BTW Bill any word on the Airbus vertical fin?

Paul Lamar

Paul,
A certain friend of mine who works for a certain composite
company in the desert agrees that flutter of either the rudder
trim tab, rudder or the fin seems the most likely scenario.  He
had a rudder trim tab flutter on a test flight  years ago which severly
damaged the rudder.  Took both test pilots pushing 100 lbs each
to keep the damaged rudder centered for landing.  Exciting. Better
than the A300, tho.  Sis says "don't know", but 'turbulence
penetration speed' (green line) is well above climb speed, so
wake turbulence or other aero loads are out if the structure was
up to snuff.  Brother says, corrosion, but admits to not following it
closely, just a gut feel.   Dad agrees that flutter or damaged/faulty
composites are the two prime suspects at this point.  A slight
looseness in the attachment could have let the fin flutter.  A slightly
loose actuator could have let the rudder flutter, or a slightly loose
actuator on the trim tab could have let it flutter.

I wonder if the A300 rudder trim tab actuator is redundant??

Bill Freeman
Long EZ builder & pilot
BSME, MSME
EAA Technical Counselor

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