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wingtip skin separation (delamination) and how to fix?

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Stump

Active Member
Well the time has come to make my first post. haven't had anything intelligent to contribute but the knowledge here has been invaluable as I sought to buy an already flying RV. had to fill the flying and upside down fix.

I recently bought an RV-6A and have enjoyed getting to know it. Spring sprung this weekend here in Colorado and I was ready to enjoy the beautiful day. Unfortunately on preflight I found this. It extends from the most aft screw on the right wingtip all the way to the aft end of the wingtip.

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photo-1.jpg


As I am not a builder, i am looking for some help with how to proceed. Can I epoxy/glue this back together? Or do I have to remove the wingtip and rebuild it? Is this a big deal, or a small deal? is it flyable? Thanks.

Stump
 
Looks really strange to me...

Did someone sit on the aft wing tip?? I would definitely NOT fly this until it was investigated and repaired. I'm sure it's repairable, but you need to understand WHY this happened to do a safe repair...
 
I think to fix it, you'll need to do the following:
  • Remove the wingtip (is it held on with pop rivets or screws?)
  • lay-up a few strips of fiberglass/epoxy from the inside of the tip.

If you haven't done fiberglass work before, a local builder could probably do this work very easily/quickly. Or a good classic cars auto body shop.

If it was me, I wouldn't fly it until fixed. I wouldn't like the idea of that rib flexing and binding against the aileron. It looks like the original builder just glued in that rib without any glass tape on the back. I also agree - it looks like someone must have done something to that tip recently.
 
Did someone sit on the aft wing tip?? I would definitely NOT fly this until it was investigated and repaired. I'm sure it's repairable, but you need to understand WHY this happened to do a safe repair...

Looks like someone may have sat, or pushed hard against it; or something dropped....

But at least, these things are easily repaired.

L.Adamson 6A
 
looks like the end ribs are filled

there is a small portion of the aft wing tip that has a riblet in it on the 7.

it's like any other rib in the wings... stamped sheet. It would seem though that the rib has a solid insert or plug inside of it on your bird. You wouldn't want it to come part way out and jam the control surface. That'd be a bad thing.

It seems that the tip skin has pulled away from that plug or from the rib or both. If you move the control surface out of the way, can you see any rivets, rivet shanks, bucktails, or anything between the delaminating pieces?

Either way, it's not a big deal to remove the wingtips. Take it off and investigate. Not comfortable with that? Have another builder look on.
 
Thanks!

Gents,

Thanks for the advice. I knew I was in the right place to ask and I truly appreciate your help. As luck would have it, there is a builder here on my field and I have a field trip scheduled to see him. Looks like some fiberglass work in my future.
 
It will be a great learning experience... and that's one of the great things these planes bring to us... life building experiences!
 
close it please

Moderators,

please close this thread. i had closed my first post because i felt it was porrly worded and rewrote it, but it appears i wasn't too far gone. only need one on this topic active. rookie mistake, sorry....

thanks
 
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