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Kit Build Order?

M

Mort04

Member
Forgive me if this has been asked before. I can?t seem to find any previous threads. I am finishing up my empanage kit and wondering if there is any particular order the plane must be built in? I?m leaning towards buying the fuselage before the wings. Couple reasons, one to mount my empanage on it and get it off my garage wall. And two, albeit trivial, to work on something that will resemble the plane. Three, I can keep the wings from being stored for a couple years.

Any advice and suggestions would be great!
 
I'm building my fuselage now, a tail dragger and plan to finish the fuselage almost to flying status BEFORE I order QB wings... Van's tells me about 40 hours to complete QB wings (without wiring I'm sure) and will likely have those delivered to the airport when ready. Tons to do on the fuselage in the mean time and a fun build so far. I wanted to build more after doing the empennage but didn't relish the idea of 2 wings, 2 flaps, 2, ailerons, 2 fuel tanks....
 
Exactly my thought process, I?m not looking forward to more control surfaces. The fuselage will give me something different to focus on.
 
Once on gear and/or wings installed, everything slows down. Climbing in/out is more difficult and walking around wings... you get the idea.
 
Build order

Mort04 said:
Forgive me if this has been asked before. I can?t seem to find any previous threads. I am finishing up my empanage kit and wondering if there is any particular order the plane must be built in? I?m leaning towards buying the fuselage before the wings. Couple reasons, one to mount my empanage on it and get it off my garage wall. And two, albeit trivial, to work on something that will resemble the plane. Three, I can keep the wings from being stored for a couple years.

Any advice and suggestions would be great!
Click to expand...

Only one issue comes to mind.
Manual is not as comprehensive on the fuse. It's assumed the builder has achieved a certain skill level.
 
It's a lot easier to store wings while working on the fuselage than it is to store the fuselage while working on the wings.

Dave
 
Old tech

In addition, the technology is changing the fastest on the fuse stuff. If you build the fuse first, than the fuse tech will be old when the wings eventually get done. I think the normal build order with the fuse last works out the best for cash flow, tech advances, build technique learning, etc. I think Vans has the build order optimized.
 
QB Wings

My QB wings came with the ailerons and flaps completed and the fuel tanks installed and completed minus the inboard cover for the fuel pick-up and quantity sensor.

Cheers,
 
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