Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Matt Heintz on November 21, 2009 at 3:04pm

Dave,
Bottom line is that if you will bolt the "L" angle extrusion together, the bolt must be snug. So if the hole is too large for an AN3, use an AN4.

Yes, what you recommend in your sketch is perfectly fine and a good idea.

Permalink Reply by Jeff Garrett on November 21, 2009 at 5:45pm

Mathieu

You said there is a plate that goes at nose rib 2.. Are you referring to the .063 plate from the root to nose rib 1 or is there another plate that has been added?

Thanks
Jeff

Also when do you for see the new plans being able to be viewed?

Permalink Reply by Matt Heintz on November 22, 2009 at 6:14am

Jeff,
Yes, the 0.063 plate will be upgraded to the 0.235 plate that does from the root to rib #2. The new drawings will show all this.

Permalink Reply by Mark Ertz on November 21, 2009 at 7:28pm

Lighten up Steve. The IRS is still waiting for you to report your earnings on those tennis balls and bungies control surface things you been freely advertising on the Zenith website. And remember, if you continue to fly your XL w/o upgrades your new weight limit is 1255 lbs. and your new vne is 140 ( July 8, 2009, new recommended flight envelope). And I know you posted it in your POH and corrected your pacards. Say What!

Permalink Reply by Mark Ertz on November 21, 2009 at 7:35pm

I stand corrected Weston. You are the $60 bag man the IRS is looking for. 60 goes into 9K how many times.
What do you charge for embrodory???

Permalink Reply by Mark Ertz on November 21, 2009 at 8:47pm

Don't for get the Placards, too. Put on a rear view mirror on for the IRS blue light special...

Permalink Reply by Matt Heintz on November 22, 2009 at 6:12am

Steve,
This is not what this Q&A is about. With litigation and the way the economy is going, we are trying to do the best we can with all this.

Permalink Reply by Jeff Garrett on November 21, 2009 at 10:41pm

Louis

In the video I was referring to what Sabrina had said on the Matronics list. I don't see the extrusion being a problem. I set mine at .040 that seems to work best for my rib height. Remember we align our ribs to the spar ourselves so I think anywhere from .025 to .040 will work but this is just my opionion and Zenith might say otherwise. The video is just to be used as a tool on how to do it thats why I didn't call out the height I used.

Jeff

Permalink Reply by Tracy Smith on November 22, 2009 at 4:49am

Steve:

I've been reading your posts and, although I understand your issues and concerns, I don't think your issues belong on this blog. Your issues are with ONE quick-build kit (yours), not the entire fleet and the safety upgrades.

Just my opinion, but I feel you should take up your issues with the factory and get a resolution for YOUR issues. Let's keep this very worthwhile, informative and essential blog to the safety upgrades ONLY.

When you negiotiate a successful resolution, please share it with all of us in the Matronics list or another general information venue - until then, please put an end to this factory badgering and work toward a solution.

Thank you.

Permalink Reply by Greg P Couttie on November 22, 2009 at 8:32am

You now say that the plate doubler is up from 0.063" to 0.235" ? I notice that in a previous post you said 1/8" thats 0.125" ,and now extending to nose rib 2 ,(your factory demo has four nose ribs ,the newer models have three ribs - ie rib two extends further out on new models compared to your older demo model) would it not have been prudent to have worked all this out BEFORE releasing the drawings to the outside world .
I am aware that they are only DRAFT drawings but it is not very reassuring to see continuing "structural "
changes "upgrades to the upgrades" being made overnight .
I am currently manufacturing some drill guide bushes to ensure that these spar doubler plate holes
line up perfectly with the holes in the wing spar ,my experience with transfer punches is that the drill will wander slightly therefore some of the holes wont match the spar.
I will fit a tight bush (with pilot holes through the middle) though the spar and drill "through it" in stages until ONE SIZE under then remove plate and open out to final size ,If the holes are just a few thou out of alignment you will loose some of the benefit of having the plate there in the first place .
I am also making up a drilling JIG tool to drill out the AD5 solids in the spar .This will make it easy to very accurately drill a 3mm hole through the centre of the rivet 3/4 of the way through .This will relieve the expansion of the rivet inside the hole , you then insert a 3mm punch inside the hole and effortlessly tap it out. By doing it this way there will be NO risk of damaging the inside of the holes with either the drill or the punch . (hitting the external stub left after drilling off the shop head only ,would just "mushroom "it over making it very difficult to drive out as you have not relieved the expansion of the rivet in the hole.
I will upload a picture of the Drilling Jig once I have finished it .
This should make the task easier /safer for those without any engineering experience .
Although this mod pack will make the wing alot stronger I worry that some people(more likely those that did not build the airframe) might not possess the necessary skills to carry out this mod to the required standard ,possibly making a well built aircraft ,unsafe.
The main wing spar-root connection is not a good place to be practising your DIY.
Be very carefull folks !
Greg

Permalink Reply by Matt Heintz on November 22, 2009 at 4:01pm

Greg,
Good points. Yes, you are right that we released some DRAFT drawings where one is still missing. We will have all the drawings issued in a few days.

Our static load test originally passed with no extra material in the spar root area. The FAA was not interested in this this test as it was only for the Experimental - Homebuilt aircraft. We than did a static load test for the LSA version of the aircraft where we added a 0.032" plate at the spar root. This is on the list of "extra material" on the ASTM LSA load test. To be on the extra safe side, we decided to make this 0.063" and released the DRAFT drawings.

Once the DRAFT drawings were released, different CAA's and engineers around the world contacted us with their own suggestions. So in order to please the majority and to make sure that the design is significantly tougher than before, we settled on a 0.125" plate at the spar root area.

With this extra material at the root and in other area, all the builders have a lot more tolerances when doing this upgrade and in building the aircraft in general.

Your drill jig sound interesting. If you have a drawing or photo, please email that to us. Thanks.

Permalink Reply by Jeff Garrett on November 21, 2009 at 10:25pm

We would like to offer our services to anyone needing the upgrade done and can't or just don't want to do it themselves. We have a DAR that lives close to the airport along with an A&P on staff to sign off the work. We are located close to Louisville Ky. If you are interested my # is on my profile just click on my picture.

Thanks
Jeff

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