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Zip Tip v3 - Installing the access cover

dcurrier

Member
For all the builders who have purchased the Zip Tips from Aveo Engineering... what is your preferred method of installing the fiberglass access cover plate on the underside of the tip? I have zero experience working with fiberglass and am looking for some ideas. I'd like to keep it flush mounted, but the cover is pretty thin, so I'm not sure it would take a counter sink very well without cracking...

I'm open to any suggestions...
 
I haven't done it yet, but was thinking soft "A" rivets and nutplates would be the way to go.
 
You can see the photos in my blog, link below, from about a week ago. Use the Lighting link at the left to find it quickly. It sounds like I'm about the same step as you, as I've been working on these wingtips in various forms for the past two weeks.

I installed #8 nutplates inside the access area, using CCC-32 cherry rivets (designed for nutplates) and a 0.025 aluminum strip to back the fiberglass inside the access area. I was still a little concerned about even those pop rivets pulling through, so I also put a dab of JB Weld in each rivet hole as I set the rivets to give it a little bit more strength.

For the access cover, I countersunk for #8 screws but I used Tinnerman washers to spread the load and protect the fiberglass. I will be "painting" my plane with 3M vinyl, so you can see the red vinyl holding the washers nicely in place.
 
I can help

For all the builders who have purchased the Zip Tips from Aveo Engineering... what is your preferred method of installing the fiberglass access cover plate on the underside of the tip? I have zero experience working with fiberglass and am looking for some ideas. I'd like to keep it flush mounted, but the cover is pretty thin, so I'm not sure it would take a counter sink very well without cracking...

I'm open to any suggestions...

Hi Damien,

I'm up at Stellar Air Park in Chandler. I can help with those. I'm experienced with glass work and the Aveo product.

My email is [email protected]
 
Related question - has anyone figured out what to do with those triangle wedge pieces? I'm assuming that they fit into the trailing edge of the wingtip, once the wingtip has been cut to accommodate the aileron. Do you insert them with the smooth / white side facing the aileron? Do you have to cut them down to size? What do you hold them in place with, epoxy?

I'm still waiting on my back-ordered QB ailerons (9 months, and counting), so there is no rush. But, since they are sitting on my bench, and we are talking about these tips, I figured I should ask!
 
Hi, Damien,

I countersunk for #6 screws and used countersunk washers; worked great. Just go lightly on the countersinking. I’m up at CHD if you want to check it out.

And someone got filler wedges? I didn’t get those on my shipment. :confused: :(
 
Yup. Got two wedges. They look like they are for the trailing portion of the inside gap of the winglet. I have not tried to fit them yet, as I do not have my ailerons yet and haven't cut that portion of the winglet yet to all the aileron to move.
 
Related question - has anyone figured out what to do with those triangle wedge pieces? I'm assuming that they fit into the trailing edge of the wingtip, once the wingtip has been cut to accommodate the aileron. Do you insert them with the smooth / white side facing the aileron? Do you have to cut them down to size? What do you hold them in place with, epoxy?

I'm still waiting on my back-ordered QB ailerons (9 months, and counting), so there is no rush. But, since they are sitting on my bench, and we are talking about these tips, I figured I should ask!

You’ve got it...clean up and epoxy into aft opening. I have the version three ZipTip Premiere Winglet tips (winglet, really?) for my 10, which needed minimal trimming, but there was a small gap at the trailing edge, so I just filled that with a little flox and epoxied the triangle in with a smooth finish. The tips were a pretty snug fit for me, so be careful you don’t expand the tip any when you fit the triangle in.

BTW, I use #6 nut plates and solid rivets with a shallow countersink - worked well.
 
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Thanks for the confirmation - and it is white side (the flat side) facing the aileron, right?

I had the impression that the Van's standard wingtips have an insert that goes in concave - leaving a recess. Maybe I was looking at the plans wrong.

But, for these, it should leave a smooth appearance on the inner (aileron-facing) side, correct?
 
Aveo Engineering?

Any "PIREPS" on these ZIP TIPS from Aveo Engineering for an RV-14? I seem to have read that early on they had some radio noise issues and wondering if that was fixed. Is this a good quality product?
I sent an email to the company almost two weeks ago and haven't hear back.
 
