Tow hook on "B" models

[Gale Winnett]

I have a non "B" ASW-15 and a friend is looking to buy a B model.  I can not remember if they ever moved the tow hook to the nose.  Can someone help me.  Also did the B ever have the stiff aileron movement problem like the early ones did, like mine.
Thank you
 Gale Winnett

[van deun andre]

Hi Gale,


It is not a real nose-hook, but it is placed just under the stick, and
as far as i know, all B-models are equiped with it as well as the
winch-hook.
All ASW-15 (not the B because of what i wrote above) can be
modified with such a nose-hook.

I have never heard of a stiff aileron movement problem, neither
of the ASW-15 nor of the ASW-15B, and I know 6 owners.


Greetings,

André

[Martin Hill]

Careful. My B (15214) had its aerotow hook fitted 5 years after manufacture, and the original handbook says that the aerotow hook is an option. That suggests not all Bs were built with aerotow hooks.

Stiff aileron. Its anything but. Probably no more than a couple of 1 Euro coins placed on the aileron of a rigged plane is enough for it to move. There is a TN 7a which fitted bearings on the aileron push rods pre s/n 15169. This possibly suggests a problem on earlier aircraft if not fitted.

[PaulD15]

BFRK
may be your stiff aileron problem is old aileron tape!!
I was at sutton bank a few weeks back. a pegase had the same problem we checked all the controls but found it to be the aileron tape it had shrunk:S Also try grease to the bearings around the stick not easy but can be done with a thin tube on the end of a grease gun should be at CofA but tend's not to be in fact check all your bearings you may have one that has seized?
just a few ideas :cheer:




             happy days

[Chris Norman]

my 15 had this problem, it is caused by dry grease in the aileron run. the fix is the removal of the rods and reaming the old grease out. This involves cutting holes in the wings etc so it is a fairly costly proceedure. I should add that my 15 sat in a trailer unused for nearly seven years.

Post edited by: idonthaveone, at: 2005/11/06 15:49

[ecurie]

Thanks for the responses on the tow hook.  The earlier models were off center far enough to be a little dicey on the start of the tow if you didn't take precautions.

The stiff ailerons were mostly caused by the old stiff axle type grease that was used and over time it got old, dust filled and hard.  There was another contributing factor also.  The bushings were made of a material(nylon like) that was affected by moisture.  They would swell and then un-swell with the humidity.  I created a 15 foot,(yes,FOOT), 15 mm. reamer that did the job very well.  It is built like a 2 piece pool cue so it could be shipped via UPS in a poly tube.  It resides at John Murray's place for all to use,free for the shipping cost, to and from.  At my last knowledge about 6-8 folks had used it.  I haven't checked with John for several years.
As an aside, we used a clear Grob inspection hole cover to close the hole made in each wing lower surface to facilitate disconnecting the push rod from the bell crank.  The hole was reinforced with an internal collar so you could always get into the bell crank afterward for what ever reason.
Gale Winnett
SN 15129
N33RD

[Graham Allan]

The nose hook is definitely an option. The B model I used to fly in New Zealand had the original offset belly hook, still has it as far as I know. That glider is a bit of a composite though, B Model fuselage, and early model wings from a wreck. Flew OK though.
Back to the topic at hand, it didn't have stiff ailerons, but they were "squeaky" when you moved the stick. My understanding was that there were bushes in the wings that were causing this.

[Graham Allan]

Removed one, as for some reason it double posted. Strange....

Post edited by: Griffo, at: 2005/11/12 10:55

[van deun andre]

To Gale Winnett


Hi Gale, what exactly is that "bell cranck"?
I live in Belgium, and do not find an exact translation in flemisch.

Many thanks,

André

sn15355
OO-YWA

[Gale Winnett]

The spelling is bell crank, no c before the k.
The aileron push rod connected to the stick at one end and the bell crank out in the wing that changes the lateral motion of the push rod to a for and aft motion to move the aileron up and down.

This URL gives a pretty good idea of how it works in a control system.

http://www.dtonline.org/apps/infopage/app?1&6&1&20&1&0

Hope this helps explain it.

Regards,
Gale Winnett

Post edited by: ecurie, at: 2005/11/19 04:12

[Elijah]

I know this is an old post, but any chance any of you guys are still out there?  My 15 has exactly the same issue with aileron stiffness.  It gets worse with colder temperatures, to the point it's extremely stiff and difficult to move.  I would love to get in touch with Gale or John Murray and see about borrowing the reamer and discussing the specifics of the procedure. 

[vkolo11]

Hi gents,
my ASW-15B, S/N 15312 is fitted with the "aerotow" hook only.
Does any of you have a winch launch experience with the aerotow hook?

Many thanks,
Vilem