Wings Forum

Anyone done their leading edges in aluminum? What grade and thickness? Thanks, Warren

Put "wings leading edge" in the "search" and you will come up with lots of information and pictures on this subject.....Wayne

Tried search for aluminum leading edges. Nothing. Warren

That's interesting, from this page in the search nothing. Try putting "wings leading edge"in the search from the 1st page (works for me), not "aluminum leading edge". Look to the right in the Topic, for "MY wings" and "leading edge wrap". Lots of good info and pictures.

I used the leading edge material supplied by Aircraft Spruce.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/m ... 330800.php

Troy flew mine and said it flew like a lighter airplane (mine weighs 730) and Jak said they have built the last few planes at the factor that way. Over half your lift is generated in the first 25% of the cord so it makes sense to make that part of the airfoil as clean as you can

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Rick Mullins  #144
Cincinnati, Oh

Thanks for the replies. How far around do you wrap the aluminum? Thanks, Warren

Warren

JA sells a leading edge wrap kit that includes different false ribs that sit flush with the main ribs. The standard false ribs stand proud. The kit includes 0.016 aluminum sheet that extends a little past the stringer that supports the false ribs. I don't remember what the kit costs but call them.

Good luck,

Winston

I wish I had this as an option when I was building my wings...

John

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"Once man has tasted flight, he
will walk the earth with his eyes
turned skyward, for there he has
been & there he longs to return..."
L. DaVinci

Duane Sorenson & Rick Norton,
Gone West, 6/8/09.
Godspeed...

I've used the Aircraft spruce leading edge material on both of my Highlanders. The false ribs just get shaved so they are level with the wing ribs, glue the leading edge material to the ribs and false ribs then when you cover the wing continue the fabric rivets thru the leading edge wrap to the front spar. I only riveted the leading edge wrap to the wing ribs not to the false ribs or front spar because the fabric keeps the leading edge wrap tight to the leading edge spar. Easy to do and you only have the cost of leading edge material.

Steve

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Steve D N419BD

Rick, I see your leading edge a little different than the factories. What did you do,,, cut each false rib and cut a strip of wood to glue on? Picture of the way the factory did theirs and the way I did mine.
Your work is so clean it makes me sick.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

xpflyr or others.

Can you post a couple of pictures showing where the fuel tank mates with the front and rear spar and the same for the aluminum leading edge. If you can post a picture on the final fit of your inboard rib and butt rib that would be helpful as well...

We are at this point and have questions that photos like those would solve.

Thanks....

Here is another picture of the way we did mine. We cut a strip of wood just thick enough so when we glued it to the 1/2 tube that supports the rear of the false ribs it was flush with the main ribs, that way the entire trailing edge of the wrap was supported. Probably not really necessary. Then we sanded down each false rib until we could we could twist it into place with just a slight amount of drag. That part was a little tedious but the result was nice. The only thing I would do differently, and Carl did it this way when he built his, is don't stop the wrap at the fuel tank, overlap 4-5 inches and glue it down. Mine is flexing at the wrap/tank joint and has cracked the paint and stretched the fabric there.

I don't seem to have many pictures of my tank mounting. I don't know if this one will be any help...

Rick

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Rick Mullins  #144
Cincinnati, Oh

Here is how much I overlapped it.

That looks great. And after I thought about it for a while, not supporting the entire trailing edge is probably a better way to do it because it would allow a little flex between the ribs and make it less likely to transfer all the movement to the end of the wrap like mine does.

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Rick Mullins  #144
Cincinnati, Oh

I like the way you did yours better.