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Leading edge plans are wrong (I think)

gotyoke

Well Known Member
I'm referring to the J-stiffeners, and it's not the length issue in the gotcha's page. Section 17-03 step 4 and figure 2 show drilling the inboard hole of the left J-stiffener. I did that.

94EBB88E-0D4B-48B5-9E41-FAD42A146B4B.jpg

Section 17-04 step 3 and figure 1 show inserting the stiffener so you can match drill it. But, the picture shown isn't the left stiffener, it's the right one! Or rather, the hole I drilled following the plans is on the wrong side. Here is what my left stiffener looks like compared to the figure in the plans (it's the mirror opposite):

D9F872BA-C3CA-45D2-AA7D-6D2986AC6ACF.jpg

If I use the right stiffener in the left leading edge, its orientation and the location of the inboard hole is correct.

So, here is the question: did the plans have you drilling the hole on the wrong side of the left stiffener in 17-03 step 4, or am I supposed to use the right stiffener in the left leading edge? Either way, that would make the plans wrong.

(I realize left and right J-stiffeners are notional for these steps, but I want to get this correct before going against the plans).
 
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For posterity's sake, I ended up using the right J-channel in the left leading edge (and vice versa), and it worked out just fine.
 
I think what might have happened here is you missed the inboard designation on the diagram. An easy way to identify where to drill is dry fit the J channel per page 17-04 fig 1 and then identify where the inboard cleco location would be.
 
Does it really matter if you drill the initial hole on the inboard or outboard side? You use that hole to anchor the stiffener and match drill the rest of the holes.

Don't you end up with a correct set of holes regardless of which end your start on?

I'm just starting on this step and the initial hole is drilled. Hoping it doesn't matter.
 
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