Backcountry Pilot • Tanalian Aviation Horizontal Stabilizer Mod

Tanalian Aviation Horizontal Stabilizer Mod

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Wed Nov 01, 2017 11:19 am

Tanalian Aviation Horizontal Stabilizer Mod

I have come to believe that the low and wide horizontal stabilizer is one of the greatest weaknesses of the Cessna 180/185 for rough field operations. Having damaged my horizontal stabilizer a number of times, this looks like a very attractive modification.

http://tanalianaviation.com/leading-edg ... fications/

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The kit is $2200.00, and the leading edges are 0.040 in thick, where the factory leading edges are 0.020 in thick.

The gentleman that I talked to about it said that there are 65 kits flying, and that he has never sold a replacement leading edge.

Is anybody here flying this mod?
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Wed Nov 01, 2017 2:15 pm

Re: Tanalian Aviation Horizontal Stabilizer Mod

Mine has it, the STC holder installed it before I bought it. Somewhere on here is a thread that I started about it.

My 185 is on Bushwheels and I don’t do any pavement. 200+ landings this year on big rocks, small rocks and everything else that looked like it needed some wagon tracks and no damage yet.

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Wed Nov 01, 2017 3:48 pm

Re: Tanalian Aviation Horizontal Stabilizer Mod

Prosaria wrote:Mine has it, the STC holder installed it before I bought it. Somewhere on here is a thread that I started about it.

My 185 is on Bushwheels and I don’t do any pavement. 200+ landings this year on big rocks, small rocks and everything else that looked like it needed some wagon tracks and no damage yet.

What size tailwheel is on your 185?

Still pondering this mod myself. It is also an extra 7 pounds way aft, but the mechanic side of me likes the ability to periodically examine the spar easily. Hmm...group buy?
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Wed Nov 01, 2017 4:45 pm

Re: Tanalian Aviation Horizontal Stabilizer Mod

Prosaria wrote:Somewhere on here is a thread that I started about it.


I remember that thread, but I couldn't find it.

iPat wrote:It is also an extra 7 pounds way aft, but the mechanic side of me likes the ability to periodically examine the spar easily. Hmm...group buy?


7 pounds seems pretty heavy. I guess that there is a lot of surface area back there. Takes a lot of work to remove 7 pounds.

Great point about the spar!

I may be up for a group purchase in the future.
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Wed Nov 01, 2017 6:20 pm

Re: Tanalian Aviation Horizontal Stabilizer Mod

iPat wrote:What size tailwheel is on your 185?

Still pondering this mod myself. It is also an extra 7 pounds way aft, but the mechanic side of me likes the ability to periodically examine the spar easily. Hmm...group buy?


I’m on a baby bushwheel.

It didn’t occur to me that it’s that heavy, and I’m not sure it makes sense... .040 aluminum is .29lb/sq.ft. heavier than .020. Can’t be more than 5sq/ft per side so the attachment bits weigh 4lbs?

Wonder if he makes a screw on .020 leading edge.
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Wed Nov 01, 2017 8:51 pm

Re: Tanalian Aviation Horizontal Stabilizer Mod

It’s a great mod. The thicker leading edge does help immensely with rock dings. It also allows you to remove the nose ribs. The nose ribs get pretty damaged and are expensive to replace. The stab no longer has wrap around style one piece skins at this point either. That makes it allot easier to replace stab skins as well.



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Wed Nov 01, 2017 9:00 pm

Re: Tanalian Aviation Horizontal Stabilizer Mod

Just for posterity, here is Prosaria's post:

https://backcountrypilot.org/community/ ... -stc-20184
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Thu Nov 02, 2017 11:35 am

Re: Tanalian Aviation Horizontal Stabilizer Mod

The final post (from Dec 2016) in that other thread:

EZFlap wrote: Good idea, but it sounds like an ideal candiate for metal to metal bonding, No removal of existing skin, no drilling out rivets and goobering up the holes, no new holes to drill,, no screw holes to leak water into the structure. .....


