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KX wings

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williamtsullivan(at)att.n
Guest

Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 8:37 am Post subject: KX wings

Help! I just opened up one of the original wings off of the Firestar KX. I have not seen anything like this on anyone's website. The wings measure 12 feet long, with a "bow" end, and the internal fixtures at the rear attachment point match the diagram of KX wings that Roger in Oregon sent me. The wings have five ribs, not counting the bow or the base mounting rib assembly. In between the ribs are only one half rib each. The front of the wing for about the first 20 inches is made of aluminum sheet, from the lead edge back to the large tube. It looks like heavy roof flashing, neatly done. On this wing, the bow is broken, as are some of the small braces- 5/16"?- tubing. The whole thing looks easily repairable. Has anyone ever found or done a wing like this? Is this something the builder thought up, or were the original KX wings like this?

    The replacement wings- now mounted on the plane- have five ribs, with three half ribs in between.  the length on them is 13' 1". 

    Roger- Can you check the old KX plans of yours? I might need a copy of the old wing plans. Thanks.

   

                                                            Bill Sullivan

                                                            FS/KX/447

                                                             Windsor Locks, Ct. 

 [quote][b]

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Ralph B

Joined: 14 Apr 2007
Posts: 367
Location: Mound Minnesota

Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 4:58 am Post subject: Re: KX wings

williamtsullivan(at)att.n 	  Quote: 	
		  Help! I just opened up one of the original wings off of the Firestar KX. I have not seen anything like this on anyone's website. The wings measure 12 feet long, with a "bow" end, and the internal fixtures at the rear attachment point match the diagram of KX wings that Roger in Oregon sent me. The wings have five ribs, not counting the bow or the base mounting rib assembly. In between the ribs are only one half rib each. The front of the wing for about the first 20 inches is made of aluminum sheet, from the lead edge back to the large tube. It looks like heavy roof flashing, neatly done. On this wing, the bow is broken, as are some of the small braces- 5/16"?- tubing. The whole thing looks easily repairable. Has anyone ever found or done a wing like this? Is this something the builder thought up, or were the original KX wings like this?

The replacement wings- now mounted on the plane- have five ribs, with three half ribs in between.  the length on them is 13' 1". 

Roger- Can you check the old KX plans of yours? I might need a copy of the old wing plans. Thanks.

   

                                                            Bill Sullivan

                                                            FS/KX/447

                                                             Windsor Locks, Ct. 

	




Bill, it sounds like a standard Kolb wing to me. The 5/16" brace from the main spar to the trailing edge corner will break where it meets the spar due to the sharp bend. This is a known problem and is not structural.



I believe the KX model had 5 ribs and the KXP model had 7 ribs. The Original Firestar wing had 5 ribs and this is what I have. I made a post a few weeks ago about repairing the 5/16" brace.



Ralph

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_________________
Ralph B

Kolb Kolbra 912uls
N20386
550 hours

williamtsullivan(at)att.n
Guest

Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 9:02 am Post subject: KX wings

Ralph- I think you mis-understood me. I wasn't talking about the 5/16" braces being broken, but lots of them are broken and bent. The big main bow tube is broken, and also the 1" full length rear tube. This aircraft was flipped over when a tie down broke during a heavy storm. The part I was wondering about- with a 5 rib wing, why is there only one half rib between each full rib? Why is there a full length, 20" wide piece of aluminum for the lead edge? Is this KX spec, or something special? Can you check those plans for me?

    I haven't opened up the other wing, yet. Raining again.

                                                  Thanks

                                                        Bill Sullivan

                                                       FS/KX/447

                                                        Ct.

 [quote][b]

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NeilsenRM(at)comcast.net
Guest

Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 9:46 am Post subject: KX wings

Bill

  

 I really don't know anything about the FS but Kolb  doesn't recommend the use of sheet aluminum covering the front of the wings. I  was hoping someone that knows the FS would respond. There are a few people that  have covered the wings in this way to eliminate the common scalloping that  occurs between each rib. The only thing that it really does is add  weight.

