A quick question for all Bolkow buffs...
I am rebuilding 208A 523 (Australia's only example ) and the horizontal stabilizer is fairly badly stone damaged from a previous life on some rough outback strips. I have used some filler and repainted it however, it will still have to operate from some rough strips. Is there any issues using leading edge tape, in terms of balance? Where is the balance point? Any helpful hints welcome.
Dennis Brown
Oz Bo 523
(Ed: You should be able to reply using the comment function. If you have any problems/issues, feel free to send your reply [as an e-mail] to me and I'll post it on the site. colihamp@gmail.com)
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2 comments:
Dennis,
If anything were going to effect the balance it would probably be the filling and re-painting you have already done. Leading edge tape would only be equivelent to another coat of paint.
More to the point, if you are getting big enough debris thrown up to cause dents in the stab leading edge then tape won't help. It will protect from the smaller stuff that would scratch the paint so it is still worth doing but if you get dents without it you will still get dents with it.
V/R
Jim Washburn, N412GS
afets93 at hotmail.com
Back in 1967 I saw that my stab leading edge was getting pock-marked. I put on a covering of fiberglass strand-backed Teflon tape. The stuff was so slippery that bugs did not stick to it, adn presumably abrasive gravel and/or stones were deflected. It worked well and I do not think there were any balance problems. The tape was made by the Connecticut Hard Rubber company (CHR) and I still have a roll of it should I have the problem again. The airplane is long gone, alas, but you never know; I might have another with a low horizontal to fly off a rough field...
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