Aileron Flutter
By M. B. Taylor, EAA 14794
Box 1171, Longview, Wash.
H programs in the past and having run a number of
AVING BEEN through several FAA "certification"
"flutter" studies on light aircraft over the years, we were
somewhat concerned by the story on "How To Install
Aileron Counterweights" in the April, 1968, SPORT
AVIATION. It would appear that the proposed installation
might be on the "flimsy" side as far as accomplishing
the basic purpose of balancing the ailerons.
The reason for balancing control surfaces is to elim-
inate "flutter." There is, of course, the static balance
benefit which makes the controls easier to move, but this
can be accomplished aerodynamically with ease. It is
quite easy to add to flutter susceptibility by having a
balance weight installation which will actually contribute
to the flutter installation. This is due to the attachments
of the balance weight being too flexible or spongy. This
situation is very easy to see if you excite the control
surfaces or the wing itself with a simple eccentric weight
which can be made to shake the wing at various speeds.
Somewhere in the speed range you will find a speed
which will excite the natural frequency of the wing just
like plucking a string on a musical instrument. Similarly,
the control surface has a natural frequency at which it will
vibrate or "flutter." If the balance weight is not very
rigidly attached to the control surface, the system com-
posed of the balance weight and the control surface may
be much more susceptible to this natural frequency ex-
citation than were the balance weight completely elim-
inated.
We note that the installation proposed in the story
supports the weight itself on the edge of a 3% in. wide
MYSTERY AIRCRAFT
Answers will be found on another page of this issue.
GLASS COWLING . . .
(Continued from page 11)
It is actually lightweight fence wire, galvanized, with
about quarter inch mesh. It's a flat screen type of wire.
Remember the plaster? Here's where you get a break.
Forget the plaster and just fashion your component,
wheel pants, canopy top, or cowling to the desired con-
tour. Put on a thin coat of glass mat, or cloth and resin,
over the form. In about 40 min., presto! You have a cowl-
ing! In this process you leave the hardware cloth in your
cowling; again, if you want additional strength, go on the
inside and reinforce. Many builders have very elaborate
12 AUGUST 1968
sheet of 0.063 in. 4130 steel. The stiffness of this sheet
along this edge would be very limited, and the stiffness
of the aluminum hinges would add further to the lack of
rigidity. Add to this the stiffness characteristics of the
link plate with the hole in it, and I doubt seriously if
the installation would pass any flutter investigation.
While it might counterbalance the weight of the ailerons,
it certainly would be most critical from a flutter stand-
point.
A good way to evaluate balance weight installations
and their stiffness is to strike the weight or the control
surface with the butt of your hand. Do this with a sharp
blow and note if the system tends to vibrate as a unit.
If there is any "buzz" or excitation other than a real
"solid" reaction, the system should be stiffened. There
have been a number of recorded accidents with com-
mercial lightplanes that have been traced to inadequate
control surface balance weight installations. The early
"Ercoupes" were noted for this, and more than one of
them has lost the aileron balance weights or even lost
complete control surfaces. The susceptibility of a control
surface installation is very much affected by the tension
on the control cables or the sloppiness of a rod control
system. When testing for flutter for FAA certification
on a cable control system, you must slack off on the
cables to simulate a worn system; of course, in cold air
cables tend to change their tension too.
• We experienced aileron flutter during a test program
some years ago and I, for one, can tell you that a case of
aileron flutter can be a real remembrance.
and exotic ways of casting components. No two builders
can agree on the best way of fiberglasing components,
but few people will disagree on the simplicity of this
latter method.
Use polyester resin . . . it's cheaper than epoxy resin
and you can buy it at any boat supply house along with
the catalyst, fiberglas mat or cloth. I use one-quarter
teaspoonful of catalyst with each 8 oz. of resin. Work fast,
man, or you'll end up with glass marbles. Pot time, or
curing time, when the temperature is about 70 deg. is
about 40 min. Work outside or in a well ventilated shop,
because the toxic odor is something else. ®