Zenith Cruzer Airplane - Wings Attached!

Summary

In this video, the creator shares the process of temporarily attaching wings to an aircraft fuselage. Though the wings are in place, there are two issues requiring attention: a cleco interfering with a rib and wing skin rubbing against the fuselage. To resolve these, the wings need to be removed, clecos taken out, and the skin trimmed for a better fit. The creator advises others to expect similar adjustments. The next steps include finalizing the wing installation with rigging, drilling, and adding struts. However, progress will be delayed due to a work commitment.

Takeaways

• 😀 The wings are temporarily attached to the fuselage, but not permanently yet.
• 😀 The rear spars are not drilled, and the wing struts are not installed.
• 😀 The wings will need to be removed again for further adjustments.
• 😀 Reason 1: A cleco is hitting the rib, possibly interfering with the wing's movement towards the fuselage.
• 😀 Clecos need to be removed, which requires moving the wing back to access them with pliers.
• 😀 Reason 2: The bottom of the wing skin is rubbing against the side of the fuselage.
• 😀 The wing skin is just slightly too long, requiring trimming to prevent rubbing.
• 😀 It's common to need to trim the trailing edge skin of the wing during the fitting process.
• 😀 The user had to trim 9/16” off the bottom of the wing skin and a triangular shape from the top.
• 😀 After trimming, the wing skin is now parallel to the fuselage, which is important for proper fit.
• 😀 The user plans to remove the wings again, trim the skin, and then proceed with rigging and installing the wing struts once they return from work.

Q & A

Why is the presenter removing the wings again?

The presenter is removing the wings again to address two issues: the cleco is hitting a rib and may be interfering with the wing's full movement, and the bottom of the wing skin is rubbing against the fuselage.

What is the purpose of using clecos in this process?

Clecos are used to temporarily hold parts of the wing assembly together during fitting, but they need to be removed for final adjustments and to ensure proper alignment before permanent attachment.

What needs to be trimmed on the wing to fit properly?

The trailing edge skin of the wing may need to be trimmed to prevent it from rubbing against the fuselage. The presenter had to trim 9/16 inches off the bottom of the wing skin and taper it at the top.

Why does the presenter mention the top window while working on the wing?

The top window is mentioned because the presenter wanted to check how the top skin of the wing terminates against it. This step is necessary to ensure proper fit and alignment.

What is the significance of the bottom wing skin rubbing against the fuselage?

The bottom wing skin rubbing against the fuselage indicates that the wing skin may be slightly too long. It needs to be trimmed to avoid interference and allow for proper attachment of the wing bolts.

What does the presenter advise about trimming the trailing edge skin?

The presenter advises that, when fitting wings for the first time, it is common to need to trim the trailing edge skin to ensure a proper fit. The presenter had to trim both sides of the skin.

What did the presenter do to ensure the bottom skin was correctly aligned with the fuselage?

The presenter cut a triangle shape at the bottom of the wing skin to make it parallel to the fuselage, ensuring a proper fit and alignment for the wing bolts.

Why does the presenter mention needing help to remove the wings again?

The presenter needs help to remove the wings because they are still in place and require assistance to safely take them off, remove the clecos, and trim the bottom skin.

What is the next major step the presenter is looking forward to after removing and trimming the wings?

After removing and trimming the wings, the next major step is rigging and drilling the wings, followed by installing the wing struts, which will be a significant milestone in the project.

How did the presenter manage to fit the bolt despite the wing skin rubbing against the fuselage?

The presenter was still able to fit the bolt in place relatively easily, even though the wing skin was rubbing slightly against the fuselage, suggesting that the skin was only marginally too long.