Wing repair

Ok, so in my last post, I had issues with my wings starting to buckle at the end of the wing spar and where I cut out for the aileron servos.  I finally decided to repair this by cutting a slot in the wing and inserting a support in the form of a bamboo rod.  Not something really special, just a couple of bamboo cooking skewers!

I really had some issues with how I would cut a groove for these bamboo rods.  My original thought was to use my razor knife and cut a track of foam out of the wing.  Although this might have been the easiest way to accomplish this, I did not want to remove foam from any part of the plane anymore.  My thoughts are that the removal of foam will lend to the weakening of what ever part it is removed from.  So my ultimate decision was to modify my soldering iron and to use it to melt the foam out of my way.  My theory is that the melted foam will maintain the strength of the part but allow for the modification.  So I removed the original tip from my soldering iron and created a new one from a nail and inserted it and set the tightening screw.

After I came up with my final location for the re-enforcement rods, and laid out some markings, and removed the support tape covering this area of the wings, I was finally ready.  I got out a metal straight edge (the back of a steel saw blade).  Lined it up with my markings and began to cut/melt the foam and open the slot for the bamboo rods.

I performed this task on both wings and was pleased with the results. Now it was time to affix the rods. I simply used my hot glue gun to lay a bead of glue in the slot and quickly inserted the rods. Then I laid in some more glue on the top side to ensure the bond and to fill in any gaps.

Now that this was all done, I re-taped the wings with fiber strapping tape from root to tip.  Re-installed the aileron servos and taped down the servo wires.  All ready for a test flight!

UPDATE:
Testing went very well and I am happy with the results!  I have been able to fly in heavy wind and do stunts pulling heavy G's without any wing issues.  I feel that melting the foam had added extra support to what the bamboo rod adds and makes for a better repair.

Thanks for stopping by my blog and please post comments, good or bad.  Be sure to come back and check for future posts.

Flying in the wind

After complaining about too much wind and not being able to fly, I was now waiting for a chance to fly with wind.  Yeah, I wanted to test if it would make much of a difference flying in the wind with ailerons.  So, finally a chance to fly and a day with wind.  About 8 to 10 mph.

I started with a full charge on the stock NiMH battery and tossed the aileron equipped Wild Hawk into the wind.  Wow, it flew great!  The ailerons really made a difference if keeping the plane in the air.  I continued to fly and enjoy playing in the wind.  I did notice that one drawback to flying in the wind is that you can only fly into the wind if you have the battery to do it.  I had to bring the plane in long before I normally would have while I still had enough power to bring it in.

So my flying in the wind was a success and I had a great time.  I was so eager to fly again that I went our as soon as I could.  I was having a great time and even decided to try a few loops.  Good thing I only tried one though because as soon as it pulled full Gs, I noticed that the wings had an odd angle to them.  I put the plane through a few more maneuvers and noticed the same odd wing angle.  Oops, time to bring it in!

Servo label nicely glued into the cutout!

Well, I brought the plane in a little too aggressive in an attempt to keep the wings in one piece and lost an aileron servo.  No big deal, and it will teach me not to hot glue servos in on the side with a sticker.  The bond is only as good as the sticker glue!

Wing crease right about where the window divider in the back groung meets the wing

Ok, so upon inspection, I found that the wings were both starting to kink and flex right at the line where the wing spar ends and the aileron servo cutout and aileron cutout weakened the wing.  Another learning experience, watch out where you make alterations and  where the stress points are!

Now I need to figure out how I'm going to strengthen my wings so they don't crack and give out during a flight.  That will be my next blog.


Thanks for stopping by my blog and please post comments, good or bad.  Be sure to come back and check for future posts.