super decathlon turns right

P

pilotpje

Filing Flight Plan
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I have a 1998 Super D that flies to the right. I fly aerobatics, mostly maneuvers that are in the IAC sportsman catagory. The controls are free with no binding in any position. I noticed that the distance from the bottom of the wing to the top of the spade is different from the rs to the ls. Nothing appears to be over stressed from the outside and inside the wings thru the inspection covers shows no issues. Any ideas ?:confused:
 
When you say turning right, I assume you're saying you have a heavy wing? Are there yaw issues as well? You won't know if it's a spade issue unless you fly it without the spades. All that being said, I don't know much about rigging a Decathlon. You want it to fly straight hands off without the spades, then install the spades and shim the spades if needed to make it fly hands off with them installed as well.
 
Not being a aerobatic flier, what do the spades do? Same with the thing triangle looking things
 
First question is whether it stalls and spins OK, both directions. If so, then wing rigging is probably OK but, as RoscoeT suggests, checking the behaviour without spades and the wing rigging is always the place to start.

Not sure what pilotpje means about "flies to the right"? You mean: let go of the stick and it rolls right? If so, then spades can be rigged to fix that regardless (i.e. easy enough to check wing rigging sometime and revisit spade trim).
 
To do it correctly, first remove the spades. Next step is to check all flying surfaces are correctly rigged, as well as the wings. Fly the airplane, make small adjustments as necessary . Once that's done reinstall spades and correctly rig them, fly and adjust.
 
RotorAndWing said:
To do it correctly, first remove the spades. Next step is to check all flying surfaces are correctly rigged, as well as the wings. Fly the airplane, make small adjustments as necessary . Once that's done reinstall spades and correctly rig them, fly and adjust.
Click to expand...

Exactly this...I've seen a super D that wouldn't hold wings level for more than 5 seconds before it started working its way to knife edge in short order. Guy took the spades off, chucked them in the back and the plane flew hands off.

Evidently there was one extra spacer/washer on one of the spade assemblies. :dunno:
 
I flew my decathlon without spades . It went left this time. American Champion said the angle of incidence should be checked and corrected if off. Are special fixtures needed to check this
 
My Stearman did this. Took it to an excellent mechanic who......jumped in it, flew it up over the airport , banked it, etc. landed , took two wrenches, adjusted the wing nuts at the n struts, as I recall, flew it again , adjusted it again , flew it and said...." Fixed". Took about half an hour, no charge.
 
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