Emilio Lizardo

I recently purchased a Great Planes Spirit ARF 2m Sail plane kit. I just wanted to check on how the hinges for rudder and elevator should be installed.

The hinges as supplied are roughly hexagonal in shape being slightly wider than they are tall. There a a slit that runs along the centre line, staring about 2-3mm from either edge, along the long axis of the hinge. My question is this; Is this slit in the hing supposed to run along the axis of the hinge or perpendicular to the hinge? The instructions are less than clear on this point as the illustration shows the hinge to be rectangular in shape with the apexes trimed.

rscarawa

Install them so that the slit is perpendicular to the hinge line. Use very thin CA on these hinges.

I install them with this method.
Fold hinges in half so fold line is perpendicular to slot.
Install all hinges and assemble control surface to the relevant part. keep hinge folded so you know that the hinge is half in each part.
Put a T pin between the two parts to put a small gap between the surfaces.
Deflect surface to max needed deflection and put a couple drops of CA on the exposed hinge surface.
Deflect surface other way and do the same with CA on the other side.
Remove pins.
Excersize the hinges and remove any excessive dried glue.


Hope this helps.


Scot

Emilio Lizardo

Great, thanks for that Scott. I was guessing that that was the correct way but just wanted to make sure.

rscarawa

Since your Spirit is an ARF, I am suprised the control surfaces were not preattached.


Scot

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

They aren't, you have to install the CA hinges.

OzMo

My Feedback: (3)

E. L.,
This is a good source of info an setting up the Spirit. HAVE FUN[8D]