  

 Rick Neilsen

 Redrive VW powered MKIIIC  

 [quote]   ---

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slyck(at)frontiernet.net
Guest

Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 9:54 am Post subject: KX wings

The half ribs are standard Kolb.  The sheet metal is not.  Mine has leading edge tin also, courtesyof the original builder.  It doesn't help any with wing efficiency but does add strength and eliminates

the need for those little diagonal nose stiffeners by keeping everything in alignment.

Run a bead of silicone along side each rib where they meet the sheet.

BB



On 4, Apr 2008, at 12:58 PM, william sullivan wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		  Ralph- I think you mis-understood me. I wasn't talking about the 5/16" braces being broken, but lots of them are broken and bent. The big main bow tube is broken, and also the 1" full length rear tube. This aircraft was flipped over when a tie down broke during a heavy storm. The part I was wondering about- with a 5 rib wing, why is there only one half rib between each full rib? Why is there a full length, 20" wide piece of aluminum for the lead edge? Is this KX spec, or something special? Can you check those plans for me?

    I haven't opened up the other wing, yet. Raining again.

                                                  Thanks

                                                       Bill Sullivan

                                                       FS/KX/447

                                                       Ct.

  	  Quote: 	
		  

href="http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Kolb-List">http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Kolb-List

href="http://forums.matronics.com">http://forums.matronics.com

href="http://www.matronics.com/contribution">http://www.matronics.com/contribution



	
	




 [quote][b]

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Dennis.Kirby(at)kirtland.
Guest

Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 11:10 am Post subject: KX wings

<< The front of the wing for about the first 20 inches is made of

aluminum sheet, from the lead edge back to the large tube.  It looks

like heavy roof flashing, neatly done.  william sullivan >>



Bill -



The topic of installing leading edge aluminum flashing has come up on

this List several times in the past ten years.  Some individuals have

installed it, but it is not in the construction plans.



I asked Dennis Souder about it personally, when I was considering doing

this on my Mark-III.  He stressed that, although it gives the wing a

smoother appearance, it does NOT improve cruise speed.  It adds between

3 and 5 pounds of weight to your airplane.  He concluded with, "unless

you absolutely can't stand that starved horse look, don't bother putting

it on."



(I always loved his reference to comparing Homer's bumps to the starving

horse!)



Dennis Kirby

Cedar Crest, NM

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Ralph B

Joined: 14 Apr 2007
Posts: 367
Location: Mound Minnesota

Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 1:21 pm Post subject: Re: KX wings

williamtsullivan(at)att.n 	  Quote: 	
		  Ralph- I think you mis-understood me. I wasn't talking about the 5/16" braces being broken, but lots of them are broken and bent. The big main bow tube is broken, and also the 1" full length rear tube. This aircraft was flipped over when a tie down broke during a heavy storm. The part I was wondering about- with a 5 rib wing, why is there only one half rib between each full rib? Why is there a full length, 20" wide piece of aluminum for the lead edge? Is this KX spec, or something special? Can you check those plans for me?

    I haven't opened up the other wing, yet. Raining again.

                                                  Thanks

                                                        Bill Sullivan

                                                       FS/KX/447

                                                        Ct.

	




Sorry Bill, I didn't read your post thoroughly enough. The aluminum flashing in the wing isn't in the plans. There can be aluminum in the gap seal between the wings. The half ribs between the full ribs are called "false ribs". They support the fabric.



Ralph

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_________________
Ralph B

Kolb Kolbra 912uls
N20386
550 hours

williamtsullivan(at)att.n
Guest

Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 3:24 pm Post subject: kx wings

Thanks for the various responses on the wings. I'd guess that you would find all kinds of stuff when you open up somebody else's work. If it ever stops raining I will get it taken apart for measurements. Besides repairs, I'll just add a couple of half ribs in between.

    The prop spacer came in tonight, and it looks good. Again, a rain delay.

   

  do not archive

                                                    Bill Sullivan

                                                     FS/KX/447

                                                    Ct.

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