THE MICROLAND THREAD..."Home of the Tailwinds"

[Bundy]

Forgot about the few pic's I took before the camera died...(again)

Sir Francis slowly getting out of his "Mr Incredible" suit

Oom Paul and Frank

The Beautiful Dawn was really at home in the bush Tie down Kit, although not really tested by the elements worked well.

Dionne..."Hydrating"

[NickSwardt]

I would have to guess iron maiden!

I am leaving for cape town extremely early saturday morning so that's another fine for me

Will see you guys when i get back,enjoy!

[Bundy]

"Up the Irons!"

Well done Nick...pity we will not see you Sat. (No fines this month...It's X mas )

Steve Bosch will be joining us for the braai.

Attending:

Alan Max Troy
Paul and Dionne
Jaco
Stef
Steve Bosch
Anthony Hugo

[mulderpm]

Yip, will be there come rain or shine... ...a flight will be a bonus. Tmrw and next day am looks good. Will make a plan for tmrw.

I mentioned a document that I wrote detailing rigging and de-rigging the Aquila wing. I am on my iPad... Lets see if I can attach a MSWord document on my iPad These oaks moss don't sit around the same fire

Nope, not even with File Sharing can I attach it. So cut and paste. I will post it separately. I will attach the .doc file this evening from my laptop (Windows 7).

Paul.

[mulderpm]

DE - RIGGING PROCEDURE AQUILLA I

1. Park the Trike on soft level ground such as a lawn.
2. In general, all bolts, wing nuts, securing rings/clips and clevis pins should be re-inserted from where they were removed. This will ensure that they do not get lost.
3. Drain and remove fuel tank.
4. Remove seats.
5. Remove pannier bags.
6. Chock rear wheels to ensure that the Trike does not roll backwards.
7. Place protective sponges in front of the nose wheel where A frame and nose will touch the ground.
8. Open nose cone velcro and remove nose cone cover.
9. While holding down seat frame flip over joint, remove airfoil tube bottom and top attachment clevis pins from U-brackets and remove airfoil tube.
10. Release seat frame flip over joint by lifting past snap over point. Grab base bar and pylon tube and lower the wing with the nose down into the wind until the A frame touches the ground/protective sponges and the nose has tipped forward onto the ground/protective sponge. Allow the nose wheel to roll over the base bar.
11. Remove hang block safety cable.
12. Detach Trike from the universal hang block by removing top bolt.
13. Re-assemble trike undercarriage for trailering.
14. Raise the nose until the keel is level.
15. Keep all left and right battens separate. Do not mix them up as they may differ slightly and this will greatly affect the flight roll characteristics of the wing.
16. Remove bottom straight battens. i.e. stitching on underside, 2 & 4 on either side. The tips of these battens are the same, front and rear. Insert finger through string loop and pull batten forward. Once the batten is forward pull string down to remove from oval pocket. Slide batten rearward until all the way out
17. Disassemble nose cable by detaching clevis pin and releasing the tension camel catch. Detach the nose cable and lower the nose and rear of the wing keel at the same time with an assistant holding the back.
18. Pull the spreader bar retention cord rearwards and remove wingnut and bolt from spreader bar cable.(note hole used)
19. Turn hang block sideways.
20. Remove the remaining curved bottom half battens. 1 & 3 on either side. These are top battens but are inserted on the underside of the wing. The difference between these and the other curved battens are the tips which are the same, front and rear as these battens are held in place by velcro & not bungee cord.
21. Detach and remove the rest of the top battens except for the centre (nose) batten.
22. Remove the fixed washout tubes from the leading edges. These are attached to the tip of the leading edges with bungee cord.
23. Unhook the rear kingpost cable and unplug the kingpost.
24. Collapse the leading edges (a little at a time, alternating sides).
25. Remove the centre (nose) batten pulling it out to the front. (not essential)
26. Role each wing material separately onto itself, starting in the middle.
27. Strap the leading edges and roled up material together with blue tie down straps.
28. Bundle curved battens together all facing the same way. Keep L & R separate!
29. Insert curved battens into batten bag by pulling bag over battens like a sock. Insert all straight battens into bag.
30. Place battens on top of folded up wing with curved ends at tip of wing. The other end of the battens will be in the middle of the wing.
31. Lay the wing bag on top of wing with zip facing down.
32. Turn the wing bag and wing over, zip facing up, and disassemble the trapeze control bar.
33. Insert 6 packing flaps around all joining areas that could chafe. These are typically the base bar and down tube bolts. The rear of the keel tube and the hang block. The nose plate can only chafe the bag.
34. Apply slight pressure downwards on the keel to raise the leading edges above the down tubes and attach a strap around both wings and the keel. Attach remaining straps so that they are evenly spaced.
35. Zip up the wing bag.
36. Transport with the sip facing downwards to prevent entry of rainwater. Never store wing wet.


