Hello all,

My neighbor has been flying for four years has had a super stick, somethin'extra and a tiger 60 (I listing these only for a little backround on him and to show that he is experienced.) He recently bought an avistar and does not want the hassle of those blasted rubberbands! (i can't say i blame him!) If anyone has made this conversion please list step by step what is involved in doing this. Any input would be helpful.


Thanks,

Brian

dubro makes what your looking for.

I converted a 60 sized Ugly Stik to wingbolts several years ago. I don't really remember step-by-step instructions, but I can give a few hints. I thought it would be really easy, but actually there were a lot of details to figure out. First, decide if you want to use 4 bolts (two at the leading edge and two at the trailing), or 2 bolts at the trailing edge and a wood dowel at the leading edge. I think they would be about the same amount of work. I used two bolts and two dowels at the leading edge. You will need to strengthen the fuselage where the threaded blocks are attached by epoxying some 1/8" (or similar) plywood. You will need to strengthen the wing where the bolts go through with some plywood also, 1/16" or 3/32" would probably be enough. Bolts near the leading edge might need some internal support by opening up the wing sheeting, inserting a partial rib, and then replacing the sheeting. If you are putting a dowel in the leading edge, it will need a strong fuselage bulkhead with a hole in just the right spot. Here's what I did to line up the dowel with the hole- Drill a small hole in the wing leading edge where the dowel will go. This should be just big enough for a piece of pencil lead to fit snuggly with the point sticking out a little bit. Set the wing straight on the fuse so that the lead will make a mark on the bulkhead. Drill the hole where the mark was made, then enlarge the hole in the wing leading edge so you can epoxy the dowel in place. Hopefully the two will line up. If you haven't already, you might want to reinforce the wing center with a fiberglass strip and epoxy.

Like I said, not as easy as I first thought. Good luck!

Any place where you are going to be tightening down a bolt on the wing, it should be reinforced so the wing won't crush. Often this can just be a small plywood plate on outside to distribute the load but sometimes you must fill the inside area too. Depends on wing structure.

I looked at my Avistar that is mostly retired.
My smaller planes that use a nylon bolt to hold the wing in place use a dowel on the leading edge.
That is going to be difficult to do on the Avistar. Re-shape the wing, beef up and then modify the front of the wing seat.
Adding a brace from side to side for the wing bolt and blind nut would be easy enough. You would need to add wood to the inside of the wing ad Bruce suggested. One to add to the structural strength, two to keep it from trying to slide side to side. Piece of wood made exactly the same size as the fuse opening and placed so as to keep it centered without the bolt in place. Need to beef the fuse side also. Nothing to hold that wing in place but the rubber bands and the fact the wings servo tray and arms will not let is slide to far as it is.
Unless you move the one aileron servo and install two I do not think there is room for two bolts, at best very tight.

For the leading edge fuselage wing seat it will take some work and you need to keep the airfoil correct. Ho2zoo has the right idea. Need to recess the bolt head, heads and design for that. I know it can be done. I just might do it myself. Might not, I like it stock and its clean design. But for me building is a large part of the fun. I landed that plane once with the wing barely hanging on, busted rubber bands hanging all over. One reason it just sits. I have not bought rubber bands this season and I will not fly it with old rubber bands. Mostly I have other planes I would rather fly.
I flew it past its design to do that damage to the new rubber bands. My fault.

Seems to me four bolts would be easy enough but more of a pain to install the wings than rubber bands. 3 not as bad but still a pain to line up and it would still need something to keep the wing in place. That wing would be prone to sliding unlike planes designed for dowels and a single bolt.
Whatever you do you need to watch the weight, center of gravity and airfoil shape.

If your friend does it and it works.....post a picture.
Good Luck
Michael

thank you all very much!!

Brian