Solo Rigging Equipment

I'm interested in being able to rig my glider by myself and have been
looking at the various kinds of equipment out there for this purpose.
Does anyone have any experience with Chip Bearden's WingMate? It
looks like an interesting design. Does anyone have one they are not
using and would like to part with? I tried contacting him about his
WingMate but haven't got a response.

Thanks,
Bob

I have an UDO rig that works great the I will sell for $11,000.

It comes with a HP18 N77BF.

Email me if anyone is interested.

Kevin Anderson

wrote in message
ups.com...
I'm interested in being able to rig my glider by myself and have been
looking at the various kinds of equipment out there for this purpose.
Does anyone have any experience with Chip Bearden's WingMate? It
looks like an interesting design. Does anyone have one they are not
using and would like to part with? I tried contacting him about his
WingMate but haven't got a response.

Thanks,
Bob

On Apr 1, 9:09 am, wrote:
I'm interested in being able to rig my glider by myself and have been
looking at the various kinds of equipment out there for this purpose.
Does anyone have any experience with Chip Bearden's WingMate? It
looks like an interesting design. Does anyone have one they are not
using and would like to part with? I tried contacting him about his
WingMate but haven't got a response.

Thanks,
Bob

I have made and/or used 4 different types of one man rigging systems.
All were quite different. All worked but some required a lot more
effort than the others. The first was one that was made by Minden Fab
and came with a Minden trailer. It consisted of two stands with
rollers on the top, one for each wing and a small tip dolly for each
wing. The second was a Udo type system that I made out of a Home
Depot outfeed stand, a Volvo jack, two bicycle kick stands and wheels
and axle. The wing saddle was made out of fiberglass with a small
steel frame. It was quite easy to make. The third was a system with
a "U" shaped saddle on a stand that was place next to the glider to
hold the spar and also let the wing be rotated into the horizontal
position. There was a tip dolly and a stand with a roller on the top
placed at the wing CG like the Minden stands. The fourth was used on
a Libelle and consisted of a fuselage dolly that allowed the fuselage
to tilt to one side. The wing was wheeled out of the trailer and with
a tip dolly the wing was wheeled around to the side and the spar put
on the tilted fuselage. The small wheels of the tip dolly required a
smooth surface. The tip dolly permitted the wing to be rotated into
the horizontal position almost lying on the ground. The wing was
lifted to the horizontal and put on a wing stand. The other wing was
wheeled out and into position and simply set on the fuselage and then
the tip was raised and pushed into place and a stand put under the
wing. This system took lots of lifting but worked. The Udo style
system was the best as long as the field was flat enough for the
wheels to roll OK. The biggest wheel possible would be best. The
Minden and "U" saddle systems worked best if the field was rough since
that was not an issue but the rollers tended to be hard on the wing
lower surface if the rubber rollers were not in perfect condition.
There is another Minden type that has two stands with tracks on the
top and little padded shuttle cars that go on the tracks. It is a big
system that disassembles for storage but it works on rough fields and
has no rollers to damage the wings. Both Minden types require that
the spar dollies in the trailer be designed to enable rotating the
wing to the horizontal while still attached to the trailer spar
dollies.

Greg

There is a variation on Bob's and Greg's systems that may work better for
some.

The key is a wing root dolly that allows the wing to swing out like a gate
once the wing root is rolled to the tailgate. It doesn't allow the wing to
rotate about its spanwise axis. You need a Udo-type 1-man rig dolly too.

The proceedure is to roll the fuselage off the trailer first. Then roll the
wing out until the root dolley hits a stop at the tailgate. Then swing the
wing out about 45 degrees - practice will determine the exact angle. Then,
set the wing on a tip stand with it still in the vertical plane. The Udo
dolly is rolled into position next to the wing between the fuselage and wing
just outboard the spanwise CG. The wing is then lifted onto the Udo dolly
and clamped into place.

With the wing in this position, set the tip stand aside and release the spar
from the root dolly. Pick it up and rotate it flat as you walk the spar to
the fuselage and slide it into place. The Udo dolly will only roll about 2
feet so only this ground needs to be flat. It takes less room around the
trailer and there is less chance to tip the wing over while rolling it out
past the tail.

