Seattle has a very temperate clime... temperatures almost never get above 100 degrees F, and almost never drop below 0 F.

Until this year, the record for the number days per year above 90 degrees was *three*.

This year is different. We're up to about seven.

Today was one of them...about 95 degrees, absolutely beautiful day to fly an open cockpit airplane. I took Moonraker up, flew around for about 40 minutes, then came back and landed. As I rolled out, I decided I wanted more. But the fuel was a tad low, so I pulled up to the pumps to get it filled.

After a bit, I fired up and taxied out to the runway. Start pre-takeoff checks....

Hmmmm. The ailerons are sticking. They'd go to the right just fine, then come to neutral and lock. A bit more pressure and it'd clear....

But, shoot, somethings wrong. I taxied back to the hangar and shut down. After pulling out my ear plugs, I wiggled the stick back and forth. There was a distinct "Thud" when the stick went left of neutral, synchronized with the sticking. Following my ears, it seemed to be coming from the aileron itself.

I climbed out and took a closer look. The inboard aft edge of the aileron was striking the end corner of the aileron notch in the wing. I could work things by hand, and actually feel the surfaces rub across each other.

No other sign of issues...no buckled ribs, no wrinkled fabric.

The only thing I could think of was the heat, and the fact that the airplane sat out in it, stationary, for about 30 minutes.

I pushed it back into the hangar. Five minutes later, the interference was gone, and there was a gap about the thickness of a business card where the pieces had been striking, before.

Pretty amazing.

I'm going to try to shave off in the inboard side of the aileron to get a bit more clearance... just taking off the paint might be enough.


Ron Wanttaja