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Wing Construction

nohoflyer

Well Known Member
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The wing construction is anything but straight forward.

The plans do not include things like wiring for lights and a specilized pitot tube which I've seen on other's builder logs.

Now it seems that I need to contact Dynon for a pitot tube idea and FLYLEDs for lighting wiring.

What else am I missing?
 
If you're using the Dynon pitot, make sure you run both pitot and AoA tubing. If you have any thought that you or somebody someday might want it certified IFR, then get the Dynon heated pitot. It is vastly simpler to run that tubing and install the wiring/heating unit while building the wing rather than after-the-fact.

As to wingtip wiring...most builds I've seen run some Van's 3/4 inch corrugated tubing/conduit the full length of each wing for servo and lighting wiring.
 
Don’t over think this:
- For Dynon, buy the heated pitot/AOA tube and mount. Follow the installation instructions that come with it. I mount mine on the wing bay just outboard the aileron bell crank bay as this keeps the 1/4” tubes and wires out of the bell crank area.
- For wire, leave the wire holes in the ribs as is. Do not install the plastic grommets included in the kit. Instead get a couple of length of 1/2” cold water plastic pipe from Lowes. This pipe is a perfect fit for the holes and is big enough for all the wires you will need (pitot heat, Landing Lights and NAV/Strobes and either the AOA or Pitot 1/4” nylon tube on the left wing, Autopilot servo, wing tip VOR/LOC/GS antenna and Nav/Strobes on the right wing). For the second 1/4” pitot tube on the left wing run it via 1/4” ID snap bushings installed in the rib tooling holes.
- For most of use running LED NAV/Strobes a single three #20 conductor shielded wire does the job (Nav Power, strobe power, strobe sync on the three conductors, common ground on the shield).
- For LED landing lights usually a single #18 wire for power.
- For the Pitot Heat a single #16 wire for power, a #22 for signal.
- For the left wing a single #14 wire back to the firewall for common ground (Landing Lights and Pitot Heat). For the right wing a single #18 wire back to the firewall for landing light ground.

If you are running 747 type landing lights, up the wire gauge as needed.

I find the Dynon AOA stall audio alerts to be a perfect tool. I do not install the Van’s Stall Warning. I fill up the leading edge holes that are there for this stall warning.

Carl
 
I think it is helpful to orient the perspective of building the legacy Vans aircraft in that you are building the primary structure. The rest of the electrical, avionics, engines, etc are all customizable and the main construction plan does not address these issues. You need to refer to the OP drawings to get ideas of what to be expected. It is also helpful if you can visit other builders in the area, and peruse different build logs. Since you have a lot of experience flying different GA aircraft, you are ahead of the game in term of knowing what you want in your avionics, lightings, etc.

For the wing wiring, I just use snap fittings at the bottom ribs. Running wire, even when the wings are closed, is really easy. I use a long rod to fish the wire but you can get the professional fishing tap reel from Home Depot.

I installed the roll servo, and the Dynon pitot tube before closing the wing. However, there is nothing difficult about installing them after the wings are closed. Slightly less space to work around but they are mounted directly next to the wing access holes. I had to reinstalled my roll servo due to not-so-perfect wiring connector. I am waiting to install all wingtip nav lighting at the end of the build. Again, fishing wires is easy, it is a straight line from root rib to the tip rib. In general the wings accessories are simple. Wait until you start building the fuselage and the non-documented accessories will add up fast.
 
I had a bear of a time with the Aileron torque tubes.

Vans recommends painting the inside and assembling the tubes wet since waiting to let the paint dry can make the fit not work. Assembling wet is a mess. So just wondering what folks have done for these.

For my next plane (don't tell my wife)
 
I had a bear of a time with the Aileron torque tubes.

Vans recommends painting the inside and assembling the tubes wet since waiting to let the paint dry can make the fit not work. Assembling wet is a mess. So just wondering what folks have done for these.

For my next plane (don't tell my wife)

I Alodine the interior and exterior of all my aluminum torque tubes.
 
Sorry about the confusion I was referencing this assembly. The center tube needs to slide well inside the WD-1014 or CS-00009 to get the assembly to fit then pull it back to match bolt holes. If the inside of these steel control links are painted there is no room to do this hence the recommendation to do it while wet, but wow what a mess if its wet.
 

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Sorry about the confusion I was referencing this assembly. The center tube needs to slide well inside the WD-1014 or CS-00009 to get the assembly to fit then pull it back to match bolt holes. If the inside of these steel control links are painted there is no room to do this hence the recommendation to do it while wet, but wow what a mess if its wet.

Just helped my friend do this earlier this week on his 14. We let the tubes drip dry over night and as Van's instructions say we applied a light coating of grease over the tubing before sliding them together. They slid right in no problem. I don't recall the instruction to install them with the paint still wet. I would think this would just scrap the paint right off.
 
I find the Dynon AOA stall audio alerts to be a perfect tool. I do not install the Van’s Stall Warning. I fill up the leading edge holes that are there for this stall warning.

Carl

Carl, can I ask what you used to fill these holes?
 
Doug,

I scuffed up the inside of the leading edge in the small area around the two holes. I wetted out a small piece of fiberglass, then used the remaining resin to mix a tiny amount of micro. A dab of micro in each hole, then the glass over the micro. Clean up any excess micro on the outside (but don't dig into the holes, any small bulge can be sanded flush after this stuff sets).

My thought was just filling with micro might not be all that durable. But as with many things I do this could be over kill. At any rate once you start working with glass little stuff like this becomes second nature.

Carl
 
I assembled my wings a while ago and primed the inside of the WD-1014 torque tubes but not the outside. I then moved to Florida and those 2 parts now have surface rust on them. I am ordering new parts but I was wondering if we could use Stainless Tube instead of steel? No need to prime and they will slide in no problem.

I asked Vans this weekend and I am awaiting a response. Drilling the holes will be that much tougher.

The material can be found here:
https://www.speedymetals.com/pc-4479-8276-78-od-x-0065-wall-tube-304-stainless-steel-annealed.aspx

This has a thicker wall thickness but I think I can find the .035 wall thickness like is shown below

https://stainlessandalloy.com/p/7-8-x-035-316-a269-seamless-tube/ts-875x-035-316a269/

Lets see what vans says.



Just helped my friend do this earlier this week on his 14. We let the tubes drip dry over night and as Van's instructions say we applied a light coating of grease over the tubing before sliding them together. They slid right in no problem. I don't recall the instruction to install them with the paint still wet. I would think this would just scrap the paint right off.
 
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