If you have a REALLY heavy wing like a Lark or Lak-12, it's possible to fit
a jackable, castering wing tip dolly. Then, you don't have to lift anything
at all.

Bill Daniels


"gfoster07k" wrote in message
oups.com...
On Apr 1, 9:09 am, wrote:
I'm interested in being able to rig my glider by myself and have been
looking at the various kinds of equipment out there for this purpose.
Does anyone have any experience with Chip Bearden's WingMate? It
looks like an interesting design. Does anyone have one they are not
using and would like to part with? I tried contacting him about his
WingMate but haven't got a response.

Thanks,
Bob

I have made and/or used 4 different types of one man rigging systems.
All were quite different. All worked but some required a lot more
effort than the others. The first was one that was made by Minden Fab
and came with a Minden trailer. It consisted of two stands with
rollers on the top, one for each wing and a small tip dolly for each
wing. The second was a Udo type system that I made out of a Home
Depot outfeed stand, a Volvo jack, two bicycle kick stands and wheels
and axle. The wing saddle was made out of fiberglass with a small
steel frame. It was quite easy to make. The third was a system with
a "U" shaped saddle on a stand that was place next to the glider to
hold the spar and also let the wing be rotated into the horizontal
position. There was a tip dolly and a stand with a roller on the top
placed at the wing CG like the Minden stands. The fourth was used on
a Libelle and consisted of a fuselage dolly that allowed the fuselage
to tilt to one side. The wing was wheeled out of the trailer and with
a tip dolly the wing was wheeled around to the side and the spar put
on the tilted fuselage. The small wheels of the tip dolly required a
smooth surface. The tip dolly permitted the wing to be rotated into
the horizontal position almost lying on the ground. The wing was
lifted to the horizontal and put on a wing stand. The other wing was
wheeled out and into position and simply set on the fuselage and then
the tip was raised and pushed into place and a stand put under the
wing. This system took lots of lifting but worked. The Udo style
system was the best as long as the field was flat enough for the
wheels to roll OK. The biggest wheel possible would be best. The
Minden and "U" saddle systems worked best if the field was rough since
that was not an issue but the rollers tended to be hard on the wing
lower surface if the rubber rollers were not in perfect condition.
There is another Minden type that has two stands with tracks on the
top and little padded shuttle cars that go on the tracks. It is a big
system that disassembles for storage but it works on rough fields and
has no rollers to damage the wings. Both Minden types require that
the spar dollies in the trailer be designed to enable rotating the
wing to the horizontal while still attached to the trailer spar
dollies.

Greg

Here is a look at Hugh Helick's solution to the one-man rigging problem.
http://www.soaridaho.com/Schreder/Co...8_RIGGING.html
Hugh also developed a laser alignment aide.
http://www.soaridaho.com/Schreder/Co...LaserAlign.htm

A few years ago "Sailplane Builder" news letter had an article describing
construction of an "Udo" type wing dolly.
http://www.soaridaho.com/Schreder/Co...rier/LWT-3.htm

Wayne
HP-14 "6F"
http://www.soaridaho.com/


"Bill Daniels" bildan@comcast-dot-net wrote in message
...
There is a variation on Bob's and Greg's systems that may work better for
some.

The key is a wing root dolly that allows the wing to swing out like a gate
once the wing root is rolled to the tailgate. It doesn't allow the wing
to rotate about its spanwise axis. You need a Udo-type 1-man rig dolly
too.

The proceedure is to roll the fuselage off the trailer first. Then roll
the wing out until the root dolley hits a stop at the tailgate. Then
swing the wing out about 45 degrees - practice will determine the exact
angle. Then, set the wing on a tip stand with it still in the vertical
plane. The Udo dolly is rolled into position next to the wing between the
fuselage and wing just outboard the spanwise CG. The wing is then lifted
onto the Udo dolly and clamped into place.

With the wing in this position, set the tip stand aside and release the
spar from the root dolly. Pick it up and rotate it flat as you walk the
spar to the fuselage and slide it into place. The Udo dolly will only
roll about 2 feet so only this ground needs to be flat. It takes less
room around the trailer and there is less chance to tip the wing over
while rolling it out past the tail.

If you have a REALLY heavy wing like a Lark or Lak-12, it's possible to
fit a jackable, castering wing tip dolly. Then, you don't have to lift
anything at all.

