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Old 16th November 2023 | 21:07
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Pilot DAR
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From: Ontario, Canada
Hi Stevef, thanks for your reassuring message re the Droops to be expected on most small aircraft.
Though I have flown a DC-3T, I have not rigged one, so I defer to Stevef on the rigging, as perhaps he knows more than I'm If the DC-3 has freeplay in the the ailerons, it would be the only civil airplane I had ever encountered which such a characteristic. Droops in GA airplane flight controls is very uncommon. Certainly, freeplay in a flight control is an invitation to flutter (Jimmy Leeward's P-51 at Reno). When I have done dive testing in the GA airplanes I have flight tested, I have done very careful walk arounds checking for exactly that - nothing loose, no freeply. I declined to dive test a Piper Navajo, because there was 1/4" freeplay in the elevator trim tab - I insisted that it be corrected (the Cessna 310 allows 3/16", so we rigged to that freeply tolerance). While checking a Caravan, I found 3/8" freeply in the spoilers, but upon a review of Cessna data, that was just within limits - but there were limits!

If a Pilot finds any freeplay in a flight control or panel, it would be wise to have maintenance personnel confirm it's within limits before flying! My recollection of ailerons on a DC-3, is that the control wheel goes just about all the way around! When you've cranked in the normal amount of aileron, you're really only half way there!
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