Wing tips
Yep, I took a build day and put in the most hours in a single day I have done in a long time. I got all of the attach hardware (nutplates) installed on the wing tips. I also got the COM and VOR antennas glassed in as well as started cutting the nav light lenses.
Lets see, what have I learned so far on the wing tips?
- It occurs to me that one of the benefits of the 1/2″ backing strip bonded to the inside along the attach hardware makes for that much more grounding (each screw along that edge) for the Bob Archer antennas.
- There are a LOT of nutplates to machine countersink the holes for and install. This is inherently a slow process.
- Plan ahead (a little further than I did) on an RV9 wing tip if you’re going to glass in a marker beacon antenna. There is not 40″ between the front and the rib. I had to cut a little hole in the tip rib to pass through the antenna.
- The nav light lens can be cut with any combination of scissors, shears, snips, knife, belt sanders, cutoff wheel, etc. It isn’t going to break or crack like the canopy. It will turn to a gummy molten mess if a high speed tool is used. I get them within about 3/32″ with standard sheet metal shears, then use a large coarse belt sander from there.