Just want to get some feedback from the professional drivers (float plane) on their thoughts of securing the water rudder lever to the floor of the aircraft. This is in regard to the STC for wipline 8000's on a caravan that adds a preventitive locking mechanism to the handle to prevent unintentional activation of the water rudders....
My personal thoughts : Its dangerous and unnecessary to have them this way and theres an easy solution to prevent the activation of the water rudders.....In the event of an emergency, if the mechanism is corroded or malfunctions it will prevent the pilot from allowing the rudders to come down into the water for directional control.
***I would like to have the ideas/opinions of some of the other float drivers on here, especially the ones who have had experience with this STC, which I expect to not be very many guys.
This a bad idea or just me? Water Rudder locked to the floor
Moderators: North Shore, sky's the limit, sepia, Sulako, Rudder Bug
Re: This a bad idea or just me? Water Rudder locked to the f
I don't think it's a bad idea. If your worried about not being able to lower the rudders when you need them (which is highly unlikely this would happen) you can always use sailing techniques to control the airplane. I haven't seen this stc but It sounds like a good idea. Sometimes bags or jackets can get snagged on a rudder lever causeing them to fall and potentially damage the brackets on the back of the float from hitting hard. I had my rudders fall down on a set of aerocets while on the step taking off in a cross wind and the pressure I had to use on the rudder twisted the brackets.
Re: This a bad idea or just me? Water Rudder locked to the f
Didn't have an issue with the standard set up.
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cloudrunner
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Re: This a bad idea or just me? Water Rudder locked to the f
For those unfamiliar with the Caravan on floats, the handle is between the pilot seats on the floor, is quite long, and when retracted, goes back towards the feet of the first row of passenger seats.
I have had a passenger kick the handle accidentally and had it snap over to the forward (rudders down) position once. It makes a hell of a bang as it slams against the floor. (This is the reason I have called Bullshit on every pilot who has landed rudders down in a Caravan and said "hmm, must have been the passenger")
As for the safety lock, we had one with a little chain with a round link on the end that you could slide over the "T" part of the rudder handle. They were older 8000's and this was an obvious mod. I personally never used it but could see where it would serve the purpose.
Having never seen it, my guess would be that the locking mechanism would be straight forward and not much of a burden once you got used to it, if you decided, or were ordered to use it.
Personally, I did a flow pattern in the Caravan about 6 times during a 30 minute flight and IMO, there is really no excuse to be flying around or landing with rudders down.
And just to re-iterate, BULLSHIT to those of you who landed rudders down and blamed it on the passenger, true or not, you dropped the ball.
I have had a passenger kick the handle accidentally and had it snap over to the forward (rudders down) position once. It makes a hell of a bang as it slams against the floor. (This is the reason I have called Bullshit on every pilot who has landed rudders down in a Caravan and said "hmm, must have been the passenger")
As for the safety lock, we had one with a little chain with a round link on the end that you could slide over the "T" part of the rudder handle. They were older 8000's and this was an obvious mod. I personally never used it but could see where it would serve the purpose.
Having never seen it, my guess would be that the locking mechanism would be straight forward and not much of a burden once you got used to it, if you decided, or were ordered to use it.
Personally, I did a flow pattern in the Caravan about 6 times during a 30 minute flight and IMO, there is really no excuse to be flying around or landing with rudders down.
And just to re-iterate, BULLSHIT to those of you who landed rudders down and blamed it on the passenger, true or not, you dropped the ball.
Re: This a bad idea or just me? Water Rudder locked to the f
I had my rudders fall down on a set of aerocets while on the step taking off in a cross wind and the pressure
Yeah, water rudders "falling down" on take off is definitely a problem.
We pretty much solved the problem in our company when pilots had to buy 12 beer for the rest of the crew if they happend to be the unlucky one when the rudders fell down on take off, or just before landing...I am not sure of what the connection was between an obvious mechanical failure or inadvertant bumping by some undisciplined pax, but it did work.
