Originally Posted by
Pilot DAR
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!
PD - I may have explained the droop badly, the 7/8" below trailing edge 'neutral' is positively rigged (not floating) and the control wheel is central. The ailerons come up to 'true' (trailing edge) neutral in flight. As you know, the aileron profile has a distinct aerofoil camber.