Bill Daniels

Bill Daniels wrote:
There is a variation on Bob's and Greg's systems that may work better for
some.

The key is a wing root dolly that allows the wing to swing out like a gate
once the wing root is rolled to the tailgate. It doesn't allow the wing to
rotate about its spanwise axis. You need a Udo-type 1-man rig dolly too.

The proceedure is to roll the fuselage off the trailer first. Then roll the
wing out until the root dolley hits a stop at the tailgate. Then swing the
wing out about 45 degrees - practice will determine the exact angle.

This would not be good solution in our area, where we frequently have
wind during rigging/derigging. We use the Udo/Cobra style dollies, with
the trailer pointed directly into the wind. The wing is pulled from the
trailer with the trailing up. After it is on the dolly adn still lined
up with the wind, it is maneuvered a little ways from the trailer, then
the wing is rotated until it is flat.

Once it is flat, the wind has much less effect on it, and the wing can
be moved perpendicular to the wind and the root slid into the fuselage.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
* Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly
* "Transponders in Sailplanes" http://tinyurl.com/y739x4
* "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" at www.motorglider.org

On Apr 2, 7:17 pm, Eric Greenwell wrote:
Bill Daniels wrote:
There is a variation on Bob's and Greg's systems that may work better for
some.

The key is a wing root dolly that allows the wing to swing out like a gate
once the wing root is rolled to the tailgate. It doesn't allow the wing to
rotate about its spanwise axis. You need a Udo-type 1-man rig dolly too.

The proceedure is to roll the fuselage off the trailer first. Then roll the
wing out until the root dolley hits a stop at the tailgate. Then swing the
wing out about 45 degrees - practice will determine the exact angle.

This would not be good solution in our area, where we frequently have
wind during rigging/derigging. We use the Udo/Cobra style dollies, with
the trailer pointed directly into the wind. The wing is pulled from the
trailer with the trailing up. After it is on the dolly adn still lined
up with the wind, it is maneuvered a little ways from the trailer, then
the wing is rotated until it is flat.

Once it is flat, the wind has much less effect on it, and the wing can
be moved perpendicular to the wind and the root slid into the fuselage.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
* Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly
* "Transponders in Sailplanes"http://tinyurl.com/y739x4
* "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" atwww.motorglider.org

Expanding on Eric's comments, I have used the Udo dolly for around
8-10 years. I place the dolly beside the fuselage with the trailer
pointed into the wind. This allows me to pull the wing out of the
trailer w/o any side forces on the vertical (and vulnerable!) wing. I
lift the wing over the dolly's saddle as I pull the wing out. After
the wing is all the way out, in the saddle and the dolly clamp
attached, I lift the wing tip and move the wing (and dolly) about a
foot away from the fuselage. This allows the dolly's tires to clear
the fuselage. From here on out it is the pretty standard procedu
move the wing back until it is clear from the fuselage, rotate the
wing horizontal, manuevour the wing root into the fuselage, place wing
stand under the wing and repeat for the other wing.

I have used the Udo dolly on rough (dirt) surfaces and winds up to 20
kt successfully. It can also be used to rig and derig a glider that
isn't at the trailer (read "retrieve"). The only problem I have had
with it is the step of lifting the wing and dolly applies force on the
top of the hand crank, which eventually cracked. I had to have it
brazed to fix it and have not had any problems since.

Having a dolly that allows the fuselage to tip, or rock, slightly is a
huge advantage during one-man assembly. This eliminates the need for
an electric actuator on the dolly to raise and lower the wing (or a
lot of back and forth adjustments).

The key to a some rigging is good alignment. I have a DG-400 and the
position of the wing relative to the fuselage, both yaw and roll, is
critical. Get it right and it goes like a piece of cake. Get it wrong
and you will learn some new swear words.

Tom Seim
Richland, WA

On Apr 3, 9:53 am, wrote:
On Apr 2, 7:17 pm, Eric Greenwell wrote:



Bill Daniels wrote:
There is a variation on Bob's and Greg's systems that may work better for
some.

The key is a wing root dolly that allows the wing to swing out like a gate
once the wing root is rolled to the tailgate. It doesn't allow the wing to
rotate about its spanwise axis. You need a Udo-type 1-man rig dolly too.

