Van's Air Force
Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.
Wing tip Aileron alignment.
- Thread starter Rivethead
- Start date
flickroll
Well Known Member
That's exactly what I'll be doing tomorrow. One is off 1/8", the other a little less. My plan is to split them along the aft edge, and then align them with the ailerons, then drill #40 holes vertically through the top and bottom at the aft edge, then use epoxy/flox to bond back together, using clecos to hold it all together. I don't think I'll need reinforcing glass......but would appreciate advice from others who have done this. My thought is that once the aft aluminum rib is bonded and riveted it will be plenty strong, although maybe a fillet of epoxy/flox at the joint would help a little. thanks
I used a piece of scrap plastic (a very small piece) left over from trimming the flanges of the tips as a spacer in the kerf to maintain edge thickness. That was placed just over the spot that the support stick can be seen holding the trailing edge where I wanted it. I used West System Epoxy mixed with one of the silica products West sells as a light weight adhesive filler to reconstruct the trailing edge. The next step after the rib is riveted into place will be to trim the cord length of the tip to match the aileron.
carguy614
Well Known Member
alignment
I too had the wing tip issue, and I can tell you, if it's off, your airplane will have heavy wing issues. I had to fix mine after I was flying for a while, so I aligned them this way:
First, I double checked my aileron adjustments, and set the flaps to match.
After making sure I was right on with the adjustment, I sawed the wingtips.
Then, I clamped a very straight piece of oak lumber to the flap AND aileron with the end of the board extended past the wing tip. Drilled a few holes in the tip and the board, and clecoed it down. I then epoxied and floxed the tip together. Next, I removed the tips, and mixed up some sloppy flox, and poured it down into the wingtip trailing edge to cure. Sand and repaint.
What I ended up with was perfectly straight tips, and a level trimmed up airplane. What a difference it made!!
Hope this helps,
Chris
I too had the wing tip issue, and I can tell you, if it's off, your airplane will have heavy wing issues. I had to fix mine after I was flying for a while, so I aligned them this way:
First, I double checked my aileron adjustments, and set the flaps to match.
After making sure I was right on with the adjustment, I sawed the wingtips.
Then, I clamped a very straight piece of oak lumber to the flap AND aileron with the end of the board extended past the wing tip. Drilled a few holes in the tip and the board, and clecoed it down. I then epoxied and floxed the tip together. Next, I removed the tips, and mixed up some sloppy flox, and poured it down into the wingtip trailing edge to cure. Sand and repaint.
What I ended up with was perfectly straight tips, and a level trimmed up airplane. What a difference it made!!
Hope this helps,
Chris
carguy614
Well Known Member
By the way...
My tips were off only an eighth of an inch or so, and I had a very heavy wing, and wing drop in the stall. All cured after the fix. Lot of moment out there, and it doesn't take much misalignment to have a negative effect. I was really shocked at how much differently the airplane flew after the fix. It also helped with rudder trim, as I had to reduce the size of my trim tab by more than half.
Regards,
Chris
My tips were off only an eighth of an inch or so, and I had a very heavy wing, and wing drop in the stall. All cured after the fix. Lot of moment out there, and it doesn't take much misalignment to have a negative effect. I was really shocked at how much differently the airplane flew after the fix. It also helped with rudder trim, as I had to reduce the size of my trim tab by more than half.
Regards,
Chris
flickroll
Well Known Member
What I wound up doing was, after the Dremel tool cut-off wheel cut, was to use a strip of .025 aluminum to make up for the saw cut gap. Then, in aileron and wing tip neutral, drilled 8 ea. #40 holes in each tip and clecoed the trailing edge back together, and then double checked alignment. Once that was done, took it all apart, sanded the inside of the tip and aluminum strip, cleaned up with MEK, mixed up flox, then clecoed it back together. Once the epoxy cured, I filled the holes with flox. Next step is to cut the trailing edge in horizontal alignment with the ailerons which I hope to get to this evening. Both tips ended up in perfect alignment with the ailerons, and seem VERY strong. Project took around 7 hours or so.
I have built four, RV-6, RV-7, RV-9 and 10. I have always lined up the control surfaces sitting in the wing cradle. I attach and line up the flaps and aileron, then slip the tip in place, line it up with the ailerons and flaps THEN drill the tip fastener holes. You can move the trailing edge of the tip up and down quite a bit without a whole lot of movement of the tip itself. Seems to work out OK
Ed Booth, Trenton, SC
Ed Booth, Trenton, SC
Just a thought on this issue. Alignment that is. I to have a heavy left wing. I went and checked the incidence and it's on. I called vans yesterday and I was told that the tips are the biggest reason for the heavy wings. I then went out this morning and checked not the ailerons to tips, but incidence to tips. In other words, I took a reading off the right wing root and matched that to the tip. Walla, it was about 1 degree off. In the direction of the heavy wing. My thought, here me out. Is to make my adjustment to the right wing tip to the incidence of the wing, not to the airleron. For reasons of a warped aileron. Put the tip, right on to the wing itself. Thoughts.
