previously, or flying, and it just kind of came my way.) It had had a full annual upon purchase, and as it was a US plane being brought to Canada underwent full inspection.
AS for the the spar fittings, I have mentioned it . Now I am waiting for his next verdict, after reading all past mechanical notes.
Thanks to everyone who has helped me along the way with this. I will post results and appreciate any more insight you all may have.
I as well am concerned, but I am by no means an expert or mechanic.
Tom has a good point about having him or another certified POS member take a look.....if you are willing.
If one of the certified POS members takes look as a third party perspective, they may find the root cause. Again, I am NOT disregarding your current mechanic at all.
I think we are just looking out for your well being and safety.
Im not sure how easy it would be to have someone look at your plane at your current location.
-Vic
Since there is no way to adjust dihedral on a PA28, IF the 11 degree excess on one wing is true, then something is BENT; check the carrythrough spar for buckling. IF the 11 degrees is true (and I have some doubts about that) then this plane may require the replacement of the carrythrough structure, spar attachment fittings, and at least one wing. I wonder if the discrepency might be 1.1 degrees rather than 11 ?
jerking our chain
End of test.
Egads! Leigh, I thought you were joking, but it's true!
I will keep you posted when I hear any news..(why would I make this stuff up!?)...I have not flown since reading all these posts! Nervous now.
Going to call up the mechanic right now and check for updates., ( and bolt hole clarification) and go see him next week (hopefully with a savvy mechanical guy!)
Let ya know what happens. Stay tuned.
Flygirl for real
Her wing dihedral isn't off, her aileron differential is.
But it sure has been fun reading all you geniuses debate the impossible.
PilotKris
Her whole plane MUST bent.
> But it sure has been fun reading all you geniuses
> debate the impossible.
>
> PilotKris
PilotKris Wrote:
> You're right Jim, now way her ailerons are out of
> rig (aileron differential out of spec being
> symptomatic).
>
> Her whole plane MUST bent.
Welcome to the debate.
> "I never said her plane was bent"
JimC Wrote:
> "Since there is no way to adjust dihedral on a
> PA28, IF the 11 degree excess on one wing is true,
> then something is BENT; check the carrythrough
> spar for buckling."
Is your plane really bent or was the rigging just out of whack?
PilotKris
I hope you are not knee deep in arguements with your mechanic or...worse knee deep in bills now from this discovery.
We hope is was only rigging and easily fixed with a GOOD rigging.
:-)
Let us know what's cookn on your side!
-Vic