Reverend

My Feedback: (3)

Mornin from Austria everyone!

Really glad I've found this forum! After reading a few posts I seem to have found a treasure of knowledge here.

I've been building planes for over 12 years now (mostly Air combat Planes for Swiss Clubs) to earn a few extra cents for college. Funny enough I never wanted to actually fly them till June this year. It really seems to be a bit of a "virus" that can just jump on to you and take control of your life. Built myself a small "two way" glider and a Graupner MC-10, and, after about 500hours on the PC Sim just went to the next nice slope, got the permission of the owner and flew. First flight 1,5 Hours. Wonderful thermal upwinds, just landing was a bit tricky but worked OK in tall grass. I guess a Simulator may not weigh up a proper instructor, but it'll get you flying a small simple glider anytime.

Anyway, back to the question. I got my hands on a nice little Glider with a GFK body and Styro Abechi wings. I found it on a flee market in its original box, never opened. Looks like it was manufactured around 1980. Everything is still perfect except that one wing is slightly twisted. The outer end of the trailing edge lifts 5mm off the floor if you lay it out flat. The wing is 960mm long. I guess this can and will be a problem so I'm looking for a way to fix it. Any Ideas? (Apart from what the flying Colleagues here tell me.. like build a new one, throw it away, etc..) I'd really like to fix it.

Happy for any help!

Thanks,

Philipp

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

Are they both the same? Most gliders have washout which the out board trailing edge is up just a bit. Makes the center stall first.

If it is just one wing, you can try fixing it with heat. I would heat the obichi a little bit, and twist while you are doing it, then hold it in place as it cools. You can also do it with the covering after you cover it, but that would take a bit more being fully sheeted. It won't want to twist. Hope that works for you.

Reverend

My Feedback: (3)

well, I guess Ill give that a try. Problem is, one Wing is dead staight, the other has that twist in it. Does it make any sense wetting the wood before twisting it back and drying it?

Thanks,
Rev

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

I don't think wetting the wood will do much. You need to get the core twisted, so the wood needs to slip on the core. The only way to do that is with heat.

Reverend

My Feedback: (3)

Hey! That sounds sensible! Ill try it tonight and let you know what happens. Thanks in the meantime!

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

Don't use too much heat and damage the foam. That would be bad.

Reverend

My Feedback: (3)

SUCCESS!!!! After an hour of carefull heating and bending the Wing is as straight as its counterpart! I did find out pretty fast that i had to heat the opposite (bottom) side of the wing get results. Anyway, thanks a lot! I guess Ill be stickin around a lot here in future!

regards,
Philipp