Not mass balanced & cable failure
Not mass balanced & cable failure
(OP)
I found that many certified LSA aircrafts and some standard FAR 23 certified don't have mass-balanced surfaces. I'm interested in how they are designed to show freedom from flutter, especially control surface flutter and if these aircrafts can handle a disconnected freefloating surface emergency (due to cable failure, for example).
If they are not prone to develop flutter in normal operation, how things may change if, for example, the aieron cable fails?
Thank you very much!
If they are not prone to develop flutter in normal operation, how things may change if, for example, the aieron cable fails?
Thank you very much!





RE: Not mass balanced & cable failure
Some manufacturers under the LSA rules, have made some aircraft without mass balancing in the ailerons control system.
Even have conducted studies and tests showing that it is not necessary such mass balance.
It is clear that the tension in the control cables of the system must be the recomended by the factory and
without any free play in the system because if that happens, may occur catastrophic effects.
Anyway in this case counterweights was installed later in the ailerons....
I enclose two links of the Hamburg Institute of Technology reports that may help you.
Link
Link
Cheers
RE: Not mass balanced & cable failure
RE: Not mass balanced & cable failure
You are right. The study does not take into account even the risk of losing some cable tension or cable break.
The control cable without correct tension or failure may be one of the flutter issue specially if the ailerons
are not mass balanced. Remember the flutter ia a very complex phenomenon.
Read specially from page 4 of this NTSB report
http://www.ntsb.gov/doclib/recletters/2009/a09_30_...
This report is a good approximation to the truth.
Regards
RE: Not mass balanced & cable failure