Comment

Comment by Ian McClelland on April 7, 2011 at 12:47am

Heavy left wing problem solved!!!!

I am pleased to report that I have managed to fix the heavy left wing trim problem I had on the first two flights. On the test flight today the trim tab needed only 1 indicator bar right wing down trim to fly straight and level! What was the problem - I have a double landing light on the right wing. I found the leading edge on that wing was sitting high outboard of the landing light cutout. I had to make a new mini rib to correct the problem. I am really happy the problem has been found. I would not have been happy fitting a fix tab permanently. I now have a 110 Knot high cruise speed.

Comment by Roger Lambert on March 9, 2011 at 7:14am

Your plane may simply be out of rig in the wing by either flap or ailerons. It may also be in the rudder or horizontal stabilizer. The EAA has several articles available to members on rigging an airplane that you may want to check. You may be able to avoid the aerodynamic drag resulting from utilizing large deflection trim tabs to overcome an out of rig situation.

Comment by Ben Knox on March 8, 2011 at 12:19pm

Fly from the right side,see what happens, most likely a heavy right wing

Comment by Mark Ertz on March 6, 2011 at 8:56pm

Jerry L. is correct.  Our 601XLs are W&B senitive.  By your foto you look to weigh in 200lbs range and that left of center, your panel arrangement left of center can cause a heavy left stick.  The easiest test is to add equal weight on the right side.  Do this before you start changing your wing attachment points.  I'm a heavy guy and I use a load of trim and more in slow flight.  Flying alone I burn from the right side tank first.

As you start getting more hours of flying time in your a/c you will start reading the senitives better.  Think first, cut last.  Try to simplest action first, put some weight in that right seat.

Comment by Jerry Bryan on March 6, 2011 at 6:22pm

I installed a electric trim tab on the right wing. The description is in a blog. http://www.zenith.aero/profiles/blogs/750-aileron-trim-tab

Comment by Jerry Latimer on March 6, 2011 at 9:30am

I also have a heavy left wing on my HDS.  I did what Chris Sinfield suggested and loaded 220 lbs of playground sand in the copilot seat and flew the aircraft.  The problem was solved!!  This told me the plane was straight and it was my body weight which is to the left of the center line that was causing the left turning tendency.  Just a side note;  In 12 years of monitoring the Mactronics list no one has had a heavy right wing.

To help the issue I made my aileron trim tab a little larger.  Now I can trim the left turning tendency out so that I can fly the plane hands off.  I also use fuel out of the left tank first. 

I was concerned that the larger trim tab might cause a flutter issue, but I've had the plane up to 170mph true with no flutter issues.

Comment by Roger E Barnes on March 5, 2011 at 9:57pm

i believe it would be an adjustment either up or down at the single bolt rear connection point on the problem side. 

i like Phil's idea of a hand bendable trim tab too.

 

 

 

Comment by Ian McClelland on March 5, 2011 at 1:13pm

Thanks for the ideas! I think I willl have another look with straight edges and a inclinometer to see if I can measure any differences between the two wings and ailerons.

There is an interesting bit of information on the RV web site about the heavy wing problem many of the RV's have and how they solved the problem. The ideas may be transferrable to the 601.

I have installed my dual landing light on the right wing and the trim tab on the left wing.

Comment by Bob McDonald on March 5, 2011 at 7:09am

I usually carry 22 litres of fuel in my right leading edge tank (pumps transfer to header tank) when solo and leave the left wing tank empty. Sometimes I will use the right wing baggage area as a ballast by putting any luggage into it. The other thing you could consider is making a larger trim tab to increase the effect of the tab. When solo with no other fuel in wing tank or baggage locker weight my wing trim is at full deflection and the CH601HD fliesstraight & level. When flown dual the trim is in the centre "neutral" position.

Comment by Chris Sinfield on March 5, 2011 at 5:27am

Ian

Add some weight approx same as you to the passenger side, do a quick circut and see if it makes any difference?

 

Also do you have a landing light, taxi light, aileron trim tab motor all in the LH side..?. It does worry me as I have all them in my LH wing as well..

Any way big congrats on the First Flight... way to go..

Chris

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