From what I understand, v1 and v2 had some noise, although it may not have been completely Aveo's fault. There was some interference with/from other devices, mainly radios. They tracked some of the issues down to the radios themselves and also used more shielding on v3. I'm still building, so I can't comment for myself yet, but the feedback I've been seeing from most people on v3 is pretty positive.
 
I wasn’t aware of this issue until I was half way through the install. Thanks to the post above, now we know some improvement was made. I took an additional step and used copper shielding tape on the outside of the light box to “wall” off the lights. I have no issues with interference due to the lights in the tips.
 
The former issue was a conflict with the Garmin GTN radios, but with version 3, that is resolved.

Also, yes, the white side of the trailing edge rib "insert" goes toward the aileron - they are made "right" and "left", so you should notice there is a curvature to the insert as well.

Pirep...the lights are bright... also, in case you're interested, the peak amperages for the Winglet Premiere ZipTip v3 bulbs (per side) are:
Landing: 2.51A
Taxi: 1.65A
NAV: .69A
Strobe: 1.52A

Overall, I'm very pleased with the construction and quality of build. I'd buy them again with the only issue I had being the need to split the TE and flex slightly to align with the aileron. The tips are pretty solid and don't flex as much as Van's tips do, but it was a simple adjustment with a little flox.
 
More Zip Tip Questions

From what I understand, v1 and v2 had some noise, although it may not have been completely Aveo's fault. There was some interference with/from other devices, mainly radios. They tracked some of the issues down to the radios themselves and also used more shielding on v3. I'm still building, so I can't comment for myself yet, but the feedback I've been seeing from most people on v3 is pretty positive.

Thank you for attaching a link to your build. As I was looking through the Zip Tip installation it seemed to me you spent a whole lot of time on these. I was only considering them because I thought they would be a time saver and looked really good.

Do you think they were a time saver?

Why did you put i the access panel. Do they call for one?

Did they send any instructions besides the wiring diagram online?

Did you do a wing tip NAV antenna? If so were there any issues?

Would you do again?

Thanks so much for your time,
 
Overall, I'm very pleased with the construction and quality of build. I'd buy them again with the only issue I had being the need to split the TE and flex slightly to align with the aileron. The tips are pretty solid and don't flex as much as Van's tips do, but it was a simple adjustment with a little flox.

How did you handle splitting the TE with the rear facing Strobe mounted in the TE?
I understand that this is a common issue with the Zip Tip TE hanging as much as 3/8"+ low. Were you able to bring them in line?
 
I’ve included some photos to show my left tip alignment, the TE adjustment i made to the right tip, and then the plate nut installation for the access cover (which was the OP’s question). Note that I used #6 screws.

Note that splitting the TE with a hand-held hack-saw blade most of the way across allows a fairly easy adjustment. There’s not a lot of movement needed to adjust the TE up the little bit needed.

My main “tip” for installing these tips is to ensure you have them firmly held into the wingtip and then rotated such that the leading edge is in-line with the wing LE. There’s really not much movement - Aveo did a good job with the mold getting a pretty tight fit with the tip into the wing.
 

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RFI Issues

Don't blame the radio!

I started with Ver 1 tips or Gen 1, and went all the way to Gen 3. It got less noisy with each upgrade but it's still there. With the upgrades and additional shielding the noise is now below squelch threshold, so at this point it is just a nuisance.

Radios affected on my aircraft are Dynon and Avidyne so it's not a problem with how Garmin built their radios. Or if it is then it is a problem with how several manufacturers build their radios.

Problem for me was surge emissions on strobe and pulsing landing lights. Constant illumination lights were quiet.

Damien at Ziptip was a one man show for this aveo engineering product at the time and did his very best to help with what he had.

If you are just starting out and want ziptips then recognize the power control circuitry isn't cased and locally grounded, so all your EMI receptors (wing wires) may need to be. Or, maybe not. EMI and in my case RFI is an imperfect science. Two installations that look the same can have very different reactions.

Nice tight package when they work properly. If you get aft facing lights it's nice to skip the wiring to the tail and keep that area EMI free for other things.
 
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