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Fixed or removalble wing tips?

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michaega(at)verizon.net
Guest

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 7:32 am Post subject: Fixed or removalble wing tips?

Yes a trivial question. Is their a good reason to but all that hardware at the end of the wing to make them with removable tips. [quote][b]

akanka(at)kiamichiwb.org
Guest

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 8:37 am Post subject: Fixed or removalble wing tips?

In my  opinion, yes.  If any repair needs to be done to the position light  mounting, the end of the wing, or to inspect the interior of the wing, the  removable tips make it a lot easier than cutting the material to accomplish that  task.  Removing mice and bird nests from the wing interior is really  difficult if the tips are not removable.  If, for example, there are  no position lights and a person wants to install them after the aircraft is  built, removable tips make it easier to run the wires and mount the  lights.  If position lights are installed during construction, and an  owner wishes to install strobes on the wingtips at a later time, it's a lot  easier with removable tips.  In my opinion, installing removable wingtips  is a whole lot like painting a floor.  Just another way to avoid painting  yourself in to a corner.

 John  Hart

 [quote]   --

Michel

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 966
Location: Norway

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 9:02 am Post subject: Fixed or removalble wing tips?

On Aug 7, 2007, at 6:36 PM, John W. Hart wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		   it's a lot easier with removable tips.


	


Good point, John. Now, my model 3 has drooping winglets attached by 

pop-rivets. How do I make them removable? With "rivnuts?" Incidentally, 

it was when reading the "windshield installation" thread that I learnt 

about these things. Never heard of it before. I am not sure where to 

get them over here but I see that Aircraft Spruce has them.



Cheers,

Michel Verheughe

Norway

Kitfox 3 - Jabiru 2200

_________________
Kitfox 3 - Jabiru 2200

lcfitt(at)sbcglobal.net
Guest

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 9:11 am Post subject: Fixed or removalble wing tips?

Sue,



I made mine permanent.  I did, however make what I call "doors" as I made 

plastic lenses that allow for internal nav lights with the strobe tube 

mounted like on the early Glasair.  I do remove the doors each annual and it 

does allow for a limited amount of access to the wiring and for inspection 

of that part of the wing structure.  It is interesting that with the access 

for inspection, I have yet to find anything that I have been concerned with. 

The structure looks exactly as it was assembled back in 1994 down to the 

color of the wood and the integrety of the epoxy varnish.  My guess is that 

the airplane has spend about 80 overnights outdoors with some rain and a 

couple of hard freezes since built during cross country flights, the rest in 

a hangar.



I guess my advice would be to project your airplane's likely exposure level 

and your desire to check out the wing tip area from time to time.



Lowell Fitt

Cameron Park, CA

Model IV-1200 R-912 UL Warp

1998 880 hrs.

---

akanka(at)kiamichiwb.org
Guest

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 9:54 am Post subject: Fixed or removalble wing tips?

Well, I don't know exactly what's in there along the end rib on your

aircraft, but I'd think a piece of aluminum could be formed to fit against

the rib, then use adhesive and rivets to permanently attach it, then put

rivnuts through the aluminum, and screws thru the wingtip into the rivnuts

to hold it on.

John Hart



--

Float Flyr

Joined: 19 Jul 2006
Posts: 2704
Location: Campbellton, Newfoundland

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 11:08 am Post subject: Fixed or removalble wing tips?

Any aviation supply dep0ot should have rivnuts in  several different sizes.  They are not as strong as bucked rivets but  probably stronger than aluminium pop rivets.  Don't forget to order an  installation tool too.



 

[img]cid:868420219(at)07082007-26CF[/img]  

 Noel Loveys, RPP, AME intern

 Campbellton, Newfoundland, 

 Canada

 Kitfox Mod III-A, 582, B box, Ivo IFA

 Aerocet 1100s

 noelloveys(at)yahoo.ca (noelloveys(at)yahoo.ca)

 

 

 Do not archive

 

 

 

[quote] --

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Noel Loveys
Kitfox III-A
Aerocet 1100 Floats

Michel

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 966
Location: Norway

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 12:40 pm Post subject: Fixed or removalble wing tips?

On Aug 7, 2007, at 9:08 PM, Noel Loveys wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		   Any aviation supply dep0ot should have rivnuts in several different 

 sizes.  They are not as strong as bucked rivets but probably stronger 

 than aluminium pop rivets.  Don't forget to order an installation tool 

 too.


	


Thank you, Noel, I will look at that.



Michel Verheughe

Norway

Kitfox 3 - Jabiru 2200

_________________
Kitfox 3 - Jabiru 2200

Michel

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 966
Location: Norway

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 12:41 pm Post subject: Fixed or removalble wing tips?