I dunno about the metal-to-metal bonding, but I agree about not removing the existing skin.
Why not just attach the heavier leading edge as a doubler over the existing leading edge?
Yeah, a little more weight, but easier installation.
And would hopefully allow for a lower priced kit/STC.
Think of it as a metal version of the rubber leading edge boots that I see on a lot of Skywagons.
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Thu Nov 02, 2017 1:30 pm

Re: Tanalian Aviation Horizontal Stabilizer Mod

This mod should be considered a no-brainerd for anyone running a Pponk powered wagon that is turning a 401. The bane of that combination has always been about the empty CG, a far bigger challenge to address than the empty weight.

For me it kinda works out about he same as Pponk gear boxes... Do we call the LE and ribs sacrificial, or do we transfer the load further up the line in exchange for having a pristine LE? The bulkheads, fittings, and boxes inside the tail are much harder to fix than a goobers LE

Take care, Rob
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Thu Nov 02, 2017 1:42 pm

Re: Tanalian Aviation Horizontal Stabilizer Mod

Prosaria wrote:<snip>
It didn’t occur to me that it’s that heavy, and I’m not sure it makes sense... .040 aluminum is .29lb/sq.ft. heavier than .020. Can’t be more than 5sq/ft per side so the attachment bits weigh 4lbs?

Wonder if he makes a screw on .020 leading edge.

Acknowledge the Baby Bushwheel, thank you.

I wondered about the weight gain also, and Tanalian's Joel Natwick responded with "the additional weight is about 7 pounds" when I inquired about the STC this past January.

It is mostly aluminum that is removed, unless of course you have the rubber leading-edge abrasion strips (weight, anyone? rubber is heavy). Per dwg TA-201 detail A, the bulb angles look to have self-locking (steel?) nutplates to accommodate the screws. Note 6 of same drawing direct tips be secured with AN525-823R6 screws, which are steel, but I'll not presume the remainder are until someone checks with a magnet. That said, my old eyes detect +/-24 screws across top of horizontal stabilizer in photo, so multiply by 4 (top & bottom, left & right) = 96 screws (.310 lb, if steel) plus bulb angles, nutplates, etc. It adds up.

Fly safely,
Pat
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Sat Aug 18, 2018 11:42 am

Re: Tanalian Aviation Horizontal Stabilizer Mod

I just completed this STC on my C182D after discovering a cracked inboard rib and a few compressed/cracked nose ribs. Took about 40hrs for the mod, to include removal, mod, paint, and reinstall. Overall I am very happy with it, should be good for another 57yrs.
92DC2372-754F-45B7-9F90-3F6017D1F869.jpeg
Tanalian stab STC C182D
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Sat Aug 18, 2018 1:19 pm

Re: Tanalian Aviation Horizontal Stabilizer Mod

Does anyone know if they make it for the wider body 182s?
My airplane really needs one.
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Sat Aug 18, 2018 2:20 pm

Re: Tanalian Aviation Horizontal Stabilizer Mod

motoadve wrote:Does anyone know if they make it for the wider body 182s?
My airplane really needs one.


http://tanalianaviation.com/leading-edg ... fications/
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Sat Aug 18, 2018 4:15 pm

Re: Tanalian Aviation Horizontal Stabilizer Mod

If anyone wants to start a list for a group buy, I’m in. :D
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Sat Aug 18, 2018 10:27 pm

Re: Tanalian Aviation Horizontal Stabilizer Mod

I've been running the tanalian stab mod for about 100 hours now. It has seen a few stones and gravel at this point as well. I believe that it is a VERY worthwhile airframe upgrade.

Image

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The shape of the leading edge, and lack of ribs, rivets, and pillowing between frames is very pleasing to the eye. The stiffness is confidence inspiring. It makes the whole horizontal tail feel a LOT stronger.

It was about 40 hours of labor to complete the installation, but rebuilding a damaged stock stabilizer can be the same or more. I would much rather have this stab than the damaged one re skinned with stock parts.

Rob's point about the stiffer stabilizer transferring any impact load inboard to jack screws and bulkheads is probably valid, but without ribs, I would expect the LE skin to absorb energy more efficiently than a strike on the leading edge directly at a rib location. Hopefully I will never find out.

The replacement leading edges are less than $500.00 and fit either side. If there is no further damage, screw a new one on and go flying.

This is why I am attracted to this STC.

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