Yesterday's Boo Boo

[DaV8or]

Yesterday I really screwed up and backed my plane into a hangar door. The result was a pranged right aileron on the trailing edge. My hope is that this thread doesn't turn into a "15 helpful tips for backing your plane up." or "What the hell was wrong with you Dave???" type thread. I'm just looking for advise on how to get it fixed.

I bent the trailing edge back into shape as best I could with mostly my hands, but the metal is stretched and so refuses to go back into a straight edge. I can either pop it up, or down, but just not straight again. Does anybody know a technique for shrinking the metal back up again? Is this aileron toast? How hard is it to replace an aileron? This aileron is no prize. It already has hail damage and a bit of body filler in it, but on the other hand I'm a cheap bastard and gave up on cosmetics a long time ago.

Here's my phone pics-

 

[Jeff H.]

My friendly field FBO crew did the same to my flaps (on both sides).  The issue is whether the rivets need to be pulled to allow the aluminum to return the original form.  If the deformation reaches the next rivet row/column then you're likely to need a formal repair.  I did not notice any flying issues with the damage.  

While yours is an aileron and mine flaps, for reference, one flap was able to be repaired.  Replaced the other with a $500 used flap (non-matching paint . . . for now.)  New build flap from Mooney was ~$3,000.00.

FWIW and YMMV.  Good luck.  So frustrating.

Jeff

Edited June 29, 2016 by Jeff H.

[chrisk]

I had slight hail damage on my ailerons.  I think it was about $3500 to get them re-skinned, and $5000 for new.  That said, I have seen something like this tool in a few aviation shops.  https://www.amazon.com/Tools-VISE-GRIP-Locking-Original-23/dp/B0000TFGFU I always assumed it was for "adjusting" ailerons. I  would certainly check with Mooney before I started bending.

 

[M20F-1968]

Your best fix is to either:

1) reskin the aileron, or

2) buy a new one\

This is what you have insurance for.

To reskin, get in touch with Beegles Aircraft, Colorado.  They do great work.  Ship it to them and they will take good care of you.

There is also another company, Williams Airmotive who can also reskin it.  I have experience with Beegles and they are great.

I bough new ailerons when I did my rebuild.  As I recall I paid about $4000 for the two of them in 2008.

John Breda

[bonal]

Not sure your thoughts as to Lake aero but this something I believe to be in there experience.  I mention your thoughts because I seem to recall some issues you had in the past but I may be mistaken. You might send the photos to them for an evaluation.

[takair]

You can likely get it straighter by removing the rivets and using sheet metal pliers to straighten the skin a little more.  Re-rivet while keeping straight.  Won't be perfect, but likely straight enough and serviceable.

[RLCarter]

If you have already given up on slight cosmetic issues ask an IA if it is still airworthy, if he says yes then fly it if no, see what he recommends 

[rbridges]

I think Hank had a bent surface after a plane hit his during the sun n fun storm.  Can't remember if it was the edge of a control surface or not. I'm sure he'll chime in if he has any advice. 

[Hank]

No, I picked up a 2" long ding in the side of my rudder, IA said it's not a problem. My guess is flying debris from the tornadoes.

Talk to an A&P or IA who you trust. It's hard to find old planes with perfectly straight trailing edges on all control surfaces . . .

[Guest]

If the metal is stretched you can shrink it to straighten it.  It will need some touch up after ward.

Clarence

[jetdriven]

New ailerons are 3500$ but reskinned is like 2500$, and they would not guarantee them to be straight.  So I went with two new ones. 

I have the old ones, very light hail damage.  But they back of them is straight.  Lmk if interested. 

[steingar]

It took me a half hour to hangar my Mooney the other night.  I didn't prang anything, but I can easily understand how someone could.  Yeah, talk to your insurance.  Hope it works out.

