Saratoga water ingress rudder/empennage

marioair

there's a gap where the rudder meets the fuselage. water gets into the tail from here when it rains. there are drain holes but the water drips all over the rudder and a/p cables and the servos. Is this normal? should the junction between the rudder and the fuselage be sealed?

Scott Sherer

Hi Mario,

We're going to need pics to figure this one out. Any chance you can get them?

marioair

It’s where the rudder fairing meets the body of the aircraft. There’s a gap running along it

Scott Sherer

Here are pictures of the tail on my Seneca 2 before I painted it. It has a rubber seal under the rudder. Methinks you're missing the seal.

marioair

Yeah I was trying to figure out if it should have a seal or not. Suppose I’ll have to get a parts manual and find out?

On your photo, the fairing that’s just fore of the seal - that has the PIPER logo on it. That doesn’t have a seal. Is it sealed at all with putty or sealant? I think that’s where the waters also getting in.

Scott Sherer

I have never had any water come in there (30 years of Seneca ownership). I'll check my Arrow next time I see it and see what's on there.

marioair

Thanks.

We were trying to find the leak. When we spray it with a water hose it pours into the tail. Can’t see what we under the dorsal fin hence don’t know if water is getting in under there or just running further back to where the rudder hinges - as there’s a large opening there into the tail

marioair

Difficult to show but if you can see the spar/rib behind the blower/fan. That’s where the water is coming in

Scott Sherer

I think there's a water drain hose back there if memory serves. You're probably going to find the problem but I think you definitely need rubber seal under the rudder.