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Big milestone today. Wing ribs complete!
Thank you to all on this forum for taking time to document build tips and methods.
-John
Thank you to all on this forum for taking time to document build tips and methods.
-John
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Well done! Always a great feeling!Christopher Owens
Bearhawk 4-Place Scratch Built, Plans 991
Bearhawk Patrol Scratch Built, Plans P313
Germantown, Wisconsin, USA -
I started working on spar webs and thought I'd share my experience so far. I began with the aileron spar (smallest, so least material wasted if I messed up). I don't have easy access to an 8 ft brake, so I built a brake from steel angles and piano hinge (the designs have been posted in other threads on the forums).
I used a router with a straight edge to cut my blank. The router bit is a 1/4 dia. So it wastes some material, but gave nice predictable cut. I kept the protective plastic on the metal to protect it from scratches during to fabrication process.
Using a few trial pieces about 2 in long, I dialed in the right set up to match my ribs and was then ready for the full size spar.
The brake worked well. The bends came out straight with a consistent bend radius. The spar channels match my ribs very well, and I'm pleased with the results. Next up will be rear and main spar webs.
​​​​​​Hope this is helpful to others pondering what to do about a bending brake.
-JohnComment
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Happy 4th of July!
I've been making steady progress, and finished up my aileron spar assemblies. I'm now working on how to jig the spar and ribs to maintain alignment as I locate and drill. More to come....
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JohnComment
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Keep up the good work John!!!Comment
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What is happening ? LSA news of plans built aircraft and kit built aircraft is dead on this forum . I take it you're all too busy or you broke a leg! Stinger
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Here is a little something LSA related Stinger. Yesterday I had a visit at my ranch from Bruce McElhoe who finished the first customer built LSA from our kit. There was a Sport Aviation article about Bruce and his plane. He is on his way to Tennessee from California and stopped for the night here. From Tennessee he is going with friends to the antique plane get together in Blakesburg Iowa. It is always nice to meet someone in person who I have been talking to on the phone for years. Bruce is a really nice guy and has had a very interesting life. MarkYou do not have permission to view this gallery.
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Did you talk him into an irrigation consultation while he was there?Comment
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Bruce was a early pioneer in the drip irrigation field. Now it is pretty standard stuff with lots of different manufacturers and knowledge. What I do is nothing complicated. I did send him off with a watermelon from the last stragglers from this years crop. It was not going to put his LSA over gross. Bruce really loves how that LSA flies although flying over the desert in the summer at 1,500 ft can beat you up a bit. MG
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Stinger, no broken leg here. Life's been pretty busy since coming home from Oshkosh, but I've continued making progress on the LSA. Got all of my main spar channels bent using the homemade brake. It took some muscle on the long peices, but they turned out well. I'm currently working on aileron assemblies. Have the ribs drilled and riveted to the spars. Need to buy some .016 aluminum, then should be ready for the leading edge skins. I'm going to save the trailing edge piece until after the wing is assembled to make sure it fairs with the wing. Here are a few pictures of ailerons, riveting nose ribs, and a jig I used to set the rib to spar angle.
More to come....
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John , very nice work . I found the assembly to be a little awkward . Good luck StingerYou do not have permission to view this gallery.
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Hey guys I wanted to ask if anyone has ever covered the ailerons with .016 skins?Comment
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thats aluminum skins
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Phil Johnson did it on a 4-place and hated it. Soon thereafter he removed the skins and built them to the plans. He cited the huge amount of counterweight as the biggest drawback. Something like 22 pounds of weight gain in total.Originally posted by davzLSA View PostComment
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I can't remember if he commented about any handling characteristics, that discussion was a few years ago and in my advanced age I'm remembering less than I used to! Perhaps I should have instead said "He cited the huge amount of counterweight as the drawback." If you'd like to talk to him about it I'm happy to put you guys in touch. I don't think he's registered here but in any case he's certainly not a frequent visitor.
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I don't think the LSA ailerons lend them self towards a metal skin . The aileron strength is built into the structure , if one was going to cover with metal you would use another process, meaning the skin would provide the strength. The LSA has no counter weights however I don't think it's a good idea . StingerComment
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Hi Stinger. I was thinking about how the RV4 aileron is designed, it has a minimal frame with stiffeners riveted to the one piece skins and of course with the half inch water pipes riveted in the nose as counter weights. Its not some thing I planning to do but it is something interesting to think about. I wonder if it would be as light at the original design but have the durability of a metal skin vs a fabric skin? What do you think?
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