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Elevator Cables??

KJC

FRIEND
Clear Lake, MN
When reinstalling the cables after rebuild, does it matter which side they are on? Hard to tell from the book.
 
I don't know but how ever you make it do a continuity check ( up is up and down is down) before you fly it

Glenn
 
I know of two experienced Cub rebuilders in my area who crashed on their first flight due to reversed elevator cables.
One was killed, the other crippled.
I can kinda see that happening when doing a quick cable replacement,
but I don't know how they didn't happen to catch the mistake at some time during the rebuild.
 
I did a test flight on a 172 or 182 years ago after major structural repairs. rim was hooked up backwards. Let me tell you how hard it is to tell your hands to move a control the "Wrong" way to make the airplane do what you want! The guys in the shop that put the airplane together were chastised that afternoon! Then again, I should have caught it on preflight.
 
I would hope you would do a full control check and taxi check on a full rebuild before taking flight to avoid control reversal issues.
 
I did a test flight on a 172 or 182 years ago after major structural repairs. rim was hooked up backwards. Let me tell you how hard it is to tell your hands to move a control the "Wrong" way to make the airplane do what you want! The guys in the shop that put the airplane together were chastised that afternoon! Then again, I should have caught it on preflight.

Stuff of nightmares! When I got my plane out of annual I think I checked control movement 4 or 5 times. I trust my IA a lot, but I still don't trust anyone that much.
 
I had checked all primary controls, just not the trim


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Good reminder. I read about a couple of commercial Cessna pilots struggling with that before they figured it out. I recall it was a close call for them.
 
Assuming correct continuity a trim system should still be able to help fly if the elevator controls are reversed or unavailable. One check pilot I had required a demonstrated trimmed departure, approach, and landing. Power was adjusted as well to help stabilize. Made me a believer as a last resort.

Rudder can function to level the wings if the dihedral is sufficient and the ailerons not deflected too much. Something to practice to become convinced just in case.
Gary
 
Gentlemen, please read the question again. I’m not talking about reverse deflection of the controls. I’ll make it easier. Does the cable that attaches to the front of the control stick go on the right or left side of the double pulleys as they go aft in the fuselage?
 
Searched for an applicable drawing, and found none. I can't imagine why it should matter, as long as the cables run true in their pulleys. The Exp I'm working on has elevator pulleys per Piper drawings, and it simply doesn't matter, looking at the physical system. Piper Dwg 12237 is the closest I found, but doesn't address the question. http://www.supercubproject.com/drawings/pdfs/A3310148.pdf
 
Up Right, Down Left. Just kidding, that's the way the N numbers go on the wings.

Look in the tail after the two cables come out of the last set of double pulleys. When the cables go to their respective positions do they get close to a diagonal tube (or some other possible interference) when they go one way and not the other? Check full elevator travel as they move up and down a bit. Other than a possible interference, it shouldn't matter.
 
Kevin, I have pondered the same question and don't believe it matters if the up cable is on the left pulley or the right.
 
Thanks everyone. I also believed that it made no difference in a closed loop system. I just wanted to be as detail oriented as possible.
 
Assuming correct continuity a trim system should still be able to help fly if the elevator controls are reversed or unavailable. One check pilot I had required a demonstrated trimmed departure, approach, and landing. Power was adjusted as well to help stabilize. Made me a believer as a last resort.
Rudder can function to level the wings if the dihedral is sufficient and the ailerons not deflected too much. Something to practice to become convinced just in case....

Trim would work if you know about the problem.
Ditto on opposite control input.
But on takeoff? "Hmm, climbing too steeply, push the stick forward" resulting in more nose up.
I think the average person would stall & crash nose down before he even realized what was wrong.
 
Trim would work if you know about the problem.
Ditto on opposite control input.
But on takeoff? "Hmm, climbing too steeply, push the stick forward" resulting in more nose up.
I think the average person would stall & crash nose down before he even realized what was wrong.

Off direct topic, but....that's why the check pilot asked for alternative controls to demonstrate flying the plane. Just something that done once or a few times can become a memory item if things don't go as expected. For example reducing power will lower the nose/adding it can raise it if the reversed elevator situation arises (nothing new there), then let go of the elevator and use trim if it's powerful enough to regain control.

The background to this was I jammed a stout brush branch between the elevator and stabilizer while trapping fur on skis in deep snow in my PA-18A. It hit the stab and slid sideways into the gap. An unlikely event that happened. Made the elevator hard to move and it stayed in a fixed position when released. The more I tried the more distracted I got, so finally I forgot the elevator (I looked back and saw the jammed elevator) and just used the rest of the controls plus power and trim to land on a large lake nearby and remove it. A WTF moment that we revisited later in safer conditions.

Gary
 
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