wing tip alignment

I have successfully installed my wing tips (RV7) and the trailing edge is about 3/34ths above the trailing edge of the aileron. Is it normal practice to trim the wing tip in trail with the aileron? My concern is whether or not there is enough trailing edge to hold it together once it is trimmed!


Martin

Set the ailrons to neutral and align the wing tips to match. The wing tips will rotate in the wing tip

Set the ailerons to neutral and align the wing tips to match. The wing tips will rotate in the wing tip. You will probably have to trim some off the wing tip trailing edge.

Yes, that's the way: carefully align the ailerons to nuetral, then fit the wing tips. You may have to split the trailing edge or build up the leading edge for a perfect fit.

I agree

get the best fit for the overall wingtip and don't worry about the trailing edge.

Once you have it clecoed where you like it, set the ailerons to neutral and the slit the trailing edge with the 3" disc used fo cutting the canopy.

Glue back together with cotton flox and epoxy resin.

I would suggest you don't do this until the very final fit up of the aiplane or you might end up doing it twice like I did...

Frank 7a

Thanks Frank, I think that's what I'll do. After a considerable amount of work, I have a perfect fit all the way round. I am putting the wing tips on using the Cleveland kit so they are detachable. I think I will wait until the wings are mated to the fuse before I make the trailing edge trims.

Good

I painted the wingtips last for that very reaon...I.e the whole plane was painted, then rigged for flight, everything perfect and then the edges were 0.5 inch off...DOH!

Fourtunatly i kinda suspected this was going to happen so I didn't paint 'em.

I.e called FSDO, submitted paperwork, W&B done, everything...Then I hacked the wingtips and then painted them...I put the last coat of paint on the night before the inspector arrived..

Frank

I have always found that you can rotate the wing tips in the wing and get a good fit. Just by moving them a little bit you can get the trailing edge to line up with the ailerons. On the six sets of wings that I have built I have never had to split the trailing edge. The most I have ever had to do was trim some of the trailing edge off.

wingtip alignment

If I install the wingtips to the wings with the ailerons in "neutral", but the wings are not on the aircraft, can I assume that all will be fine when the wings are installed? I noticed that Frank said he had to do it again - is this common?

It's been so long since I had the wings on, I don't recall if my ailerons were both in exactly the "neutral" position, and if I can avoid putting them back on to do the wingtips that would be great. Appreciate any hints!

Mickey,
I think that if you rig the ailerons correctly, they will be in the same place on the plane that they're in when they are locked with the jig. (Unless you intend to play aero games & rig the ailerons to cause washout, or something similar...)

I agree with Norman; when I did mine, the 1st one came out matching the aileron perfectly and the other (when I 1st drilled it to the wing) was way off. I obviously wasn't watching what I was doing on the 2nd one. I took out all the clecos, and was able to move the tip into alignment with the aileron. The leading edge still fit perfectly, and the 1st set of holes I drilled moved a significant fraction of an inch; far enough that I was able to redrill without worrying about hole-to-hole edge distance.

Charlie

good info

rv7charlie said:

I think that if you rig the ailerons correctly, they will be in the same place on the plane that they're in when they are locked with the jig. ...

Click to expand...

Thanks Charlie, this is good news. I thought I'd have to either wait until final assembly to do the tips, which would have caused issues with the paint shop, or have to put the wings on again just to fit the tips.