KR> Gap between counterweight
Faughn's counterweights were probably twice the weight they needed to be. The weights were essentially rectangular blocks from the front of the arm almost all the way back to the hinge point. You can make your weight much lighter if you concentrate the majority of the lead at the point furthest from the hinge point. When I redid the weights on my plane I used clay or carved balsa wood (long time, can't remember) to make the teardrop shape I wanted then I used it to make two female molds out of plaster of paris which were used to cast the lead weights in the shape I wanted. Bake the plaster of paris to remove all the moisture first so it does not break when the hot lead is poured in. I melted the lead on my stove inside cat food cans. Not a good idea to melt lead using your cooking pots. I think my gap was something like 1/8 to 1/4". Original Message Subject: Re: KR> Gap between counterweight From: "Jeff Scott" List-Post: krnet@list.krnet.org Date: Wed, March 26, 2014 12:11 pm To: "KRnet" Addionally, I think many of us remember Jim Faughn losing an aileron counterweight while doing a fast pass at the gathering many years ago in Red Oak. Apparently the aluminum L bracket fatigued and failed. There was a recommendation to change to a steel L bracket after there. I never did and at 1000+ hrs, still have the original weights in the original place. Any discussion on the L brackets for the Aileron Counterweights? -Jeff Scott Los Alamos, NM
KR> Gap between counterweight
I have never scrutinized the plans that closely to notice where on the arm the weights are supposed to be attached but years ago when I used to fly with a friend in his KR2 ZS-WEC, his weights were in fact airfoil shaped like mini wings and acted almost like spades in aerobatic planes it handled like one too). In hind sight this was/is an accident waiting to happen. The chances of a bird hitting exactly there are slim but too high for me. I will be making some kind of plan to ensure nothing can get into that gap from the front. Regards Dene Collett www.denecollett.com -Original Message- From: KRnet [mailto:krnet-bounces at list.krnet.org] On Behalf Of Jeff Scott Sent: 26 March, 2014 9:12 PM To: KRnet Subject: Re: KR> Gap between counterweight Excellent point Dene. I noticed that many builders put their counterweights below the counterweight arm so in normal cruise it is just below the wing skin in the air stream and the recess for the counterweight is open when the aileron is fully deflected up.
KR> Gap between counterweight
N56ML's ailerons are balanced across the entire nose, by filling a 4130 tube with lead, then hogging out the nose foam with a dull spade bit, slathering it up with epoxy and micro, and then encapsulating it in place with carbon fiber on the ends. I guess I did that in such a hurry (it was way too easy) I didn't even get a picture of it, but you can see the pink foam in the nose where I put it at http://www.n56ml.com/99101051.jpg. My arrangement weighs a little more than the KR "plans" method because of the shorter moment arm, but I don't have a gap there to produce drag all the time either, and no way is the weight going to fall off and cause flutter! This picture also shows my rather large split flaps, as well as end-plate template that shows a more tapered aileron...the I didn't build either. There's a lot more on my outer wings at http://www.n56ml.com/owings.html ... Mark Langford ML at N56ML.com website at http://www.N56ML.com
KR> Gap between counterweight
Kr friends. I was wondering how many space you all have between the counterweight And the egde of the hole in the aft of the aft spar. To prevent a aileron jam I am thinking about 10 mm space around it. Wat do you guys have ? Thanks Stef. -- Steph and his dad are building the KR-2S see http://www.masttotaalconcept.nl/kr2
KR> Gap between counterweight
Excellent point Dene. ?I noticed that many builders put their counterweights below the counterweight arm so in normal cruise it is just below the wing skin in the air stream and the recess for the counterweight is open when the aileron is fully deflected up. ?I put my counterweights on top of the counterweight arm so it is always inside the wing and only comes partially out of the pocket it's in when the aileron is fully deflected, but never leaves a gap something could fly into. ? To be perfectly honest, I don't recall whether the plans called for the weight to be on top or under the counterweight arm, and I wasn't real big on following the plans anyway. ?(They were more of a suggestion to me than a plan.) ?So just for discussion, how did others mount their counterweights? ?And why? Addionally, I think many of us remember Jim Faughn losing an aileron counterweight while doing a fast pass at the gathering many years ago in Red Oak. ?Apparently the aluminum L bracket fatigued and failed. ?There was a recommendation to change to a steel L bracket after there. ?I never did and at 1000+ hrs, still have the original weights in the original place. ?Any discussion on the L brackets for the Aileron Counterweights? -Jeff Scott Los Alamos, NM > - Original Message - > From: Dene > Sent: 03/26/14 12:30 PM > To: 'KRnet' > Subject: Re: KR> Gap between counterweight > > Hi Sid > I personally think that covering that gap is a good thing from a safety > point of view. > We recently had a KR go down killing its occupant and the only clue they > could find was a dead bird on the runway. > It is assumed that the bird went into the gap between the wing and the > counter balance arm, jamming the aileron in the up position. The plane > apparently rolled violently and pitched down just after takeoff. > I believe the pilot managed to get it level before impact but the plane was > destroyed. > I had ideas of placing a "knife" in front of and in line with that arm. > > Regards > Dene Collett > www.denecollett.com
KR> Gap between counterweight
The gap around the aileron counter weight on my KR-2 is 1/4-inch at the closest point where the weight comes through the wing skin. The arm goes through the middle of the trailing aux spar; closest clearance on the arm is 1/8-inch. The counter weights are flatter and wider than the plans to keep more inside the upper and lower skins. On the bottom skin I put a small fairing to cover the hole on each wing. The fairings are just big enough to permit the counter weight to go past the bottom skin line and not contact the fairing during full aileron deflection ( plus 10, minus 20 degrees). Clearance at full deflection is 1/8-inch. A 1/8-inch hole in the bottom of the fairing allows water to drain. My thought was a fairing sticking out would be better than a gapping hole as far as aerodynamic streamlining. Don't know if the drain holes whistle. BTW the F-18 models E,F & G have a series of several hundred open small holes around the perimeter of the jet engine air inlets. If you are curious why, contact me off-line. Sid Wood Tri-gear KR-2 N6242 Mechanicsville, MD, USA > Kr friends. > I was wondering how many space you all have between the counterweight And > the egde of the hole in the aft of the aft spar. To prevent a aileron jam > I am thinking about 10 mm space around it. > Wat do you guys have ? > Thanks > > Stef. > --
KR> Gap between counterweight
That should be more than adequate. ?I haven't looked at mine in a number of years, but doubt that I have that much clearance. ?Just satisfy yourself that the counterweight can not touch or bind under any circumstances. BTW, your construction work looks really nice. ?Love the work on your wing tips. -Jeff Scott Los Alamos, NM > - Original Message - > From: stefkr2 at kpnmail.nl > Sent: 03/26/14 08:36 AM > To: Kr net Kr net > Subject: KR> Gap between counterweight > > Kr friends. > I was wondering how many space you all have between the counterweight And the > egde of the hole in the aft of the aft spar. To prevent a aileron jam I am > thinking about 10 mm space around it. > Wat do you guys have ? > Thanks > > Stef. > -- > Steph and his dad are building the KR-2S see > http://www.masttotaalconcept.nl/kr2
