Inspection by photo

[yankee-flyer]

Unanticipated benefit of of taking lots of photos of the parts as you assemble them. I was able to pull up hi-res photos (6mb) and blow them up enough to visually check the Flaperon Torque tube welds without disassembling partof my airplane. For those building, you cannot take too many photos.

Wayne 120241/ N143WM

 

[Tony_T]

Photos are good...

Similar situation with me...I was able to easily verify 3 of the 4 welds in high res photos, the 4th is on the bottom of the left torque arm and I will have to lift the inspection cover and get my hand under to check that one, easy enough.

Tony

 

[DonFromTX]

Nobody has yet to tell me if there should be a weld on BOTH sides of the joint, as is normal with the weldments, or only on one side. Mine is only on one side, I don't know if that is an error or the plan. Do you?

 

[MacPara]

Mine is only on one side and the Safety Notice also showed it only to be on the ouside of the torque arm. By the way, I'm #374 and my welds were fine. Finish Kit got delivered just a few weeks ago.

 

[BigJohn]

Inspection complete - welds OK.

Thank God they shut down that other thread! The shouting was hurting my ears! Let's keep this one factual and civil. I inspected my parts today. Was able to get in and feel three of the welds from the baggage area. For a while I thought I was going to have to remove the tank to get at the aft side of the right hand part, but ended up being able to squeeze my hand in there from the bottom inspection cover.

All's well that ends well. Thanks to those who brought this to our attention, and thanks to Van's for their prompt action in issuing the SA.

 

[MartySantic]

Just a suggestion...... maybe a paragraph could be added to Section 5.0 to reinforce a requirement to inspect all of the powder coated welds in a close visual manner.

 

[joedallas]

The Apology

Thank God they shut down that other thread! The shouting was hurting my ears! Let's keep this one factual and civil. .

John I was apart of that slugfest and as I said in one of my posts (this is sore subject to me) A Drag Racing Accident do to poor welding. Russ was right about me bring my personal feelings to that thread.
This is my personal Apology to all offended and most of all Russ McCutchen. It won?t happen again
Some One makes a slight Insult and the Next one tries to out do him. I will learn from this

Please except my Apology all

Thanks

 

[Russ McCutcheon]

John I was apart of that slugfest and as I said in one of my posts (this is sore subject to me) A Drag Racing Accident do to poor welding. Russ was right about me bring my personal feelings to that thread.
This is my personal Apology to all offended and most of all Russ McCutchen. It won?t happen again
Some One makes a slight Insult and the Next one tries to out do him. I will learn from this

Please except my Apology all

Thanks

Thanks Joe, accepted!

 

[gblwy]

Mine OK too

Mine inspected OK too, but like John I was fearful of having to remove the tank. My problem was the right side. I could -just- get my hand in to feel the top weld, but unless you are a contortionist I don't see how to do the bottom one by feel.

I tried with an inspection mirror and a torch, but could not satisfy myself that all was OK. In the end I borrowed a borescope. Even then it was difficult to position the camera so that weld was visible.

The kit should probably have a couple more inspection covers one rib further aft.

Cheers...Keith

 

[dick seiders]

Did my inspection on Saturday. I recall checking the four welds when I installed the arms as I always look at welds (experience). I did the inspection anyway. Did mine by removing floor pan screws on left side and looking at top weld, as well as reaching in and feeling the surface of lower weld. The right side was a bear due to tank. I enlisted aid of Billy Waters using a bore scope and after several tries managed to "see" the welds. Then just for good measure while lying on a creeper on floor I peeled back my sleeve and managed to get my arm in the aft lower access hole and found that I could get my fingertips on the control arm and actually feel the fully welded surfaces.
I took a look at the plans and Van's shows no weld symbol for the assembly. I would like to suggest that even tho these are supplied as a completed assembly perhaps the welding symbols should be used as it would clearly show what's expected by the mfr. After all some slip-ups do cccur as demonstrated by the event which caused this discussion as well as inspections of a couple hundred finshed airplanes.
Dick Seiders

 

[rvbuilder2002]

Contortionist not required...

Mine inspected OK too, but like John I was fearful of having to remove the tank. My problem was the right side. I could -just- get my hand in to feel the top weld, but unless you are a contortionist I don't see how to do the bottom one by feel.

I tried with an inspection mirror and a torch, but could not satisfy myself that all was OK. In the end I borrowed a borescope. Even then it was difficult to position the camera so that weld was visible.

The kit should probably have a couple more inspection covers one rib further aft.

Cheers...Keith

The safety notice inspection procedure may not specifically say so, but...

Remember that the flaperons are a movable surface, which makes the torque tube a movable assembly. You can move the flaperon up and down, and/or raise and lower the flaps to change the accessibility between the top and bottom side of the torque tube. Doing this provides enough access to do the described inspection.