The proceedure is to roll the fuselage off the trailer first. Then roll the
wing out until the root dolley hits a stop at the tailgate. Then swing the
wing out about 45 degrees - practice will determine the exact angle.

This would not be good solution in our area, where we frequently have
wind during rigging/derigging. We use the Udo/Cobra style dollies, with
the trailer pointed directly into the wind. The wing is pulled from the
trailer with the trailing up. After it is on the dolly adn still lined
up with the wind, it is maneuvered a little ways from the trailer, then
the wing is rotated until it is flat.

Once it is flat, the wind has much less effect on it, and the wing can
be moved perpendicular to the wind and the root slid into the fuselage.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
* Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly
* "Transponders in Sailplanes"http://tinyurl.com/y739x4
* "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" atwww.motorglider.org

Expanding on Eric's comments, I have used the Udo dolly for around
8-10 years. I place the dolly beside the fuselage with the trailer
pointed into the wind. This allows me to pull the wing out of the
trailer w/o any side forces on the vertical (and vulnerable!) wing. I
lift the wing over the dolly's saddle as I pull the wing out. After
the wing is all the way out, in the saddle and the dolly clamp
attached, I lift the wing tip and move the wing (and dolly) about a
foot away from the fuselage. This allows the dolly's tires to clear
the fuselage. From here on out it is the pretty standard procedu
move the wing back until it is clear from the fuselage, rotate the
wing horizontal, manuevour the wing root into the fuselage, place wing
stand under the wing and repeat for the other wing.

I have used the Udo dolly on rough (dirt) surfaces and winds up to 20
kt successfully. It can also be used to rig and derig a glider that
isn't at the trailer (read "retrieve"). The only problem I have had
with it is the step of lifting the wing and dolly applies force on the
top of the hand crank, which eventually cracked. I had to have it
brazed to fix it and have not had any problems since.

Having a dolly that allows the fuselage to tip, or rock, slightly is a
huge advantage during one-man assembly. This eliminates the need for
an electric actuator on the dolly to raise and lower the wing (or a
lot of back and forth adjustments).

The key to a some rigging is good alignment. I have a DG-400 and the
position of the wing relative to the fuselage, both yaw and roll, is
critical. Get it right and it goes like a piece of cake. Get it wrong
and you will learn some new swear words.

Tom Seim
Richland, WA

I had an Udo dolly with my LAK-12. The wings tend to be a bit leading
edge heavy and the root dollies are unstable. It can be rigged with
two, with the second person guarding against tipping. However,
lifting the tips in and out of the factory trailer saddles if a real
PITA. I intend to finish modifying the trailer as in the following
examples for a one person rig system. This means widening the axle
track and removing the inner wheel wells.

The first example came with Bob Faris' LS-3. I don't know who
designed it, but it is an elegant, aluminum solution.
http://www.coloradosoaring.org/riggi...um_example.pdf
(1.6mb)

The second example was derived from the first, but built in steel and
is used for a G-102.
http://www.coloradosoaring.org/riggi...el_example.pdf
(1.1mb)

Frank Whiteley

Note that in Bob's rig, the track of the one man dolly is MUCH greater than
those that must clear the tailboom/rudder. This makes it very hard for the
wind to overturn it. Also note that Bob rotates the wing level almost as
soon as the root is released from the root dolly. I've seen Bob de-rig his
very heavy LS3 in a 40 kt wind.

I think this system is WAY safer than the "do-si-do" of walking the wing out
past the tail especially in a high wind.

Bill Daniels


"Frank Whiteley" wrote in message
oups.com...
On Apr 3, 9:53 am, wrote:
On Apr 2, 7:17 pm, Eric Greenwell wrote:



Bill Daniels wrote:
There is a variation on Bob's and Greg's systems that may work better
for
some.

The key is a wing root dolly that allows the wing to swing out like a
gate
once the wing root is rolled to the tailgate. It doesn't allow the
wing to
rotate about its spanwise axis. You need a Udo-type 1-man rig dolly
too.

The proceedure is to roll the fuselage off the trailer first. Then
roll the
wing out until the root dolley hits a stop at the tailgate. Then
swing the
wing out about 45 degrees - practice will determine the exact angle.

