B

Burtonport

Member
Hello. The wing spar assembly plans state to drill and tap the AEX Tie Down on both ends. Why do we have to tap to top end? Thanks.
Regards,
Damien
 
I believe it was to facilitate hoisting the plane up if that was going to be a useful feature for some builders. There's a #30 hole in the top wing skin just above the tie-down point, but as far as I know, nearly all builders have just put a rivet in it. I tapped both ends of the AEX block, but in hindsight the top one wasn't necessary.
 
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I?ve heard this question asked before. There were several jokes such as gun mount, external drop tanks, etc.
For the record, I plugged the hole in the skin with a rivet and did not tap both ends.
 
No harm...

I figured the top hole and mount might be useful later, so I tapped it per instructions and put a rivet in the upper skin above. It?s another minuscule weight savings and the threads are there if needed for a camera (or gun mount). One mistake I made was to use the first tap I found in my garage. Right size, wrong thread pitch. Lesson: read the directions, read them again, measure twice, cut once!
 
So, if one did use the top tie-down for lifting, does anyone know what the sanctioned method is for covering the hole?
 
Mine has a rivet in the top skin to fill that unused hole.

Also there was mentioned using the top access for a holding device to hang the plane. I recall a prior thread from a group in Switzerland where an RV12 hung from a hangar ceiling with many other aircraft also hanging and many below. The post wrote about the limited space issues in their area.
 
One day when I have to give up flying, I'll donate my 12 to the Smithsonian. All they have to do is drill out 2 rivets and hang it up. Vans think of everything. ;)
 
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