Diana-2 VH-VHZ, some of the problems

Problems of VH-VHZ, English
http://www.segelflug.de/cgi-bin/wwwt...vc=1#Post68918

At first sight the Diana-2 looks very well.
Quality of workmanship and surface leave hardly anything to be desired.
But in the case of the Diana with serial number 3 - not all what shined was
gold.

I only can mention some of the problems, which I witnessed while I was in
Tocumwal last season.

There are mechanical problems and flight characteristic problems.

mechanical problems:
- Brakes open and close asymmetrically (not adjustable)!
- Gearbox for the brakes have too much play (1-2cm on the brakes, not
adjustable)
- Brake hand forces exceed 30kg to force both brakes to close more or less
smoothly.
- small safety bolt at elevator installed bottom up instead of top down.
- some entries in the available handbook seem not to correspond with the
glider (uncertainties with level dimensions for CG calculations)
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flight characteristic:
- Problems at take off, cross wind sensitive, ailerons only work at low
speed if tail is lifted with wheel brake early, but then the direction
rudder is not efficient enough to counter cross wind
- Stability problems around vertical axis
- Stability problems in pitch. CG has been varied with led but the problems
remained.
- at higher bank the angle cannot be kept stable with the ailerons (bank
increases)
- Flap handle forces exceed 50kg to reach most negative position
- often the flap handle unhooks while flying fast through turbulences and
the flaps rush to most positive position!
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Because the manufacturer did not react to questions, it was mostly guess
work for the Australian maintenance shop authorized for the airworthiness
tests to counter the problems.
All efforts to solve the problems with logical counter measures could not
improve the gliders behavior enough to get airworthiness.
Neither the Australian authorities nor the pilot can be blamed for
insufficient efforts to get the plane flying. The manufacturers lack of
support is responsible for the disastrous outcome.

The manufacturer still does not believe that this serial number-3 plane
houses a gremlin or a family of it.....

Chris