Is there another method of mounting the wing to the fuse? I'm kinda getting tired of the bands. I know the Nexstar has that system (kinda just screw in the wing).

Any conversion kits? or should I just suck it up and stick to the bands?

Thanks

It's probably going to be easier to just "suck it up and rubber band it". It's not impossible change a rubber band wing to a bolt down wing, but it does require quite a bit of structural changes to the internals of the wing. It's not as simple as putting a couple of nylon screws through the wing and flying. You have to ensure that the front dowel of the wing is tied into the main spar of the wing to ensure that the loads are transferred evenly. You also have to build up the wing area where the bolts will go so that it doesn't crush the wing.

Like I said, it can be done but it can be a bit of work.

Ken

sounds more complicated than i had inticipated.

Thanks for clarification Ken, I think i'll have to stick with bands until I get a new plane.

The last time I bolted a trainer wing down. I removed the windshield piece of the plane and cut open the bottom of the wing fwd of the spar to the leading edge and fitted balsa blocks in ( hand Sanded to fit the contour of the wing. Then I drilled through the bulkhead fwd of the leading edge of the wing through the windshield piece that I removed. I installed dowels to hold the leading edge down. The trailing edge I fitted a hardwood ply piece and installed blocks inside of the fuse. Drilled down through the wing trailing edge into the blocks. Threaded them for 1/4 - 20 plastic bolts and then thin CA glued the threads. The blocks in the wing I used 5 min epoxy and on the dowels as well. I also fitted forward of the bulkhead a plywood doubler for extra strength.

Total process with breaks was about two hours.

Rubber Bands are easy. Leave it alone and fly it. You'll be going to a second plane soon enough. Best of luck to you.

I installed bolt-on connection for my Hobbistar. There is a series of articles on MASportaviator called something like "not your stock Hobbistar" that illustrate the process. It called for adding a balsa doubler to the inner ribs to facilitate the bolt hole. In actuality I don't thinks its absolutely necessary since you sleeve the bolt with graphite arrow shafts (Dave Brown pushrods) and epoxy them in. Once epoxied in you restore the structural integrity.

One bolt in front and two in back. Just install the blocks as illustrated, rubber band your wing on firmly and drill so that you pass thru the center of the block. (you really do need to have a clear image in your mind when you do this since you're drilling blind) When you drill the front hole at just a slight angle so that you stay in wood you're drilling thru the epoxy layer that sandwiches the wings together. The bit will want wander off to the side since the epoxy is so much harder than the surrounding wood. It did on mine a little and seems to have done no harm. (The article shows cutting a path in each panel before epoxying them together but fails to mention the reason. Now you know! )

I used 2 1/2" 1/4 x 20 for the two rear bolts and a 3" in the front. Picked up the nylon hex head bolts at Home Depot and one of the sockets on my Dubro 4-way wrench fits them perfectly so you're not messing around with a slick flathead bolt.

At any rate, it really wasn't hard to do. Once drilled you tap the blocks, run the bolts in and out a few times, and harden the threads with CA.

Works great,

Clay

Rubber bands have an specific effect on those trainers, they allow to absorb some impacts with out damaging the wings (Light crashes) anyway is a good choice to let it that way until you step up to a new plane.

My first trainer was a Nexstar, and I liked the fact that the wing bolted on instead of using rubber bands. Every trainer I've owned and flown since that Nexstar - Easy Fly 40 ARF, Tower Trainer .40 MkII ARF, and now Solo Star .40 ARF, have all used rubber bands to secure the wing, and I like it that way.

As previously mentioned, those rubber bands are there to provide give and flexibility to the wing mounting system. Bolt on wings may look nicer, but they reduce the functionality of the trainer.

Virtually every veteran flight instructor and seasoned pilot I know has a trainer that uses a rubber banded wing rather than a bolt-on wing. Guys who know stick with rubber bands.