2005 Masters maneuver #4 - Warning

[John Pavlick]

How about a Tiporare or Curare? They'll easily make the current weight
limit, even if they're a little bit "over-built"...
John Pavlick
http://www.idseng.com


  -----Original Message-----
  From: discussion-request at nsrca.org [mailto:discussion-request at nsrca.org]On
Behalf Of Mike Hester
  Sent: Friday, January 07, 2005 9:45 PM
  To: discussion at nsrca.org
  Subject: Re: 2005 Masters maneuver #4 - Warning


  Dangit, I just got rid of a UFO! Complete with ace servos, Kraft electric
retracts and a webra RE with the mix carb! Crud what am I gonna fly in
masters with now?

  Hehe.

  -Mike

    ----- Original Message -----
    From: Scott Anderson
    To: discussion at nsrca.org
    Sent: Friday, January 07, 2005 9:30 PM
    Subject: Re: 2005 Masters maneuver #4 - Warning


    Sounds like a wood plane might be the ticket...<VBG>

    scott
      ----- Original Message -----
      From: John Pavlick
      To: discussion at nsrca.org
      Sent: Friday, January 07, 2005 9:23 PM
      Subject: RE: 2005 Masters maneuver #4 - Warning


      Hey, my Bridi UFO has no problem with it...  Maybe it's the anhedral
stab... Just kidding.
      John Pavlick
      http://www.idseng.com


        -----Original Message-----
        From: discussion-request at nsrca.org
[mailto:discussion-request at nsrca.org]On Behalf Of Mike Hester
        Sent: Friday, January 07, 2005 9:08 PM
        To: discussion at nsrca.org
        Subject: Re: 2005 Masters maneuver #4 - Warning


        Well, when the wing in question has tubes thinner than tissue and no
proper end support, you'll have that.

        Be careful guys, watch that covering for buckling. We've seen quite
a few lately around here with this same problem.

        -Mike
          ----- Original Message -----
          From: Cameron Smith
          To: discussion at nsrca.org
          Sent: Friday, January 07, 2005 8:39 PM
          Subject: RE: 2005 Masters maneuver #4 - Warning


          SAME THING ON MY HYDE-A-WAY!! I installed a larger False Rib from
the bottom & used Elmers Polyurethane on Foam areas! Cause it swells & fills
any Voids in the foam areas. Don’t get any in your sockets!!

             Now back to trying to get a C O N S I S T A N T  Snap!



          -----Original Message-----
          From: discussion-request at nsrca.org
[mailto:discussion-request at nsrca.org] On Behalf Of Grow Pattern
          Sent: Friday, January 07, 2005 7:40 PM
          To: discussion at nsrca.org
          Subject: 2005 Masters maneuver #4 - Warning



          This is a sort of public service announcement, or at least please
regard it as a "Heads-up".



          For all of you who are flying or will be flying the Reverse
Avalanche you might want to check your wing tubes and phenolic tube wing
supports.



          It seems that if you go into the snap a bit hard you can bend your
wing tube or, in the worst case scenario break, your wing. The plane is
pulling some G's at the bottom of the loop and then you add more by putting
in a lot of elevator to get a good break for the snap.



          Last year I had several incidents reported to me and my initial
reaction was to say that they were probably not flying the maneuver
correctly. "You need to slow the plane down at the bottom of the loop", I
said. I must add that what I said did not impress an FAI and pilot and
District masters champion very much. :-(



          So strapping on my asbestos underwear I decided to do some testing
of my own. At the end of November 2004 it was nice here in NJ. I took the
Focus-2 and the Temptation out for a day of Masters 2005. Both planes were
inspected for tube tightness and the wing covering touched up with the
glove-iron.



          Twelve flights later and an average of 10 reverse avalanches in
each flight I went home thinking all was well. (It got cold and a bit dark
too).



          Back in the shop the first thing that I noticed was new wrinkles
in the covering on the Temptation wings. Nothing was loose. To test this I
put the wing-tube in the wing and leaned on it a little. All was well but I
was beginning to think that the wing must have flexed to cause the covering
to loosen up. A bit like what the covering sometimes does around the aileron
horns. It this case it was at the roots above the tubes - both sides.



          Then I turned to the Focus-2 wings. Not good! The wing-tube could
now be moved up and down and I could hear foamy crunches in both of the
wings. Both wings have Carbon tube wing tubes and it dawned on me that they
could not bend (much) or stay bent. That is why I had not seen this before.
The forces were applying themselves to the ends of the wing tubes. I opened
up both panels and added epoxy and micro balloons to stabilize the sub ribs.
It was an easy repair but could have been a lot worse if I was not looking
for it.



          I am advised that stress damage is cumulative and that it does not
show up initially. It certainly had not revealed itself while I had been
demonstrating the 2005 schedule over the late summer of 2004. So where does
this leave me?  I think we have a potential problem that requires frequent
preventative equipment inspection depending upon the planes that you fly. If
you can slow down your plane and it is at around 10 lb you may never see
this happening.



          I would strongly advise checking your wing with the wing tube in
place to look for tube movement. Also look for straightness if you have an
ali-wing-tube.



          This situation is a bit unique for me. It is the first time I have
been involved with a maneuver that you don't know you are doing it wrong
unless you fly it that way too many times. And then only if the wing shows
damage or even worse it breaks in the air.



          Regards,


          Eric Henderson.



          P.S. The only time I remember seeing a reverse avalanche before is
in the hardly flown? current FAI Finals schedule.


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