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RV-7 Construction Log
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Date:  9-30-2012
Number of Hours:  6.60
Manual Reference:  pp 7-4, 7-5
Brief Description:  Right Wing

I started out by completing the clecoing of the bottom skins to the skeleton. With all four main skins in place I final reamed all main skin holes, top and bottom.

I then assembled the leading edge using lessons learned from assembling the left one. My technique is to cleco the top forward most hole in each rib from the inside with the skin on the bench. I then cleco every other top hole from the outside, working my way from forward to aft, followed by moving the top forward cleco to the outside so it can be moved for drilling without removing the leading edge from the spar. I then put the half-assembled leading edge in the cradle to squeeze the bottom skin close to the rib, then cleco starting at the aft hole, then every other hole foward toward the nose.

After assembling the leading edge, I clecoed it to the wing and final drilled the aft rib flanges to the main spar.

I then installed and drilled the W-408 rib, which is undersized slightly to allow room for the W-423 joint plate. I started out by pre-bending the joint plate around the rib. The plans show the web of the W-408 rib to be flush with the inboard edge of the leading edge skin, so I clamped a square tube (an angle would work fine, too) to the bottom of the rib web to position the rib spanwise, as shown in Photo 1. To get the proper vertical position on the spar I also temporarily installed the W-423 joint plate flush with the edge of the skin between the rib and skin. This got the aft flange of the rib positioned perfectly on the spar for match drilling to the spar.

I then removed the joint plate and repositioned it so that 11/16" of it sticks out from the skin, then carefully measured the rib web to position it 11/16" outboard of the edge of the joint plate so the entire length of the rib web ends up flush with skin edge. After carefully positioning and drilling a couple of holes top and bottom, I then match drilled and reamed the rest of the holes for the joint plate and rib through the skin.

Right tank is next....
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Fixture to position W-408 rib flange to main spar web for drilling.

Fixture to position W-408 rib flange to main spar web for drilling.

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W-423 joint plate and W-408 rib match drilled to leading edge skin.

W-423 joint plate and W-408 rib match drilled to leading edge skin.

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