If your finished Zenith aircraft isn't flying quite hands-free and is consistently demonstrating a "heavy wing," Roger and Steve from the Zenith Aircraft kit factory provide an easy fix:

Share with us your additional comments and suggestions below, and let us know how this worked.

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Comment by Jim and Amelia Isaacs on September 8, 2016 at 5:18am

Steve,

Yes, a heavy left wing means the aircraft will tend to roll left in straight and level flight unless a control input is held to counter it. I had a Grumman Cheetah that would do it, but only when flying in rain!  So my guess as to how this works aerodynamically is that by squeezing as depicted you are flattening the curve of the upper skin as compared to the lower skin of that right aileron trailing edge, thus slightly reducing the aerodynamic effectiveness of that aileron; so the tiny bit of increased lift it was generating at cruise, causing the banking tendency to the left, is reduced.  Just a guess.

Comment by Ron Lendon on September 2, 2016 at 1:06pm
Thanks for this. Today I tightened up the right wing trailing edge, filled the tanks and went around the pattern with zero aileron trim. Slightly heavy left wing. Landed, tweaked the right trailing edge again. Refilled tanks, went up again with zero aileron trim, now it's hands free.

Good practical well explained tip!
Comment by Ray Toews on September 2, 2016 at 10:29am

Comment by Ray Toews on September 1, 2016 at 9:53pm
Does this trick work on the 601/650?
Comment by Brian Unruh on September 1, 2016 at 7:21pm
I had a heavy left wing during flight testing. Solved with a light spring,piece of fuel line and a hose clamp. Look online at what vans uses on the control stick to see what I did.
Comment by Steve Freeman on September 1, 2016 at 6:56pm

By "heavy wing" do you mean the airplane will tend to turn in the direction of the heavy wing without input from the ailerons?

SF

Comment by Bob Turner on August 31, 2016 at 7:25am
Thanks for the post. I've got a slightly heavy left wing that I've been pondering. Now I'll fix it.

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