Brad wrote:
Greetings, group!

Our local club has a pair of L-13s. In one of them, we recently
discovered a badly-corroded elevator cable. The corrosion area was
located was approx. 15" aft of the bellcrank attachment, under the
port-side, aft cockpit flooring -- *very* difficult to get to. It
would appear from the extent of the corrosion that this particular
spot was not noticed during annual- and/or 100-hour inspections.

First, a heads-up to other Blanik L-13 operators: you may want to take
a really careful look at the state of your elevator cables, especially
in that 15"-aft-of-bellcrank spot on the port side cable. The small,
semi-enclosed space in this area of the cable run is both A/
impossible to see without flashlights and mirrors (or an endoscope),
and B/ exposed to moisture from e.g. wheel-thrown debris and cockpit
condensation.

Second: we've been told that new cables will cost $490.00 each (!)
from Videck, and take upwards of 3 weeks to get here. I know aviation
parts are rarely inexpensive, but $500+ (with shipping) for a 20-foot,
3/16" galvanized steel cable with eyes and swages seems exccessive;
similarly-built Piper and Cessna control cables, while admittedly
somewhat shorter, tend to run about $100.

Does anyone know of a reason why a less costly option, like ordering
some custom cables from Aircraft Spruce, wouldn't be legal/safe/
practical? Are there any other suggestions that might help our little
non-profit club avoid or mitigate a potential bill of $2,000.00 for 4
cables, and a month-long grounding of our Blaniks while we wait for
them to arrive?

Thanks in advance,

Brad

I have no special insights other than a well-developed wallet nerve
about aircraft ownership costs. There are general design rules about
control surfaces: one that comes to mind is the design load specified
for rudder pedals (for example): shall withstand 100 lb force on each
pedal, with a 150% design factor (if my memory serves).

If a person wanted to select the appropriate aircraft cable and the
appropriate terminals and found a competent Yacht chandler and gave
EXACT measurements or preferably provided the old cables with a stretch
allowance, AND above all, carried out a proof test on the manufactured
cable AND kept it off the books, then costs would be reduced.

Thankfully, I can simply ask my A&P to fit the replacement rudder cables
he is ordering for me, when they arrive. As you note - for popular types
the costs are not out of line for approved components.

Introducing a worry factor of this kind, when the pilot is going to
seek out bumpy conditions would not be a happy prospect, to my way of
thinking.

Brian W