Acrylic Wing Insp. Plates

briand · #1 07-03-2006, 09:34 AM

Anyone consider replacing the alum. ones with plexi-glass? I was thinking about doing this on the outbaord one that provides access to the aileron bellcranks so you can inspect the linkage during each preflight.

RV7Guy · #2 07-03-2006, 01:36 PM

I learned during my helicopter flying days that inspections are nearly equally divided be touching a feeling a part and a visual inspection.

Clear plates will let you know everything is attached but my interest is insuring that no end play has developed in the linkages. Also that the fasteners are tight and not just attached.

brules · #3 07-03-2006, 02:05 PM

briand, those aluminum covers are on the tension side of the lifting wing and provide strength to the skin. I believe thats why there are so many screws holding that cover on. Be on the safe side and call Vans tech help before you change those covers out.

William Slaughter · #4 07-03-2006, 03:22 PM

I recently called Van's because the ready made inspection plates on my RV-8QB were 0.025 instead of the specified 0.032 material. Van's couldn't explain this discrepancy, but the engineer consulted said that he would "feel better about it" if all of the inspection plates were 0.032. They sent me four new 0.032 blanks at no charge. It seems that they may well be a structural element of the wing skin.

briand · #5 07-03-2006, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RV7Guy

I learned during my helicopter flying days that inspections are nearly equally divided be touching a feeling a part and a visual inspection.

Clear plates will let you know everything is attached but my interest is insuring that no end play has developed in the linkages. Also that the fasteners are tight and not just attached.

Structural issues aside, I think you should be able to visually detect some excess free-play in the linkage by moving the ail. up and down while looking through the "window".

brules · #6 07-03-2006, 10:59 PM

structural issues aside, the pushrod ends that you want to see through your acrilic window will be located at the upper surface of the wing above the main pushrod connected to the stick. It will be dark in there as well as obstructed view. the window idea sounds good but in practice is impractical. you would have to lay on your back on the ramp to look up into the wing and that dosen't even sound fun. just a note; that area where that bellcrank is located is the terminus of the fuel tank splice to the nose skin and the splice of the main skins and that area has a hole located there that needs that aluminum plate to hold it all together. this is just a museing but the inpection window you suggest should be on the top of the wing, this would eliminate all the afore mentioned problems.