Day 23
Wing Tips
Today we installed the wing tips. These are fiberglass composite parts that have to be fitted and custom dilled to fit the wings.
Before getting to those, the wings have to be taken off of their jigs and have a few ribs and channels installed once they are removed.
Once the ribs are riveted in place the composite wing tips get set in place. We used a pair of tie down straps to hold the tips in place and tight against the leading edge. Once we have them fitting where we want to go hole by hole match drilling through the wing skin and composite tips, cleco'ing as we go to make sure they stay in place. At the trailing edge we used a hole finder tool to match drill the holes because the ribs sit on the inside of the composite parts here.
After match drilling everything we removed the straps and tips and counter sunk the leading edged where we would be using countersunk rivets. Next, we reinstalled the tips on the wings (being sure to rout the NAV light wires) using ample cleco's to make sure the tips when back to the exact same location we started with. Once they were perfectly aligned, we riveted them in place.
Wing tips installed.
Removed the wing jigs and installed the last few ribs, angle brackets and wires before installing the wing tips.
Using tie-down straps to hold the tips tightly in place.
Using a straight edge to make sure the wing tips are level with the wing top skins.
Using a hole finder tool to match drill the holes on the trailing edge of the wing tips.
Cleco'ing the wing trailing edge to hold everything in place.
Using cleco's to hold the wing tips in place.
Countersinking the leading edges of the composite wing tips.
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