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Flaperon skins 18-06

Rob H

Well Known Member
When overlapping the inboard and outboard skins and clecoeing in preparation for riveting, there?s a small gap between the two skins that I?m not happy with. The first time I noticed this, I thought I?d been too aggressive with my deburring and emailed the mothership with some pictures to get help. They said the gap wasn?t a flight safety issue so it was my decision to order new skins or build on. I decided to order new skins. They just arrived. I clecoed the new skins in place before doing any deburring, and guess what? There?s a small gap at the trailing edge where the two skins overlap. My conclusion is that it?s either normal to be there or else the factory punched holes are off very slightly. Can someone else who?s built their wings tell me if there?s a tiny gap between the two skins where they overlap? Now I?m disappointed that I may have needlessly paid for new skins. The gap is less than 1/16? but noticeable. Thanks
 
Rob-

Don't remember there being an issue with a gap where the skins overlap on the flaperons.

Have you checked to make sure the flanges on the ribs are not slightly over-bent or under-bent by placing a square on the web of the ribs and verifying the flanges are at 90??

Suppose if the ribs have been checked and are perfect you could break the edge of the overlapping skin .... but that will not close a large gap as you have described, will help a tiny gap though. A call to the mothership may be in order.

Happy Building,
 
Hi John, as you know, there are a series of holes to be riveted at the point where the inboard and outboard skins overlap near the middle of each flaperon. When I clecoed each hole, there?s still a very small gap near the trailing edge. To me, the only way this can happen is for the milling of the skins and/or the punching of the holes to be off ever so slightly.
I get the same results when I clecoed the skins together only, without the spar and ribs. I am going to look back at the previous email to Van?s and see if I can contact the same person since new skins didn?t fix my problem. Thanks
 
Not sure if this helps, here is a pic of my flaperon rear skin joint I just completed a few weeks ago for comparison. The gap is 3/64ths
TPgcNkJVzmtkeI8Pemfv6_WLo0--euSE0Zkr9C3j5TQoY7uNDV-eRap96UgSq_foQvFGrkU-YtYlMk0kxhtgzkjR2VuZgiRG0Jf136HsPyRMsZzPgL4w93uiNvimDub-QhqOc4O6y8Tl25qjdpgTteS1tupa9Ia8H_K6RaKWtHf0dtQ3iYYWvCOrPn5e5QvHq9Rq2uOcl0VTk1Zx-jxP0XVtDEKI1Xbsf7V5qkFIUuyyzAAyfflYfH9xV2djh4p67P04uL5SCvZTKiDza3TlYuNXejIK01dNztb5HP9J5RTUrKBn6s5_kpdmv7ARV0YLYlNH0SNwtkFGEzqUPvTrC3J-ltjWhtVfxqEc37FnQyVHH7E0N2OYvrdePFwPYZtIIFkKZGD-gHPW-y9dzFOlSLmkU_CejnrLv9gR5TnbchyyLUnbviG4ItY0GIQDRD3EZsIHXOKMjQWNjJKR16Rmv0teEWKoWLxT1_nQdyc2SbDoDMMGyUExg5m3A36UFRA4DyGHvZhoJXqOpPcCuW4vKW9-TgSkF20lOM4Rbxqpy6qwsx0zCYEH7FzyMhsiOLEZP7bXTw_AY-6jpNP4o98num9yFiuWmV-pae3qvWo=w505-h673-no
 
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Hi Rob, not sure if this is what you are referring to, but both of mine look like this, I think it's normal.....

b6stw2.jpg
 
Yes Paul, that?s what mine looks like. Okay, this must be normal. I sent another email to Van?s, but I think I will just ?build on? so that I can get something done over the weekend. Thanks for the help gentlemen!
 
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