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Old 08-27-2002 | 08:39 PM
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JIMMYTHEEAGLE
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From: NEBRASKA CITY, NE
Default SIG SU-31 structural failure

I guess I'll reply the opposite as the previous posts. I bought an earlier kit and had it together ready to fly. Then they sent out new horizontal fin and elevators because they forgot to put hard points in the elevators. I tore out the old and put in the new and removed that plastic fairing that fits around the vertical fin and replaced it with wood and ultracote. I also used 3/4 cloth on the horizontal fin from center to about 4 inches out because when I was removing the old one, with very little pressure the fin snapped in two pieces. There were no spars in the horizontal fin. Only ribs, leading and trailing edge and bad sheeting.
Then I had it ready to fly again until I read about some wings failing where the inside aileron meets the rear of the wing. When I shook my wing it rattled with loose balsa(before it was ever flown) so I removed the lower covering and was amazed at how many ribs were broken and cracked and the lack of sheeting between ribs and the poor job of glueing that had been done. I fixed or removed the bad areas and glued in new sheeting and epoxied the trailing edge to new spars. I also took the time to mount the aileron servos flat and secure unlike the sig design which is on their side and on that bendable plywood that is supplied.
Mine flies great with an mvvs 2.1. Unlimited and floats in for landings. I also feel secure knowing that I took the time to look beneath the covering to see what was really there. I don't think my wing would have held up to very many snap rolls if I hadn't of fixed it. Jim