Trim Questions.. with warped elev..

[Joe Yau]

I have an old stunter that has a warped Elev..  If the left side's outboard is o.k. at neutral position (view from front)   but inboard portion has about 2-3 degrees up.. do you line up more with the outboard or the inboard with the right?  basically which way is more critical.

Thanks in advance

[Phil Krankowski]

Can the elevator be fixed?  Wood can be warped with heat very easily and brought back to alignment.  (an iron, steam, or boiling water) and metal parts can be bent carefully.

Phil

[Paul Walker]

Don't try to fly it with something warped. Heat or cut it to get it straight.

If the elevator is that warped, what about the rest of the plane?

[Motorman]

If the warp is even then split the difference but if only a smaller part is warped then line up on the straight side. I have a plane with a warped elevator. I could fix it but it flys so darn good I hate to mess with it.


MM

[Tim Wescott]

Fix it!  Then get back to us.

[Joe Yau]

Can the elevator be fixed?  Wood can be warped with heat very easily and brought back to alignment.  (an iron, steam, or boiling water) and metal parts can be bent carefully.

Phil

It is paint finish, and I have tried steam & heat before.  but it always springs back about a day or so.  

Don't try to fly it with something warped. Heat or cut it to get it straight.

If the elevator is that warped, what about the rest of the plane?

As far as I know the rest of the plane seems o.k,   I know it's best to fix it or replace it.  I'm just wondering if I had to fly it as is..  would aligning it a certain way help?

[Joe Yau]

If the warp is even then split the difference but if only a smaller part is warped then line up on the straight side. I have a plane with a warped elevator. I could fix it but it flys so darn good I hate to mess with it.


MM

I have a plane like that as well.. and that's exactly what I did. and it flew o.k.  but this one has tracking issues.

[Tim Wescott]

It is paint finish, and I have tried steam & heat before.  but it always springs back about a day or so.

Try steam & heat, and then fixture it so that it's bent slightly against the warp and leave it there for a week.  Then see if it holds.  I've done this with profile fuselages with success.

I've also had success using heat & whatnot to bend something well beyond the original warp -- it relaxes back in the original direction, and if I'm lucky it goes where it belongs.

[TigreST]

What is the airplane name/type in question?  Knowing the design may help one come to a repair/replacement plan for the elevator.