[java]

I need some advice on getting past the milestone of mating my wings to my fuse. I've completed fuse and wing building on my QB to the point in the manual where I'm supposed to connect them, and have been procrastinating by working on odd jobs while I figure out how I want to do this.

My issue is that I have a small 2 car garage I'm working in. The manual says I can do one wing at a time, but I fear it will be harder to have everything line up properly and consistently. Alternately, I could leave one wing sticking out the garage door, and do both at once (a la Checkoway). I don't really like the idea of leaving my garage door open for several days. Last, I could go on and do everything else I can, and wait until I'm in a hanger to mate the wings for the first time. I've searched the archives and have seen how this can work (i.e. Paul Dye), but I have worries of rework (i.e. fuel lines) once I actually get the wings on in the late stages, and I'm not yet sure when/where I'll have hanger access.

I'm interested in hearing from those who have gone before me, who have had the same situation.
- If you did one wing at a time, how did it work and how did you make sure of measurements like sweep, etc?
- If you left your garage door open, what were the "gotcha's" and things to be ready for, so as to minimize the open door time?
- If you waited until in the hanger, what has to be left until that point (beyond the obvious rear spar drilling, forward tank attachment and wing root fairings) and what do I need to keep in mind as I'm working on the separate components (i.e. keeping fuel lines lined up, etc.)?

Thanks to all respondents in advance.

 

[Ironflight]

Hi Jase,

You have to do what works bets for you! As to your third bullet, you have the list pretty much right - there are a few details you left out, but those are the main things. One thiing that helped me finish quick at the airport was to take a full week off work and park our four-wheeled RV at the hanagr. I basically went into 16-hour/day mode for that week, and ti was simple to finish.

good luck!

 

[java]

Hi Jase,

You have to do what works bets for you! As to your third bullet, you have the list pretty much right - there are a few details you left out, but those are the main things. One thiing that helped me finish quick at the airport was to take a full week off work and park our four-wheeled RV at the hanagr. I basically went into 16-hour/day mode for that week, and ti was simple to finish.

good luck!

Thanks Paul,

Some more specific questions, did you install your fuel/vent lines before mating your wings, and if so, did you terminate and flare for fittings where you thought it would line up, or did you leave extra tubing to be cut/bent/flared once you saw where things would line up? Likewise for wiring and pitot line.

 

[Ironflight]

Jase - for the fuel lines, I did a little measuring and guesstimating once I was ready to mount the wings, and made sure that I had some flex to the lines where they come out of the fuselage (they come straight out on an -8, so I just made sure I could push them back into the fuse a bit) to allow for error. Measured three or four times, then cut and flared - worked fine!

The vent lines I fabbed after the wings were in place. I had lots of extra wiring coming out of both the wings and fuse, so putting on connectors (with a service loop) was easy.

hope that helps,

Paul

 

[Rupester]

JAse,
I just mated the left wing to the fuse in my 2 1/2 car garage ... I too have only room for one wing at a time. One of the important issues is assuring there's no sweep in the wings! The basic Vans 'structions say to hang both wings, then strike a line on the floor under the leading edges with a plumb-bob ... assuring that across the entire wingspan you have a dead straight line. When you do the one- wing-at-a-time thing, you need to assure no sweep by striking the centerline of the fuse on the floor, then the leading edge of the wing, and then checking for absolute perpendularity (with all that trig you haven't used in years )
I'm piping the fuel and vent lines now. It also looks like I'll have to re-fabricate the F996A tank brackets, even tho' mine are prefectly according to Vans dimensions. When mated to the wing bracket, the flange along the fuse falls too far forward and the bolt holes are w-a-y too close to the rear bracket edge.

It would be handier to do both wings at once, but I'm convinced one at a time works OK.

Rupester
Mahomet, IL
RV9A QB fuse

 

[tinman]

I rolled out the fuselage and attached both wings at the same time. I then set up the sweep and angles and drilled the rear spars. Total time was around six hours. I then took off the wings and rolled her back into the garage and installed one wing so that I could work on all of the other things that go along with a wing installation. I had made plans to "camp" on the driveway with my plane in case I couldn't finish mounting the wings in a day, but the job went much quicker than planned.

 

[java]

Good idea...

I rolled out the fuselage and attached both wings at the same time. I then set up the sweep and angles and drilled the rear spars. Total time was around six hours. I then took off the wings and rolled her back into the garage and installed one wing so that I could work on all of the other things that go along with a wing installation. I had made plans to "camp" on the driveway with my plane in case I couldn't finish mounting the wings in a day, but the job went much quicker than planned.

As usual, some of the best ideas are simple. This is a great idea Tinman... thanks.

Like you, I was already thinking about how best to cushion a bed on the concrete of the shop floor in order to play "guard dog" over night.