RIGGING PROCEDURE AQUILLA I

1. Lay the wing bag on soft level ground such as a lawn with the zip facing up. The wing should be lying on it’s back with the A frame uppermost.
2. Unzip bag and assemble the trapeze control bar.(check that bolts, nuts and safety rings are in place)
3. Lift the wing and turn it over so that the A frame is now underneath the wing.
4. Remove the wing bag.
5. Remove batten bag and 6 packing flaps.
6. Remove blue tie down straps holding roled up material together, and place in wing bag together with 6 packing flaps and batten bag.
7. Zip and fold up wing bag.
8. Insert the centre (nose) batten tail end first.
9. Spread the leading edges (a little at a time, alternating sides) until completely open.
10. Ensure that the spreader bar cables are on either side of the kingpost locating plug. Carefully inspect spreader bar cables for any damage.
11. Plug in the kingpost and hook the rear cable in place.(check luff lines are not twisted or hooked)
12. Insert the fixed washout tubes into the holes in the leading edges. These are attached to the tip of the leading edges with bungee cord. Lift the rear of the sail slightly and the bungee on the end of the washout batten should make it jump into place in the hole in the leading edge.
13. Separate battens into L & R and layout each batten behind the wing next to their specific pockets. The longest battens are in the centre and the shortest are at the wing tips. Do not mix them up as they may differ slightly and this will greatly affect the flight roll characteristics of the wing.
14. Inspect the battens for damage or unusual bending. If necessary check the batten profile against a Windlass Aquilla profile drawing.
15. Insert and install the four curved half battens and close Velcro securing flaps. These are top battens but are inserted under the sail. The difference between these and the other curved battens are the tips which are the same, front and rear. Ensure that they are correctly fitted inside the pocket.
16. Insert and install the rest of the curved top battens. Slide the battens in slowly and carefully and at no time force a batten through. If a batten gets stuck halfway in a batten pocket, then leave it there and go on to the next batten, coming back to the stuck batten later.
17. Pull the spreader bar retention cord rearwards and insert bolt and wingnut to spreader bar cable. Use the same hole noted during de-rigging 18. If in doubt, use the first hole. If the tension seems unusually heavy first check that the cables and thimbles are not twisted or caught on the sail or kingpost. Role up retention cord and cable tie bundle. Place rolled up bundle securely in Velcro pocket.
18. Lift the nose and rear of the wing keel at the same time and allow the A frame to swing downwards and then balance the wing on the A frame. If the A frame does not easily swing down into place, the chances are that one of the side flying cables are twisted or caught on the sail. If that is the case, lie the wing flat on the ground again and lifting one leading edge at a time, open the zipped inspection hole at the Spreader bar and leading edge junction and straighten / release the wing cables. Attach the nose cable by tensioning the camel catch. Insert clevis pin and safety ring.
19. Insert four bottom straight battens and close Velcro securing flaps.
20. Place the two large straight end battens in place in the wingtips by placing the round open end onto the lug on the leading edge.
21. Fit all batten securing bungees.
22. Check over complete wing making certain that the kingpost, cables, safety rings, bolts, nuts, camel catches and battens are secure and in place. Leave the nose down into the wind.
23. Wheel the undercarriage in from the rear with the nose wheel rolling over the base bar.
24. Attach Trike to the universal hang block
25. Attach hang block safety cable. See below.
26. Raise the nose until the keel is level. Velcro the nose cone cover in place. The wing nose cone should only be positioned and attached to the Velcro strips after the undercarriage is connected to the wing – this is to prevent it from getting scuffed on the ground.
27. Chock rear wheels to ensure that the Trike does not roll backwards.
28. Attach top of the airfoil tube to the U bracket on the pylon using clevis pin and safety ring.
29. Grab base bar and lift the wing and pylon tube up until you can position the airfoil tube into its lower U-bracket and seat frame flip over joint has flipped over.
30. Attach bottom of airfoil tube to lower U bracket using clevis pin and safety ring.
31. Fit seats, pannier bags and fuel tank.

