Wing to fuselage fairings

[rodsmith]

Ok they are really just flat strips, but I am missing a detail that I have never looked closely at on a completed bearhawk. On the underside of the wing above the front windows, how do you attach the strips at the fuselage? Going flush with the underside of the wing you are near the bottom of the tube that you hinge the window on. Can you attach the strips to the underside of that tube without interfering with the window opening?

[jaredyates]

My fairings do not attach to the fuselage there, they just float with a rubber padding strip. Others may have found a better way.

[stinger]

Rod. Because you are entering a subject that is relative to all aircraft, I will attempt to help. I take it that you are referring to the wing root/fuselage fairing. Basically as you said it is a flat strip of metal with rubber on both edges. It wraps completely around the wing from trailing edge to trailing edge. I prefer to create a strap that attaches at the trailing edge, thus pulling the top and bottom taught. On several occasions I have split and riveted parts of a hose clamp to the trailing edge and used it to secure the overhaul strap. Others prefer to put sheet metal screws along the upper and lower wing perimeter at the root to secure it. To each his own. Stinger

[Ed.Meyer]

We used 3 pieces of metal for the fairings. One on top with metal screws along the wing and fuselage both. At the skylight the screws went through the Plexiglas. Another piece at the front shaped to fit the windshield with a rubber edging against the windshield. At the bottom we put about a 3/8 inch upward bend with a brake to give some rigidity where it floats along the fuselage above the window and used screws into the wing. All works fine.

[rodsmith]

We used 3 pieces of metal for the fairings. One on top with metal screws along the wing and fuselage both. At the skylight the screws went through the Plexiglas. Another piece at the front shaped to fit the windshield with a rubber edging against the windshield. At the bottom we put about a 3/8 inch upward bend with a brake to give some rigidity where it floats along the fuselage above the window and used screws into the wing. All works fine.

I used one piece on top wrapping around the leading edge. I hadn't thought about leaving it free floating against the fuselage above the window, I like the idea of a bend for rigidity. Thanks for all the replies.

[Bcone1381]

Rod. Because you are entering a subject that is relative to all aircraft, I will attempt to help. I take it that you are referring to the wing root/fuselage fairing. Basically as you said it is a flat strip of metal with rubber on both edges. It wraps completely around the wing from trailing edge to trailing edge. I prefer to create a strap that attaches at the trailing edge, thus pulling the top and bottom taught. On several occasions I have split and riveted parts of a hose clamp to the trailing edge and used it to secure the overhaul strap. Others prefer to put sheet metal screws along the upper and lower wing perimeter at the root to secure it. To each his own. Stinger

Stinger,

Do have photos of this? Maybe a crude drawing? I can't quite visualize it, but I think you might be securing the wing root fairing without screwing it down.

[svyolo]

I am thinking about the lower wing to fuselage fairing. I was thinking of just using nut plates on the wing side, like the upper. But "capture" the bottom round tube on the fuselage side. Bend a channel on the fuselage side,

Anybody try this? I don't recall any info on any of the Bh sites.

[Rollie]

I'm not sure why people want to use nut plates here, or at the other end of the wing for the wing tips, you are going through two layers of sheet metal, the rib and the skin. Sheet metal screws work great here, even Cessna and Piper just used sheet metal screws here. They also only attach them to the wing, not to the fuselage. The worst I've seen on 50 year old Cessnas is a couple screws that had to be upsized from stripping the hole. That's good enough for me. Or you could always stick a tinnerman in there if the hole gets stripped out.

[robcaldwell]

PK Screws worked perfectly for me on the wing root only. As you mentioned Rollie, there is enough "meat" in those layers to hold a sheet metal screw indefinitely. When starting the screw for the first time, I would back it out every quarter turn or so until the screw established its threads. Otherwise, there is a chance the screw head will break off.