Question for an experienced Sting S3 pilot.

[3Dreaming]

Cub, Champ, and Taylorcraft are just a few. They may have a small spring to hold the pedals forward whan you take your feet off, but they do not provide measurable tension on the cable. Also most control surfaces will streamline with the wind and not flap un less they are over balanced.

[CharlieTango]

On my pre-flight if I move my rudder I can hear the cables dragging on the bottom of the empange / fuselage. At least this is what I always assumed, is this not typical for a CTSW?

[tu16]

Cub, Champ, and Taylorcraft are just a few. They may have a small spring to hold the pedals forward whan you take your feet off, but they do not provide measurable tension on the cable. Also most control surfaces will streamline with the wind and not flap un less they are over balanced.

I think the FBO's mechanic said something to this effect - with both feet on pedals it would "firm up". Perhaps from his experience with these planes. I asked a CFI in a cockpit to put pressure on pedals in Sting and it did nothing for "flapping". Only large deflection did "firm it up". POH for the Sting also doesn't mention anything about the need to press both pedals in flight.

I agree that most control surfaces would streamline with wind in laminar flow - but that NOT what we would want from vertical *stabilizer* - which stops being such as soon as it just "streamlines with wind". Now instead of simple physics the pilot becomes a dedicated "stabilizer" by flapping "streamlining" rudder left or right - less than comfortable position at 50 kts over narrow strip of asphalt for me

I guess I'll need to ask opinion of the qualified Sting mechanic what is supposed to be happening here. Many FBOs in the area are on a hard times - they would not spend a dime on anything that is not strictly necessary. And it's not like there are many places elsewhere I can go to rent a better maintained/tuned LSA. So it's tough survival game between LSA renter and FBO... Who lasts longer...

[3Dreaming]

On my pre-flight if I move my rudder I can hear the cables dragging on the bottom of the empange / fuselage. At least this is what I always assumed, is this not typical for a CTSW?

The CT cables run in a plastic tube, and it shouldn't be rubbing. Also the CT rudder should not move easily while the airplane is on the ground.

[3Dreaming]

If the Sting has a stearable nose wheel I wouldn't think that the rudder should have much movement.

[CharlieTango]

The CT cables run in a plastic tube, and it shouldn't be rubbing. Also the CT rudder should not move easily while the airplane is on the ground.

My rudder moves easily and the noise must be the cables moving inside the guides/tubes,

[3Dreaming]

The CT cables run in a plastic tube, and it shouldn't be rubbing. Also the CT rudder should not move easily while the airplane is on the ground.

My rudder moves easily and the noise must be the cables moving inside the guides/tubes,

You need to have it looked at because you have a problem. The cable tensoin should be 25.9 pounds per the MM. With the centering spring and the nose wheel steering the rudder should not be loose. Tension is set with the turnbuckles in the tunnel and fine adjustments are made with the steering rods.

[CharlieTango]

You need to have it looked at because you have a problem. The cable tensoin should be 25.9 pounds per the MM. With the centering spring and the nose wheel steering the rudder should not be loose. Tension is set with the turnbuckles in the tunnel and fine adjustments are made with the steering rods.

Thanks for the heads up.

[3Dreaming]

You need to have it looked at because you have a problem. The cable tensoin should be 25.9 pounds per the MM. With the centering spring and the nose wheel steering the rudder should not be loose. Tension is set with the turnbuckles in the tunnel and fine adjustments are made with the steering rods.

Thanks for the heads up.

Let us know what you find, but I'll bet it is a problem with the steering rods.

[CharlieTango]

I had a look. The cables do lack tension when I look at the rudder but the slack is very little. It doesn't take much pressure to move the rudder a few inches. Beyond that the rudder moves to full deflection pretty easily but it is turning the nose wheel.

My take is that it will take very little adjustment to get tension. I don't know how much more it needs to 25.9lbs or how to measure.

[3Dreaming]

The way the cables run in plastic it is hard to find a place to check the tension. I have checked it before behind the panel that has the flap switch in the forward tunnel, but that is rather close to the forward end of the cable. With 25.9 pounds tension the cable should not really have any slack. If the engine was off for the hose change the push rods that go to the nose wheel may have not been adjusted correctly when it was put back together.

[CharlieTango]

The engine was off for the hose change, then off again for the sprag clutch change. The sprag clutch went from hard starts resulting from the 1st hose change / annual.

The first hose change polluted the fuel system with rubber debris cause by forcing the hose over the barbed fittings and the annual done at the same time missed the hole in the float. Either the massive amount of debris or the float stuck caused some violent starts and finished of the clutch.