[Yetti]

Not an IA or an A&P, but I break lots of stuff and so got pretty good at fixing stuff.  the alum is not really stretched.   You need to get the inside corner edge back to a straight line.  That is what is making the trailing edge hold the curve.  The vice grip sheet metal are worth a try.  But I would be looking at the Vice grip welding clamps both small and large with a rag to keep from jacking the paint. Don't try to take it all out at once.  go over it and then back over it.  A hardwood "cold chisel" with a palm back piece of hardwood shaped exactly like the bottom side of the wing  would be the second choice if the vice grip are not getting you to where you need to go.  Worst case scenario is you have to replace it, which is where you are right now.

Just this morning I was cutting square nails out of a window sill to replace a window with a fancy vinyl one.

YMMV

 

[jkhirsch]

I remember a strikingly similar issue from a couple years ago

Best of luck! Watch out for leering inspector eyes...

[DaV8or]

Thanks for all the responses. Honestly I never even considered trying to collect on insurance. Just not the way my brain is wired I guess, but I am going to look into it and see what my deductible is and what the consequences might be. The idea of putting a brand new $3500 + aileron on this old plane makes me kind of ill, but if insurance pays nearly the whole bill, why not I guess?

Replacing with a good solid used one seems reasonable if I can find one. It does make me wonder how interchangeable they really are? These planes seem to be hand built with each one kind of unique, so how much futzing and massaging does it take to graft a hand made aileron from some other plane onto my plane? Does the fact that my plane has the famous "twisted wing" make any difference. Of course these are questions for a MSC.

I may also call my local IA that has helped me in the past to come over and look at it. Maybe we can wrestle it into a nearly straight rear edge with pliers and re-riveting? Right now I'm kind of burned out on flying in general and disgusted with the whole reality of GA, so this all can wait until next week sometime and then I'll make some phone calls and deal with this crap.

Thanks again for all the responses!!

[M20F]

Does it actually fly any different?

[rbridges]

Dave, don't let it get you down. Take a few days off and get back to it. 

[mooneygirl]

My E model had damage when I bought it. The fellow slipped and pushed the airplane as he fell forward, bent the tail feathers.  I purchased two used/salvage from Dodson International.  http://www.dodson.com/

I was able to talk with them about my needs. Parts arrived and I had put on, no problem. 

[tony]

On 7/1/2016 at 0:17 PM, jkhirsch said:

I remember a strikingly similar issue from a couple years ago

Best of luck! Watch out for leering inspector eyes...

I remember that fiasco too.  The problem wasn't the inspector, the problem was the factory gave an opinion with any engineering data.

[DaV8or]

On July 2, 2016 at 0:50 PM, M20F said:

Does it actually fly any different?

I don't know. I haven't flown it since. I suspect it will. A common way to get your Mooney to fly straight in level hands off, you can make tiny little tweaks to the aileron trailing edge to fix any roll issues. So a bend like this will likely cause it to be out of trim. I'm sure you can fly it, it just likely isn't hands off anymore.

[DaV8or]

21 hours ago, mooneygirl said:

My E model had damage when I bought it. The fellow slipped and pushed the airplane as he fell forward, bent the tail feathers.  I purchased two used/salvage from Dodson International.  http://www.dodson.com/

I was able to talk with them about my needs. Parts arrived and I had put on, no problem. 

Did you buy ailerons? How much did they charge you?

[mooneygirl]

4 hours ago, DaV8or said:

Did you buy ailerons? How much did they charge you?

I bought elevators. To be honest, I cannot remember how much they were, but there were several to choose from.  You might call them on Tuesday. They were really helpful.

[M20F]

10 hours ago, DaV8or said:

I don't know. I haven't flown it since. I suspect it will. A common way to get your Mooney to fly straight in level hands off, you can make tiny little tweaks to the aileron trailing edge to fix any roll issues. So a bend like this will likely cause it to be out of trim. I'm sure you can fly it, it just likely isn't hands off anymore.

I would fly it a bit first and see how it works.  You could be trying to find a solution to a problem you might not have. 

[TTaylor]

A good article that may be helpful:

http://amt.epubxp.com/i/36339-jul-2011/28?

 

 

[carusoam]

Nice Emag, TT!

Best regards,

-a-