One wing at a time?

[JimWoo50]

I am building in a 2 car garage and may not have enough room (it will be close) to put both wings on in the garage. Is it possible to put one wing on at a time and make all the connections and adjustments such as fuel lines, wires, etc before I move to the airport. This is still a ways away but I like to plan ahead. Sorry if this has been covered already.

[Kyle Boatright]

Yes, but...

I think you'll want to set incidence and sweep with both wings attached. Also, rigging the ailerons will be easier with both wings attached.

KB

[txaviator]

There was indeed a thread on this subject about 30-45 days ago. I recall Rosie replying to the thread (if that helps during your search). It was an interesting discussion relating to your exact question. I'd do a search for you but I am on my way out the door....

[szicree]

Funny you should ask , as I just did it yesterday. About a month ago I dragged the whole thing out into the driveway and installed both wings to set alignment and drill the rear spar. This took most of the day, and then it was pulled apart and put back in the garage. Yesterday I moved the fuse up against the side wall of the garage and attached the left wing. There's plenty of room to work, and so far the root fairings are coming along nicely. I'll probably be fitting the flaps next and then on to the tips. I can't see any problems with doing it this way.

STeve Zicree
RV4 finishing

[LettersFromFlyoverCountry]

Two car garages come in all sizes. In mine, I'd have to use the Rosie method. Turn the fuselage sideways, run one wing into the garage and one wing out over the driveway. Had planned to do that but then snow and ice came along as it seems to do every time about this year and I can't get a plumb line chalked onto it.

I've read that you CAN do all of this one wing at a time and thinking abut it I can see where -- in theory -- it could be done. However it also seems to me that once you "do" one wing, you're certainly committed and whatever may or may not be revealed to you on the next wing can only be solved on that wing.

That's too much of a gamble at this stage of the game for me. YMMV.

So I just pulleed everything back in for winter and I'm putting about running various fuel and brake lines, pitot systems etc. Then in the spring, the amount of time the wing will have to stay on (or more important, the amount of time the garage will need to stay open to all the riffraff that might want to come in overnight and take some tools) will be substantially reduced.

I hope.

[RV7ator]

....and, while you have a wing sticking under the door...

disable the electric opener. Otherwise, your wife will be driving home and hit the transmitter out of habit without looking.

John Siebold