Indeed! We've all got that T-shirt in one form or another, and I sympathise
wholeheartedly with someone like Will who has obviously been unfortunate
enough to have got an XXXXL one. Not a fun repair job, but it sounds like he
attacked it with gusto and I hope his new skins arrive quickly!
Regards,
Jeremy
Jeremy Davey
Europa Monowheel 537M G-EZZA
Europa Club Vice-Chairman, Webmaster, PFA NC Representative
PFA EC Member
"If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs, then it is
possible you haven't grasped the severity of the situation."
Tail done
Standard XS wings with mods underway
CM installed in fuse (with airbrakes fittings)
1430 build hours to date, build currently stalled due to house moves and
lack of workshop
Intended fit:
Rotax 914 turbo, Airmaster CS fully-feathering prop
Lots of lights, buttons, switches, gizmos, and alarms
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com
[mailto:owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of William Daniell
Sent: 16 January 2006 15:17
Subject: RE: Europa-List: Wing skin separation HELP
--> <wdaniell@etb.net.co>
Here is what I wrote to Jerry.
Let me say it was very pleasant to have a group of guys rooting for one in
the face of a great disappointment. Only someone who has built one of these
can understand the feeling of having made a significant mistake and having
to go back and correct it.
Thanks to all.
Will
"I have attacked the wing skin. Weapons of choice wood chisel, wood plane
and sanding disk. Thatll teach the bugger! New skins ordered.
No way that I can see of saving the skin or more accurately - might save
the skin but ruin the wing
I thought of making a new top skin (making a polyester mould) but discarded
this idea when I realized that the upper skin changes in construction from
tip to root the root area is considerably stronger.
Two steps forward one (and ) steps back."
Will
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com
[mailto:owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of Fred Fillinger
Sent: Sunday, January 15, 2006 13:17
Subject: Re: Europa-List: Wing skin separation HELP
My attempt to soften Redux, after it had cured a couple weeks, was too a
failure. Too much heat required, verses heat to damage the glass structure,
which conducts heat poorly to get at the green stuff. For my safety at
least, I would be assuming this procedure might give me a potential
airworthiness problem to forever worry me in severe turbulence.
I'm surprised the factory would advise -- not knowing any builder's skill
level -- removal by any method other than panel destruction and replacement
(requiring essentially $$, that's all!). Otherwise a Hobson's choice on
structural integrity, attempting a fix, the moral equivalent of "don't force
it...use a bigger hammer."
I don't have this style wing, but merely perused the XS manual online.
It's my opinion that the primary purpose of the tapes is such that improper
orientation of the fibers matters only a little, but I have no credentials
to say that. But, when we add two more tapes, we do stiffen the ass'y there
further, concentrating stresses elsewhere. That could mean a "seven yard
gain, with a five yard penalty," as in U.S. football.
So, if the factory can analyze that one with engineering analysis to say no
harm, they should be able to say computationally why -- in stress paths --
90 on the tapes is not good. Or more likely just their gut reaction and
"usual rules" for FG construction.
The only thing I would not do was a fix which may compromise the structure
worse than the original problem.
Reg,
Fred F. (nickname "Hobson")
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