X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Sender: To: lml@lancaironline.net Date: Wed, 28 Nov 2007 15:57:36 -0500 Message-ID: X-Original-Return-Path: Received: from mail10.syd.optusnet.com.au ([211.29.132.191] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 5.2c1) with ESMTPS id 2507998 for lml@lancaironline.net; Tue, 27 Nov 2007 19:11:07 -0500 Received-SPF: none receiver=logan.com; client-ip=211.29.132.191; envelope-from=fredmoreno@optusnet.com.au Received: from fred ([202.139.5.198]) (authenticated sender fredmoreno) by mail10.syd.optusnet.com.au (8.13.1/8.13.1) with ESMTP id lAS0A5fk021581 for ; Wed, 28 Nov 2007 11:10:19 +1100 From: "Fred Moreno" X-Original-To: "Lancair Mail" Subject: FW: Flying in Rain X-Original-Date: Wed, 28 Nov 2007 09:09:59 +0900 X-Original-Message-ID: <005801c83153$10b23460$c6058bca@fred> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0059_01C8319E.8099DC60" X-Priority: 3 (Normal) X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook, Build 10.0.6822 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3198 Importance: Normal Thread-Index: Acgw5XaAa0yyouxMSyer/omTWpjTHgAbBWzQ This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0059_01C8319E.8099DC60 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I collected about a gallon of water! =20 =20 So where did all that water come from? I think it came from the tail = and moved forward. =20 =20 Once while doing a pre-flight on my C-182 many years ago I wiggled the rudder and heard water sloshing inside. I discovered a plugged drain = hole, and a LOT of water drained out. It was way too much to fall through the clearance holes where the elevator torque tube exits the fuselage.=20 =20 Then it dawned on me. At Palo Alto, my former home drome, the rain is usually accompanied by wind from the south west. That drove rain = against the vertical stabilizer. It ran down to the horizontal stabilizer and fuselage, and then drained into the clearance hole for the torque tube, driven by the wind. The wind blew in one side and out the other. The = water dropped out and being unable to drain was stored in the tail cone area. = =20 A lot of water in the tail would have moved the CG a bit - in the wrong direction. Or think about climbing up high above the freezing level. = The elevator bell crank may have decided to stop moving back and forth in a puddle turned to ice. =20 =20 Hmmmm. =20 Drain holes work. Put in several. Check them regularly if you park in = the rain. =20 Fred Moreno AKA Captain Tuna, Chicken of the Skies ------=_NextPart_000_0059_01C8319E.8099DC60 Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

I collected about a gallon of water!

So where did all that water come from? I think it = came from the tail and moved forward.

Once while doing a pre-flight on = my C-182 many years ago I wiggled the rudder = and heard water sloshing inside. I discovered a plugged drain hole, and a = LOT of water drained out. It was way too much to fall through the clearance = holes where the elevator torque tube exits the fuselage.

Then it dawned on me. At = Palo Alto, my former home drome, the rain is usually accompanied by wind from the south = west. That drove rain against the vertical stabilizer. It ran down to = the horizontal stabilizer and fuselage, and then drained into the clearance = hole for the torque tube, driven by the wind. The wind blew in one side = and out the other. The water dropped out and being unable to drain was = stored in the tail cone area.

A lot of water in the tail would = have moved the CG a bit – in the wrong direction. Or think about = climbing up high above the freezing level. The elevator bell crank may have decided to stop moving back and forth in a puddle turned to ice. =

Hmmmm…

Drain holes work. Put in = several. Check them regularly if you park in the rain.

Fred Moreno AKA

Captain Tuna, Chicken of the = Skies

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