Sooper Dave

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I have a World Hobies Tai Ji 60 with retracts. I have torn them off several times and not necessarily on hard landings. Are the supports not adequate and what suggestions does anyone have re the problem. Thanks, Dave

mjfrederick

You might get more/better responses in the pattern forum as this is a pattern-style plane. Is the wing on this airplane built-up or sheeted foam? If it is foam, the fix would be easy. When I used to fly retracts on my pattern planes I had the same problem, so I began reinforcing the plywood mounting point by drilling 1/4-inch holes (4 to 6 depending on the size) through the ply into the foam of the wing (about 1/2-inch into the foam). Then I would coat pieces of 1/4-dowel, cut to length, with a good epoxy, and put the dowels in the holes. After this mod, I never ripped out another retract that didn't have it coming already. Not sure if this will work with the Tai Ji because I'm not that familiar with it.

Sooper Dave

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MJ..........Thanks for your reply. Wish mine were a foam wing........but it is a std rib and sheeted wing. Dave

Huntster

Dave,
I picked up a Zen 50 that a friend had a similar problem with. He had repaired it several times. I took it and had to rebuild one side where the retracts broke through the top... I had beefed up the wing area by adding lite ply doublers to the forward part of the rib area.. mostly to the fwd part of the Spar and I rebuilt to gear supports out of bass wood. I have flown this plane from grass strips after this until I lost the radio and it turned into a shovel and dug a hole in the dirt... But you talk about a VERY repairable issue! Those planes are VERY nice fliers!!! Keep it in the air!

Dave