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Old August 30th 19, 05:29 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
JS[_5_]
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Default Landing with broken rudder cable

On Friday, August 30, 2019 at 9:12:35 AM UTC-7, wrote:
On Friday, August 30, 2019 at 2:46:56 AM UTC-4, wrote:
Please check it and correct me if I'm wrong.

Usually the only springs in the rudder lines are those in front of pedals. Those springs keep the whole rudder line in tension.

What happen if let's say the right rudder cable breaks: right pedal goes full forward and the same do the left pedal. The glider start circling left. Possible correction: pull the pedals rack all the way back and put the left foot heel over the left pedal and pull back.

What happen if the right pedal spring breaks: right pedal goes back and left pedal goes full forward. The glider start circling left. Possible correction: pull the pedals rack all the way back and push hard the right pedal.


Depending on the glider, there may be additional options:

If the rudder cables are exposed in the cockpit, one may be able to grab a cable by hand and neutralize or reduce the rudder deflection. In the first example above, pull the left cable rearward, or push the right cable forward. It helps if you have a third hand.

If it's a two-seater, the broken cable may be between front and rear cockpits, so person in rear seat may still have rudder control (similar to broken spring situation above).


Seems that most of these failures are at the S-tube of the - front seat if there are two seats - rudder pedals. If there are two seats, the second pilot can fly while the pilot who lost the rudder due to the cable break can adjust the pedals back and relieve the spring tension with a foot behind the connected pedal.
In the Duo there is a maintenance manual section about routinely inspecting the cables at the S-tubes, so perhaps this is a known issue in the Janus fuselage.
I saw the JS1 fuselage that had this problem in Texas, when Tony delivered it to Williams. Surprisingly little damage with no pilot, but with low wing loading and an aft C/G, different to normal.
Jim