WingedFrog
Well Known Member
Being close to migrate to the airport hangar I am starting to look in earnest at the financial aspects of this move. Pending a satisfactory trailer solution, one way to optimize the cost of an airport hangar is to use this RV-12 great design feature of removable wings. However, to make this feature usable, we need to be able to handle the wings removal/attachment as a one person operation. This would make the hangar sharing of two RV-12s more attractive (if you are currently building an RV-12, you know that another RV-12 will come to your area soon ;-). In addition the Wing Caddy could also be used by the builders and will be needed by trailer users in the future.
Here is my idea of the concept:
- The wing caddy replaces the person who is holding the end of the wing, the live operator is holding the part of the wing spar that plugs into the fuselage, it is made of:
. A three wheels chariot platform with the front wheel on caster
. A hook simulating a hand that would anchor to the handle at the wing end
. The hook's shaft would be supported by a column rising from the platform, adjustable in height
. The hook would be able to rotate around it's shaft to allow the pick-up/drop off of the wing from a wing stand
- A tri-pod stand would allow the operator to rest the wing spar temporarily to attend the wing caddy or other tasks
Note that the weight of the wing being mainly on the wing spar side, the caddy does not need to be that strong and can be kept light as well as all its components (does <50 pounds rings the bell?
).
Having no experience in wings attachment/removal, I am mostly interested in the feed back of those who have "done that, been there": is this a realistic approach?
Here is my idea of the concept:
- The wing caddy replaces the person who is holding the end of the wing, the live operator is holding the part of the wing spar that plugs into the fuselage, it is made of:
. A three wheels chariot platform with the front wheel on caster
. A hook simulating a hand that would anchor to the handle at the wing end
. The hook's shaft would be supported by a column rising from the platform, adjustable in height
. The hook would be able to rotate around it's shaft to allow the pick-up/drop off of the wing from a wing stand
- A tri-pod stand would allow the operator to rest the wing spar temporarily to attend the wing caddy or other tasks
Note that the weight of the wing being mainly on the wing spar side, the caddy does not need to be that strong and can be kept light as well as all its components (does <50 pounds rings the bell?
Having no experience in wings attachment/removal, I am mostly interested in the feed back of those who have "done that, been there": is this a realistic approach?