Now to adjust the tip, luckly I haven't done anything paint wise to my tips yet. I understand to slit it across the back, but do I need to go up the middle on the outer tip a few inches to insure a nice transision to pull the trailing edge up about an 1/8 inch.
Now to adjust the tip, luckly I haven't done anything paint wise to my tips yet. I understand to slit it across the back, but do I need to go up the middle on the outer tip a few inches to insure a nice transision to pull the trailing edge up about an 1/8 inch.
mikeasselin
Member
Wing tip alignment
Great post on the wingtip issue. I aligned the aileron and flap on the right wing yesterday. The right wingtip is too long and looking at the way it is built I can trim and sand it without losing any structural strength.
I did match up the wingtip to aileron alignment by shifting the wing tip on the wing and having my step father in law push down on the wingtip while I clecoed the tip in the wing cradle. This works great but I will leave them clecoed until I get the wings on the plane just in case things are different after wing mounting.
I did notice that that both wingtips seem to drop down approximately 3/8" as you go outboard to the tip on the trailing edge of the wing tip. Since it happens on both wing tips I'm assuming this is normal but would appreciate if anyone could confirm this.
Great post on the wingtip issue. I aligned the aileron and flap on the right wing yesterday. The right wingtip is too long and looking at the way it is built I can trim and sand it without losing any structural strength.
I did match up the wingtip to aileron alignment by shifting the wing tip on the wing and having my step father in law push down on the wingtip while I clecoed the tip in the wing cradle. This works great but I will leave them clecoed until I get the wings on the plane just in case things are different after wing mounting.
I did notice that that both wingtips seem to drop down approximately 3/8" as you go outboard to the tip on the trailing edge of the wing tip. Since it happens on both wing tips I'm assuming this is normal but would appreciate if anyone could confirm this.
[email protected]
Well Known Member
quite a bit of horsing it into position...
i just finished setting my second tip and had the same general issues on both. the tips tend to droop down at the outboard trailing edge 3/8 to 1/2 or so when they are fitted to the wing in what appears to be a natural fit position. if you work at it you can get the outboard tip to align with the flap / aileron line though.
initially ignore the trailing edge match at the aileron and focus on a good leading edge fit into the wing while keeping the most outboard trailing edge point on the projected flap / aileron line... lots of horsing and coercing it to keep the leading edge join happy; might have to sand a little on the upper half of the tip edge a bit as you work it. once the tip is set with some clecoes, split the trailing edge, finish all of the holes, nutplates, etc. after fitting the trailing rib it is easy to rejoin the trailing edge to match the aileron with the trailing edge line matching up on the flap / aileron / tip line.
once the tips are final drilled there is no way to adjust the droop, only the match at the aileron.
it is likely most important that both tips are closely mirrored in how they flow... if they both droop it will probably fly the same as if they both projected on the flap / aileron line. the most obvious visual clue is matching at the aileron. most of the tips i have taken notice of droop outboard...
i just finished setting my second tip and had the same general issues on both. the tips tend to droop down at the outboard trailing edge 3/8 to 1/2 or so when they are fitted to the wing in what appears to be a natural fit position. if you work at it you can get the outboard tip to align with the flap / aileron line though.
initially ignore the trailing edge match at the aileron and focus on a good leading edge fit into the wing while keeping the most outboard trailing edge point on the projected flap / aileron line... lots of horsing and coercing it to keep the leading edge join happy; might have to sand a little on the upper half of the tip edge a bit as you work it. once the tip is set with some clecoes, split the trailing edge, finish all of the holes, nutplates, etc. after fitting the trailing rib it is easy to rejoin the trailing edge to match the aileron with the trailing edge line matching up on the flap / aileron / tip line.
once the tips are final drilled there is no way to adjust the droop, only the match at the aileron.
it is likely most important that both tips are closely mirrored in how they flow... if they both droop it will probably fly the same as if they both projected on the flap / aileron line. the most obvious visual clue is matching at the aileron. most of the tips i have taken notice of droop outboard...
[email protected]
Well Known Member
consider splitting the outboard edge
you can get a bit of movement to address tip droop, or rise, by splitting both the trailing edge and continuing the split on the outboard join... you will likely need a new wingtip rib as well but this approach would be significantly less effort and far more controllable to get the desired alignment.
you can get a bit of movement to address tip droop, or rise, by splitting both the trailing edge and continuing the split on the outboard join... you will likely need a new wingtip rib as well but this approach would be significantly less effort and far more controllable to get the desired alignment.