Hang block safety cable, hang block bolt, black spreader bar
cables, retention cord, king post & airfoil tube U bracket

[Bundy]

Thanks Paul...just a question...why steps 3-5 on the de rig?

All makes sense on paper....

I work on a simple 2 step process:

Step1: Phone Hans and ask him to de rig the wing.
Step 2: When ready, phone Hans again and ask him to re rig the wing

All done by the time I get back to the airfield the next weekend


Thanks for posting chom, very usefull! You should post it in Hanger Talk under it's own topic so everyone can have a look.

[mulderpm]

Ja Alan, phone him when you are in Inhambane.

It's been posted on "Technical Talk".

Hope it helps someone.

[Bundy]

Ja Alan, phone him when you are in Inhambane.

That could be an issue yes...

I've printed the above and will be putting it in my saddle bag along with all the other paperwork. My problem is not the de rig procedure...it's getting the flippen wing in the bag NEATLY!

I am still hopefull that we can get Sean or Craig from Microcraft Africa up to Pretoria for a weekend and a proper demonstration....Hint Hint you guys from Pinetown!

I will try again in the new year.

Thanks again Paul.

[mulderpm]

Steps 3-5 and the first part of 9 is for a Windlass cart. The Aquila cart pilon hinges above the engine... ...much simpler. On some Auzi trikes they even have a gas lift to help with the lowering of the wing. That is the only part you could need an assistant. but being the Incredible Hulk ....you will manage on your own.

[mulderpm]

I've printed the above and will be putting it in my saddle bag along with all the other paperwork. My problem is not the de rig procedure...it's getting the flippen wing in the bag NEATLY!

Al, what worked for me, was, when the two leading edges are next to each other you pick up one wing sail at a time in the centre and you role it onto itself. You then strap it and do the same with the other wing. Steps 26 & 27. If I do this mine fits easily into the bag and most importantly there is no chafing damage. Although, as you know, on my last trip, chafing damage was irrelevant.

[mulderpm]

Viz was gaga quadraad this morning . Removed spat and did a short 30 minute cabage patch flight. Feiz & Jaco, nice seeing you guys again. Next time we must try to sync our arrivals again.

Feizel, when are you going to become less busy so that you can stay for the braai. It is Saturday meneer...maar ek sien jy werk nie in die week nie.

See you all tomorrow.

[BeanCounter]

Feiz & Jaco, nice seeing you guys again. Next time we must try to sync our arrivals again.

Normally you sleep late Mr Mulder, this morning you were there so blerrie early you must've done pre-flight under your car's headlights
The weather doesn't look too bad for tom, where we gonna go? Do you think we can ask nicely and get into FAWB CTR to have a look at Roodeplaat dam?

[KlapperKnop]

Jaco, we can head towards Cullinan gat then fly west to Roodeplaats Dam.

[Bundy]

Classic...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yl98-LC3fsU

[Loco]

Classic...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yl98-LC3fsU

Bwahahahaha classic I want some of that cheeze!