This would not be good solution in our area, where we frequently have
wind during rigging/derigging. We use the Udo/Cobra style dollies, with
the trailer pointed directly into the wind. The wing is pulled from the
trailer with the trailing up. After it is on the dolly adn still lined
up with the wind, it is maneuvered a little ways from the trailer,
then
the wing is rotated until it is flat.

Once it is flat, the wind has much less effect on it, and the wing can
be moved perpendicular to the wind and the root slid into the fuselage.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
* Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly
* "Transponders in Sailplanes"http://tinyurl.com/y739x4
* "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" atwww.motorglider.org

Expanding on Eric's comments, I have used the Udo dolly for around
8-10 years. I place the dolly beside the fuselage with the trailer
pointed into the wind. This allows me to pull the wing out of the
trailer w/o any side forces on the vertical (and vulnerable!) wing. I
lift the wing over the dolly's saddle as I pull the wing out. After
the wing is all the way out, in the saddle and the dolly clamp
attached, I lift the wing tip and move the wing (and dolly) about a
foot away from the fuselage. This allows the dolly's tires to clear
the fuselage. From here on out it is the pretty standard procedu
move the wing back until it is clear from the fuselage, rotate the
wing horizontal, manuevour the wing root into the fuselage, place wing
stand under the wing and repeat for the other wing.

I have used the Udo dolly on rough (dirt) surfaces and winds up to 20
kt successfully. It can also be used to rig and derig a glider that
isn't at the trailer (read "retrieve"). The only problem I have had
with it is the step of lifting the wing and dolly applies force on the
top of the hand crank, which eventually cracked. I had to have it
brazed to fix it and have not had any problems since.

Having a dolly that allows the fuselage to tip, or rock, slightly is a
huge advantage during one-man assembly. This eliminates the need for
an electric actuator on the dolly to raise and lower the wing (or a
lot of back and forth adjustments).

The key to a some rigging is good alignment. I have a DG-400 and the
position of the wing relative to the fuselage, both yaw and roll, is
critical. Get it right and it goes like a piece of cake. Get it wrong
and you will learn some new swear words.

Tom Seim
Richland, WA

I had an Udo dolly with my LAK-12. The wings tend to be a bit leading
edge heavy and the root dollies are unstable. It can be rigged with
two, with the second person guarding against tipping. However,
lifting the tips in and out of the factory trailer saddles if a real
PITA. I intend to finish modifying the trailer as in the following
examples for a one person rig system. This means widening the axle
track and removing the inner wheel wells.

The first example came with Bob Faris' LS-3. I don't know who
designed it, but it is an elegant, aluminum solution.
http://www.coloradosoaring.org/riggi...um_example.pdf
(1.6mb)

The second example was derived from the first, but built in steel and
is used for a G-102.
http://www.coloradosoaring.org/riggi...el_example.pdf
(1.1mb)

Frank Whiteley

On Apr 3, 3:12 pm, "Bill Daniels" bildan@comcast-dot-net wrote:
Note that in Bob's rig, the track of the one man dolly is MUCH greater than
those that must clear the tailboom/rudder. This makes it very hard for the
wind to overturn it. Also note that Bob rotates the wing level almost as
soon as the root is released from the root dolly. I've seen Bob de-rig his
very heavy LS3 in a 40 kt wind.

I think this system is WAY safer than the "do-si-do" of walking the wing out
past the tail especially in a high wind.

What helps a lot with the Udo rig is to have an assistant hold some
portion of the dolly while I do all the maneuvering. This person can
then provide whatever stabilization is necessary to keep it form
tipping over.

Never let someone help at the tip for two main reasons:
1) They will want to help by lifting, thus making the root end
heavier!
2) If the rig starts to tip it is very hard for the helper to realize
it's not the wingroot person making the move. I've dropped a wing due
to this method

I have also found the dolly itself is much more stable and the wing
doesn't slide around if the leading edge is kept down while
maneuvering. Of course, this means that a helper is mandatory if
there is any wind. I use the rig primarily to protect my back from
heavy lifting (ASH-26E wings are quite heavy) and to allow a more
leisurely and relaxed assembly that lets me pause to deal with any
glitches that come up during the assembly.

-Tom