AJF--2

My Feedback: (119)

:stupid: You may have read my posts about complaining on the small wood blocks that the cabanes are attached -- seems the cabanes may not screw into them at all. I began to notice the pre-drilled holes when I saw the front holes are not drilled into the small wooden blocks at all, but the longerons (hope I spelled it correctly) that are attached to the firewall. THIS MAKES PERFECT SENSE--THEY ARE PULLING MOST OF THE LOAD!. To check this on the rear attachment points, I pushed a stright pin thru the pre-drilled holes and sure enough, one of the holes comes stright thru the longeron again. However, the hole on the right rear comes thru the small wood block very near the longeron. As I began to measure, I found this hole was drilled 1\4 inch lower on the fuse than the left side. I am no engineer, but it seems this difference may cause some mis-alignment in the wing measurements--maybe not--but my question is this. What should the screws fasten to?- the small blocks or the longeron?--and do I need to drill another hole?
PLEASE LET ME CONCLUDE by thanking AnnMarie and the GP staff for their help and sincere response --I do love the plane and would not give it up--I understand it is not a perfect world--your help and comments are very much appreciated.

Bob Pastorello

My Feedback: (198)

I just inspected mine, and all of the cabane screws in the fuse are screwed INTO the longeron. They are located very near the edges, BUT - since the small hardwood blocks are epoxied in next to them where the screws go through, there isn't any splitting, and the anchoring in mine is very solid. Looking at the design of the bulkheads and longerons, I think your aft cabane hole is mis-located. IMHO, yes, that would cause some misalignment. I'd figure a way to redrill the hole; perhaps mount the left cabane completely, and the right front mounted, leaving the rear loose, and just see where the hole in the cabane lines up over the fuse. Maybe that will work. I Definitely would not install the cabane if not aligned properly.

AJF--2

My Feedback: (119)

Also just thought of something else, however this may be normal. The interplane struts do not sit on the wings--what I mean is that there is a considerable space (or gap) between yhem and the wing itself. I have a buddy of mine tell me not to worry because that was the case on the real Pitts. Can this be caused by the cabane hole alignment. Should they be touching the wing (as is the case on almost all other bipes I have owned) or is the gap OK and normal?

mvigod

We will be setting up a dedicated support forum with Ann Marie for the ARF lines she reps to answer questions like this perhaps as early as this week. I believe Ann Marie will be online tomorrorw to answer questions as she was out over the weekend.

Bob Pastorello

My Feedback: (198)

Good choice, Marc. Hat's off to you for providing the manf. with such a great venue to 'talk' with us! You're doing FINE!

cdellin

My Feedback: (1)

Hi All,

Inspected my Pitts this weekend, and found the top wing screw holes forward on the spar but no splitting. Reinforced anyway.

Then with my newly purchased role of "True Red" Monokote I cut a patch.....ARGGGGG, it doesn't match. Its closer than the ole "red"...orange red. I guess we'll all be able to tell who inspected and who didn't.

That brings up a safety issue. I'm going to Castle this weekend for an IMAA rally. Do you think the CD of this meet should be made aware of the Pitts problems and make it mandatory to have the inspections done, as a safety issue. As a CD I might restrict them until at least the front mount is inspected??? I'll take my "True Red" and an iron just in case someone is in need!!!

See ya....
Chris

AJF 2

My Feedback: (1)

I did not really have a spar problem myself-(checked and it was OK) HOWEVER--I was told by a Pitts owner Great Planes (being the quality company they are) had a person on site at Joe Nall last week providing the nesassary updates and doing it right on the spot. Not sure how many events they are scheduling to do that, though.

Bob Pastorello

My Feedback: (198)

Not a J.D., but lots of experience...as a CD, the role to ensure safe operations is his. THEN the club, THEN the AMA...and I think there's a line somewhere in some case summaries where "if you KNOW something, you are obligated to act on that knowledge"....case being if I were a CD, I think I **WOULD** send out cyber-, phone-, mailings (if practical) to potential participants advising them that a concern is out there....Now, a GP Pitts shows up with a Red patch, appears evidently repaired...that would be good enough for me, particularly since the manufacturer has so clearly documented what a responsible person SHOULD do...

I would **ALWAYS** prefer a CD at ANY event be over-cautious on safety-related items. That protects us all....

Mendes

My Feedback: (1)

I too have been having cabane mounting problems. However I hadn't thought that the holes might be too far down the fuse side, I thought one set was closer to the firewall than the other, but when I measured the difference between the two sets of holes, I came up with a 2mm variation. As you can see by the photo I have attached the difference at the top of the cabanes is quite large, I will have to investigate this further.

By the way, I have been in touch with GP and they say that my hole locations are "within tolerances". They suggested that I assemble my plane and forget about the small differences...

No way!

Mendes

My Feedback: (1)

Well, I have found my problem. The left rear cabane mounting hole in the fuse is 4mm further out from the fuse center line than the right rear hole. When I move left cabane in 4mm at the rear the cabanes come into perfect alignment. I can now continue assembling this bird...finally!

Michael Beckman

My Feedback: (1)

Hi All;
Just checkin the cabanes on my Gp Pitts, The rear screws wer off center in the longerons and the front ones were dead center. I took the screw out of the front holes and drilled with a 1/16 drill to find this out. There pretty well hidden inside but I could see the holes with a flash light and a probe. I replaced the 1/2 screws with 1" and CA'd the He** out of them while reinserting the 1" screws...They"ll never pull out. The rears were a different story. I made a 1"X 6" plate to fit over the longerons, and epoxy'd it into place and then used a 4/40 with blind nut to secure.