From: RWolf99@aol.com
Message-ID: <1e.2048a582.29521a4c@aol.com>
Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2001 11:29:00 EST
Subject: Re: Lancair 320 unnatural dragging to the left
To: lancair.list@olsusa.com
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Reply-To: lancair.list@olsusa.com

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In a message dated 12/18/2001 10:09:05 PM Mountain Standard Time, 
lancair.list@olsusa.com writes:

<< The aircraft is draggig excessivly to the left, in flight as well as 
taxying
 with the engine running. No dragging is experienced without engine power. >>

Per -

Is this a new problem with an airplane that has been flying for some time, or 
are these your findings from initial flights of a new airplane?

I infer that you're telling us that the left yaw/roll tendency only occurs at 
high power settings, but not at idle.  In other words, you pull the power off 
and before the airplane has a chance to slow down, the left turning tendency 
immediately disappears.  If so, the problem is probably not being out-of-rig. 
 (Although "Grayhawk" has given you a lot of good things to check in this 
regard.)

If the inference is wrong, and the left turning tendency remains irrespective 
of power setting, then all of the out-of-rig and airframe misalignment issues 
that Scott refers to should be checked.

If it is purely power-related, find someone who has flown in a similar model 
and let them fly yours (or vice versa) and compare the 
turning-tendencies-with-power to that other airplane.  The 
big-engine-little-airplane combination can result in more torque/P-factor-etc 
than we're used to, I imagine.  Although it really sounds like there's 
something off here, rather than simply more power effects than you're used to.

Finally, if it does turn out to be a power-only issue, perhaps the engine 
mount could be shimmed to correct a built in misalignment.  Was this a 
fast-build kit with the firewall attached at the factory, or a slow-build kit 
whose firewall might have been installed at a slight angle?  (I don't know 
how the firewalls are connected in the slow build kits, so pardon me in the 
question seems weird.)  The bottom line is that another thing to check is the 
perpendicularity of the prop disc to the aircraft centerline -- although I'm 
not sure how you would check this...

- Rob Wolf
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