Rudder Questions

NealRomeoGolf

NealRomeoGolf

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Couple of questions if you'll pardon my ignorance.

What is the "stinger" on the rudder? Context is "removed stinger and rudder top cap."
If someone said they removed the rudder to access the aft bulkhead upper rivets, can you point out to me where that would be in the below diagram (this is a Piper PA32).

Thank you in advance for helping me resolve my ignorance.

rudder.JPG
 
I think it probably is slang for the VOR antennas coming out of the side of the cap on the vertical stabilizer.
 
Id call the aft bulkhead the part circled in purple, probably talking the rivets that hold that bottom rudder hinge to it, but wthdik? I believe stinger is a colloquial term for the tailcone.

rudder~2.JPG
 
Might be right. Then they said "installed rudder, rudder cap and tail cone." They didn't say they reinstalled the stinger.

But if the tail cone is covering up the rivets in question, how would they know they had an issue if the tail cone was installed at the time?
 
NealRomeoGolf said:
Context is "removed stinger and rudder top cap."
Click to expand...
Unfortunately slang terms can be very specific to region. The only stinger I know of is a tailskid on helicopters. While the use of "bulkhead" would typically indicated the area as shown above, I fail to understand why they took the top cap off to remove the rudder. Unless they were working 2 different issues. Maybe they were looking at some upper rivets on vertical fin aft spar and thought they could get to them with the top cap off?? Then pulled the tailcone and rudder? Did it mention why on the rivets?
 
Standard Aircraft Terminology:

Windshield - Windscreen

Earthing - Grounding

Airscrew - Propeller - Fan ( keeps Pilot cool unless it stops turning)

Springbox - Master Cylinder

Nutcracker - Torque Links

Electrical Accumulator - battery
 
Bell206 said:
Unfortunately slang terms can be very specific to region. The only stinger I know of is a tailskid on helicopters. While the use of "bulkhead" would typically indicated the area as shown above, I fail to understand why they took the top cap off to remove the rudder. Unless they were working 2 different issues. Maybe they were looking at some upper rivets on vertical fin aft spar and thought they could get to them with the top cap off?? Then pulled the tailcone and rudder? Did it mention why on the rivets?
Click to expand...
Said the rivets were smoking. Said they were too short and replaced them with proper rivets.
 
NealRomeoGolf said:
Might be right. Then they said "installed rudder, rudder cap and tail cone." They didn't say they reinstalled the stinger.

But if the tail cone is covering up the rivets in question, how would they know they had an issue if the tail cone was installed at the time?
Click to expand...
How indeed? Especially when they were working on the front landing gear....

Fwiw I believe you can see that hinge with the tailcone installed. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that they were checking the rigging after taking the steering rods off. Not on a fishing expedition/"not an annual" free 40 point vehicle inspection.
 
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When rigging the nose gear steering rods the Rudder must be addressed also.

With solid rods the Rudder should hit the stop when the Nose Gear is about

.060 in from Nose Gear stop. This is to reduce stretching of the Rudder Cables

and possibly damaging the Rudder itself.


“ Stinger” removal would be helpfu.

Was there a Previous Repair?

Otherwise: how did rivets get short?

Factory?
 
I did a Google search. A ‘stinger’ comes up as a car, cocktail, and a missile, then eventually that of a bee or wasp.

A rudder? For use on takeoff, climb out, then landing in a cross wind??
 
Your diagrams don't show what I believe your mechanic is referring to as the aft bulkhead. I have a disassembled fuselage at the shop. I will take a picture of the bulkhead and rivets for you tomorrow. Possible that mechanic noticed loose rivet head (visible with tail cone on), but tail cone had to be removed to get access to both sides of the rivet.
 
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Bell206 said:
Unfortunately slang terms can be very specific to region. The only stinger I know of is a tailskid on helicopters. While the use of "bulkhead" would typically indicated the area as shown above, I fail to understand why they took the top cap off to remove the rudder. Unless they were working 2 different issues. Maybe they were looking at some upper rivets on vertical fin aft spar and thought they could get to them with the top cap off?? Then pulled the tailcone and rudder? Did it mention why on the rivets?
Click to expand...

I would imagine they took the top cap off in order to disconnect the rear nav light and/or wiring harness in order to remove the rudder.
 
NealRomeoGolf said:
Said the rivets were smoking. Said they were too short and replaced them with proper rivets.
Click to expand...
Smoking is the black ring from friction that shows around rivets that are loose and vibrating. Here is a pic of a PA32 aft bulkhead and the rivet line for the bulkhead. The rivets are visible with the tail cone on. Tail cone & anything else in the way would have to be removed to replace any suspect rivets in order to hold a bucking bar on the backside.

Afte bulkhead.jpg
 
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In my log books it mentions that the mechanic removed a doober from the static system. I have no idea how that got in there.
 
flyingron said:
In my log books it mentions that the mechanic removed a doober from the static system. I have no idea how that got in there.
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I am assuming your mechanic meant dauber. Those mud daubers get into the tiniest spots. They love fuel vent tubes, static lines, and pitot tubes.
 
They ended up being the 4 rivets at the bottom of the vertical stab. I went back to looks at some pictures (I don't get a lot of pics with my tail) and I guess I could see some smoking. I guess I should get some touchup paint and cover these?

20230213_164113.jpg
 
NealRomeoGolf said:
They ended up being the 4 rivets at the bottom of the vertical stab. I went back to looks at some pictures (I don't get a lot of pics with my tail) and I guess I could see some smoking. I guess I should get some touchup paint and cover these?

View attachment 114945
Click to expand...
Either that or polish the rest of the plane.
 
NealRomeoGolf said:
They ended up being the 4 rivets at the bottom of the vertical stab. I went back to looks at some pictures (I don't get a lot of pics with my tail) and I guess I could see some smoking. I guess I should get some touchup paint and cover these?
Click to expand...
Those rivets are easy to change because a rivet squeezer can be used instead of bucking them. The correct term is not a rear bulkhead though. Piper calls that the rear fin spar. Touch up with zinc chromate primer first, then paint.
 
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