Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Keith Thomas on October 16, 2020 at 6:59pm

From other members on this forum, don't bother with the folding wing option, I asked your same questions and all the answers I got were the same. It is not worth the cost or weight penalty, If you must fold the wings, it is just as easy, if not easier to remove them. The fuel tanks will have to be drained either way and all the electrical connections disconnected along with the wing struts, All that is left connected are the aft bolts to mount the wings with.

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Permalink Reply by John Austin on October 17, 2020 at 7:55am

Keith summarized it well.

I know where you're coming from with the glider background - I kept my ASW-20 sailplane in a trailer and it only took a few minutes to plug-in the wings, tail, and pop in a few pins and attach a few quick-disconnects.  However, there was no fuel and no wiring in the wings of the glider!

From monitoring these discussions over several years, I think the consensus is that the folding wing option only makes sense if you were, for instance, in an area with severe, unflyable winters and you wanted to trailer the plane home at the end of the flying season and trailer it back out in the spring.  But, as Keith points out, it would be almost just as easy to simply take the wings off and have suitable stands for them in the trailer.

John

N750A

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Permalink Reply by Ralph Powell on October 17, 2020 at 8:21am

There is a pilot at my local airport with a folding wing Kitfox. Every once in a while he drives into the tie down area pulling his trailer. A half hour later his plane is unloaded, fueled and ready to go. When he is done flying, he drains his fuel, folds his wings, hooks his electric winch onto the tail of his plane, drags it into his trailer and away he goes. He has done all the little things to make the trailer work, fuel pumps to fuel his plane, wood guides for his tires inside the trailer, ramps, and in general has the process very well organized. The trailer route can work for some folks. Those of us blessed with our own hangers or affordable hanger rent are lucky.

Keep in mind that removing and installing the wings is definitely a two person job, maybe three. The wings can be folded by one person, but is much easier with two. The one Zenith builder I personally know who installed the folding wing kit kept the plane in a hanger after completion.

Ralph

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Permalink Reply by Keith Thomas on October 17, 2020 at 9:23am

Unfortunately Zenith wings dont fold like the kitfox, the Kitfox system is easy. Not so much for ZA, they have a video on youtube on how the wings fold.

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Permalink Reply by Perry Delano on October 17, 2020 at 10:34am

Hi Ken,

since I have started my build, i have envisioned a folding wing option. I believe the only reason the folding wing option is not popular is we have not come up with an optimal design. I have been ruminating on a variety of ideas that I hope try out once the plane is up and flying. I believe the 701/750 wing chords are too long to just fold back along the sides as one would be over width, so the wings need to be folded and rotated, the wings may need to be on rails or have a pivot arm, so they can slide forward to clear the tail. The struts need to be able to collapse, and you will need trustworthy pins and fuel quick disconnects. I have thought the trailer could be part of the folding mechanism, e.g. supporting the wings and transferring attachment from plane to trailer. It is complicated, but a functional design is out there to be discovered. Keep building and maybe a functional design will be available when you get there. 

Perry

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Permalink Reply by Rob Thompson on February 21, 2021 at 2:01am

Hi Ken and Perry,

I have been giving thoughts to something similar to Perry's idea.

I have just purchased a trailer designed for a 16' catamaran.

The wheel mudguards are 1620mm (64") outer side to side. This is so the catamaran hulls can go outside the wheel base and I think my 701 wheels will fit nicely as well.

After this is finished I will be will be looking along Perry's line of having the wings being able to swing out with the root sliding along a rail and a gas strut which can raise it to where the bolts can be inserted. The tips can sit on a stand.

Then it can be wheeled off the trailer rigged.

Fingers crossed!!!  Thanks Perry your post has inspired me to get going again!  

Rob

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Permalink Reply by Mel Asberry on February 21, 2021 at 7:15am

Two things here that I've not seen addressed are the wear & tear of the attach bolts/pins, and that when you practice this option, every flight is a test flight.  There are so many chances of missing something.

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Permalink Reply by Rob Thompson on February 21, 2021 at 5:18pm

Agree with that.

My plan is to take advantage of occasional hangar space when it is available, tie down outside sometimes and trailer it home when I don't think I will be using it for a month or two.

I live 100 kilometres west of Sydney and land prices anywhere near here are so expensive that hangar space is ridiculously costly. Airfields are being subdivided and developed.

No choice but to get some creative thinking happening!

Rob 

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Permalink Reply by Keith Thomas on February 21, 2021 at 7:54am

And remember if the Nuts on the bolts are Nylock's they are supposed to be replaced everytime they are removed.

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Permalink Reply by Mel Asberry on February 21, 2021 at 9:44am

There is no requirement to replace nyloc nuts after one use.  43.13 simply says to replace the nut if you can install it by hand.

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