On Aug 7, 2007, at 7:53 PM, John W. Hart wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		   Well, I don't know exactly what's in there along the end rib on your

 aircraft


	


Nor do I, John, since I haven't built my aircraft. But I'll look at it 

on a rainy day. Thanks for your answer.



Michel Verheughe

Norway

Kitfox 3 - Jabiru 2200

do not archive

_________________
Kitfox 3 - Jabiru 2200

Lynn Matteson

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 2778
Location: Grass Lake, Michigan

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 1:33 pm Post subject: Fixed or removalble wing tips?

In my sometimes not-so-humble opinion, all metal anchor nuts far  

outweigh rivnuts in a couple of ways....weight being one of  

them...yes, they weigh more, but they won't ever turn once they are  

riveted onto the material to which they are attached. I've been  

warned against using the rivnuts if you can possibly get  behind the  

area where the "nut" is to be installed. If the rivnut and its screw  

ever seize up, the rivnut will break loose from the backing material,  

and you'll have to drill it out...IF you can get the drill to  

actually drill, and not just rotate the whole business. On the other  

hand, the two rivets that hold an anchor nut in place will seldom  

ever shear off, should the "nut" and screw ever seize up in a similar  

situation.



I installed my wingtips with the kit that Skystar sold, (John and  

Debra probably have them) which included anchor nuts and attaching  

strips, and I attached my windshield/skylight using the same  

method...anchor nuts attached to the butt rib capstrips.



Another plus is not having to buy the Rivnut tool.



Lynn Matteson

Grass Lake, Michigan

Kitfox IV Speedster  w/Jabiru 2200

flying w/369+ hrs

On Aug 7, 2007, at 1:01 PM, Michel Verheughe wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   



 On Aug 7, 2007, at 6:36 PM, John W. Hart wrote:

> it's a lot easier with removable tips.



 Good point, John. Now, my model 3 has drooping winglets attached by  

 pop-rivets. How do I make them removable? With "rivnuts?"  

 Incidentally, it was when reading the "windshield installation"  

 thread that I learnt about these things. Never heard of it before.  

 I am not sure where to get them over here but I see that Aircraft  

 Spruce has them.



 Cheers,

 Michel Verheughe

 Norway

 Kitfox 3 - Jabiru 2200

_________________
Lynn
Kitfox IV-Jabiru 2200
N369LM

Float Flyr

Joined: 19 Jul 2006
Posts: 2704
Location: Campbellton, Newfoundland

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 5:44 pm Post subject: Fixed or removalble wing tips?

There is a special tool that helps in the spacing of the holes for the

anchor nut   Hard to get away form "special" tools.



Noel



[quote] --

_________________
Noel Loveys
Kitfox III-A
Aerocet 1100 Floats

Michael Logan

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 82

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 5:10 am Post subject: Fixed or removalble wing tips?

Keep the longer wings, you will never put them back on if  you take them off.  You get off the ground quicker and have a higher gross  weight.

  

 Mike

 S 5 Subaru EA81



   From: owner-kitfox-list-server(at)matronics.com  [mailto:owner-kitfox-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of SUE  MICHAELS

Sent: Tuesday, August 07, 2007 11:31 AM

To:  kitfox-list(at)matronics.com

Subject: Fixed or removalble  wing tips?

 

Yes a trivial question. Is their a good reason to but all that  hardware at the end of the wing to make them with removable tips. [quote]



href="http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Kitfox-List">http://www.matronhref="http://forums.matronics.com">http://forums.matronics.com



[b]

_________________
Mike Logan
Fredericksburg, VA

Lynn Matteson

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 2778
Location: Grass Lake, Michigan

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 5:11 am Post subject: Fixed or removalble wing tips?

I just use the anchor nut itself...drill for the screw, locate the  

nut and cleco it on the top of the base material, drill through one  

hole, cleco, and drill through for the other hole, remove and drill  

the center hole slightly oversize for the screw. Install anchor nut  

from below with a screw from above, cleco one side and install rivet,  

then remove cleco and install the other rivet. If you want, you can  

wait until riveted to oversize the center hole, making sure not to  

get down into the threads of the anchor nut.



Lynn Matteson

Grass Lake, Michigan

Kitfox IV Speedster  w/Jabiru 2200

flying w/369+ hrs





On Aug 10, 2007, at 9:44 PM, Noel Loveys wrote:



[quote] 



 There is a special tool that helps in the spacing of the holes for the

 anchor nut   Hard to get away form "special" tools.



 Noel



> --

_________________
Lynn
Kitfox IV-Jabiru 2200
N369LM

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