The Papa Alpha SCBF #1 is a surface control balancing fixture for measuring the static balance moment of applicable Cessna ailerons, elevators and rudders about their hinge axis. Intended for maintenance professionals, it brings together the graduated beam, sliding measuring weight, adjustable hanger and supports needed to set up an applicable control surface for a balance check.
The graduated beam establishes a reference at the surface hinge axis. The adjustable trailing-edge hanger helps position the beam relative to the surface chord. The beam is tared using the adjustable tare weight and fine washers; the separate 1.000 lb sliding measuring weight then supplies the counterbalancing moment. Two support stands provide knife-edge or hinge-pin slot arrangements appropriate to the surface and governing aircraft instructions.
Intended as an alternative tool for the control-surface balancing task described in Cessna Service Newsletter SNL86-44. Cessna identifies 5180002-1 as a control-surface balancing kit. The SCBF #1 is a Papa-Alpha product, not a Cessna product; exact interchangeability with the Cessna kit has not been independently established.
Fixture features
- 54-inch graduated beam and adjustable trailing-edge hanger.
- 1.000 lb sliding measuring weight; separate adjustable beam tare weight and fine washers.
- Two balancing supports with knife-edge and hinge-pin slot provisions.
- Complete fixture weight: 4 lb 15.7 oz.
- Papa-Alpha user manual included.
Aircraft application chart
Historical source guidance; confirm actual aircraft, surface and fixture suitability.
| Aircraft or group | Source guidance | Confirm before use |
|---|---|---|
| Applicable Cessna piston-engine and propeller-driven turboprop aircraft | SNL86-44 historical coverage: aircraft manufactured since 1946, single- and multiengine. | Model, serial, surface, modifications, current maintenance data and fixture suitability. |
| 150, 152, 172, 180, 182, 185 | Named in the piano-hinge aileron supplement. | Actual hinge arrangement and specified support geometry; not every suffix or surface. |
| 120, 140, 140A, 170, 170A, 170B, 190, 195 | Named in historical early-model supplemental information. | Exact model, serial range, surface and current maintenance requirements. |
These historical references are not an exhaustive or blanket compatibility guarantee. Confirm suitability for the actual surface, serial range, modifications and fixture geometry. This guidance does not establish coverage for later aircraft or jet-powered models.
Use and maintenance information
Use the current applicable aircraft maintenance instructions for surface configuration, balancing attitude, limits, corrections and reinstallation. The fixture and support arrangement must allow free movement about the actual hinge axis. Tare the beam for each setup and verify the matched measuring weight, zero and ruler before use. Aircraft instructions control if they differ from the included tool manual.
The included manual is issued by Roger Wilco Aviation Services; it is not a Cessna publication or evidence of aircraft approval. The fixture owner is responsible for inspection and verification intervals. A successful beam tare alone does not verify the measuring weight or scale.
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