REFLECTOR: Winglet trimming

[Jack Prock]

Steve,

Andy Ellzey and I both had the same issue. I would think the factory would
update the manual, but they seem slow to
do that even when several people have the same problem over and over.

I asked the EXACT SAME question on the reflector on 7/30... if you go back,
you will see the chat. I will give you
the response that Andy sent me when I asked the question. His is a much
better explanation than I can do:


>> I had the same issue as you are talking about. Put your winglet
>>back in the billet half that matches the inboard side of the winglet. Mark
the lines on the billet half, the 28" mark
>>will fall on the billet half and the 12" will fall on your winglet. Now
mark the 1" foam trim line on your winglet
>>per the manual. This line will fall entirely on your winglet. Sand your
billet half to match the contour of the trailing
>>edge where the line comes off the foam of the winglet. Line you billet
half with plastic to make a mold half for your
>>lay-up. Do your inboard lay-up per the manual leaving enough cloth for the
entire size per the manual. When you put
>>your winglet in your billet half it will form your trailing edge for the
correct 28". After it cures you will trim the foam
>>back the 1" on your winglet per manual, and this line will fall on the
foam. The manual also doesn't tell you what
>>to do with the top of the winglet, leave it squared off like it came out
of the billet or round it off. I rounded mine
>>off to a nice aerodynamic shape. If you have room to attach your wings to
the spar when you are ready to attach
>>your winglets, as the manual suggests, this is the best way to make sure
your winglets and wings are completely
>>matched. Make all of the cross check measurements the manual calls for. I
used a water level at the wing tips to
>>level both wings attached to the spar. I spent 2 full days getting
everything just right, I'm hoping this will payoff in
>>how my aircraft flies.

I followed this and my winglets came out great. Hope this helped.

Jack Prock


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Goldman" <steve at fatcatair.com>
To: <reflector at tvbf.org>
Sent: Saturday, October 07, 2006 4:58 PM
Subject: REFLECTOR: Winglet trimming


> Well this might be a factory question for monday but we'll see.
>
> I got the winglets out of their billets today in hopes of starting on
them.
> I got stymied almost immediately. The manual calls for marking a spot 28"
from
> the leading edge at the bottom and 12" at the top and trim to the line
connecting
> those marks. Well I have more than 12" of foam at the top but I only have
27.5"
> at the bottom. So I'm not sure what to do. The manual does say the
important
> thing is for them to be as identical as you can do them and since both are
27.5"
> I could make them match up.
>
> I took out the wing trimming template to see what the winglet foam looked
like
> next to it and they look short there too. (The curve on the inboard side
looks
> remarkably different too but the geometry when it lays on the wing could
be
> part of it.)
>
> -- 
> Steve Goldman
> '77 Tiger N28531
> Velocity XL5-RG (T-3465hrs 1%)
> Pittsboro, NC (9NC8)
>
>