Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Matt Heintz on December 20, 2009 at 10:17am

Glenn,
Yes, the draft drawing 6-ZU-s gussets are replaced with the upright doubler.

I do not think that more strengthening of the bellcrank area is required. The bellcrank area was beefed up because the German flutter specialist thought that in a worst case scenario, the top or bottom skins could start vibrating, leading to serious vibrations but not flutter.

Permalink Reply by Matt Heintz on December 20, 2009 at 11:58am

Doug
For the Experimental aircraft, we estimates that with the upgrade, the wings are about 15% stronger in + g loads. For the SLSA, its about 5% as no to little fuel is used in the wings for the stress calculations (compared to full fuel for the Experimental aircraft). Note that we stopped the test before failure, so it could be more.

However, the rear fuselage and tail sections are not reinforced in the upgrade kit so please not assume that the overall structure is stronger.

Permalink Reply by Phill Barnes on December 18, 2009 at 7:10pm

Hi Mathieu
It would seem that one of the most critical processes of the upgrade kit is to drill and ream the 12 spar bolt holes in both the centre and main wing spar. This is the part that I am least confident in doing. Is there more video of the wing root doubler being fitted that we can use as a reference. The new manuals call for reaming the holes to final size. I bought a QB kit and this was already done for me so I have no experience in the procedure at all. Please help.

Phill Barnes

Permalink Reply by Gary Ray on December 20, 2009 at 6:46am

I would also like to see a little more on the reaming process w/r to the spar bolt holes.
Since you are beyond this point on the factory demonstrator perhaps you could demonstrate
this technique on a mock up spar segment.
This could help prevent inadvertant damage at a critical fit area if the technique is not correct.
If you could call out the reamer that you used that would help also.

Permalink Reply by Robert E Pickens on December 20, 2009 at 5:53pm

Gary Ray, for what it is worth my spar bolts miked out to .3105 and I purchased a .3105 reamer from KBC Tools for about $8.00. In the modification guide Zenith gives .3165 as the max diameter of the holes so I am 6 thousandth under. Bolts are close fitting with very little motion, but slide in quite easily. If I had it to do over I would probably go slightly smaller on the reamer so that a little tapping would be required.

Mathieu, am I in the ballpark on this?

Bob Pickens, Troy, Mo.

Permalink Reply by Matt Heintz on December 20, 2009 at 12:07pm

Phill,
I think that Zenith Aircraft and others will post more details on this in the very near future.

Permalink Reply by Phill Barnes on December 20, 2009 at 2:51pm

Thanks Steve & Mathieu

Permalink Reply by Chris Sinfield on December 20, 2009 at 6:35am

Mathieu
will there be a photo guide for the Aileron counter balance and an updated Zenith drawing instead of the LAA aileron drawing?
chris

Permalink Reply by Jim Belcher on December 20, 2009 at 11:03am

I second this question. The LAA drawing might be OK, if we could read it. The mix of colors makes it hard to follow. Being in pdf formkat makes it difficult to access the basic drawing elements, and change the colors to something usable.

I suspect it would help many of us if Zenith could either fix the colors, or re-issue the drawing in a more readable format.

Permalink Reply by Matt Heintz on December 20, 2009 at 12:09pm

Chris,
Yes, we will have a new drawing for the counter weight shortly. Zenith will be putting all the videos and pics on a CD.

Permalink Reply by Chris Sinfield on December 22, 2009 at 4:39am

Roger if you are asking about the rear fuse ones they are there only to stop flexing of the skin. they are not tied / riveted to the virticals and are just standard L angles. look at the 650 pictures for the pattern.. its the same pattern and the ends do not touch the virtical side L angles and formers . Rivet spacing could have been about 80mm but I kept mine same spacing as the rest of the sides just for looks.
Chris.

Permalink Reply by Chris Sinfield on December 22, 2009 at 2:09pm

I went in via the trap door in the rear, but make sure you support the bottom underside with timber cross bracing as I bent first z angle past the door ..Drill hoes from outside first. Mark the center of L angle, place inside with line on hole from outside and drill a hole at each end, clico each end and move to next. this method does require 2 people..
Chris.

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