Modular Gliders

on aircraft with removable wings, how do the regs approach the
possibility of you using wings from some other glider on your fuselage?
I suspect that on certified gliders, there is some sort of serial
number associated with the wings that match it to the glider, but how
about experimentals? Could I take some wings off someone elses
Cherokee II and put on my fuselage and go fly? what if those wings
hadnt had a condition inspection in the last year but my fuselage has?
Would it be legal if the wings had had a condition inspection? Lets
say you are landing out in your long winged certified glider and take
out a tree with one wing. rest of glider is ok but that one wing is
toast. Is the wing technically "rebuilt" where the serial number from
the busted wing is attached to a good wing?

In other news, anyone know where a Cherokee II project is laying
around? Not for me but I know of a need for a set of wings. Otherwise
Im consiering taking the other fuselage, bolting it to mine and making
the worlds first two cockpit glider, similar to the two cockpit P51
from late WWII. I figure itll be a great way to teach other people how
to fly cross country in crappy gliders. plus when they want to move up
in performance, i can just remove one of the fuselages.

If you havent figured it out, the season in Iowa is pretty much over,
let the real fun begin!

Assuming the gliders are of the same type [not a Cherokee
with Nimbus wings] then you will need to send a F337
to your local FSDO plus a logbook entry. I think this
applies both to certified and experimental aircraft.
Also to one wing or both wings being replaced.

Don't know about you, but I would certainly want the
new wing inspected before flying with it [or even before
buying it] and then annual and W+B the whole mule before
flight.

Ian



At 20:36 02 November 2006, Tony wrote:
on aircraft with removable wings, how do the regs approach
the
possibility of you using wings from some other glider
on your fuselage?
I suspect that on certified gliders, there is some
sort of serial
number associated with the wings that match it to the
glider, but how
about experimentals? Could I take some wings off someone
elses
Cherokee II and put on my fuselage and go fly? what
if those wings
hadnt had a condition inspection in the last year but
my fuselage has?
Would it be legal if the wings had had a condition
inspection? Lets
say you are landing out in your long winged certified
glider and take
out a tree with one wing. rest of glider is ok but
that one wing is
toast. Is the wing technically 'rebuilt' where the
serial number from
the busted wing is attached to a good wing?

In other news, anyone know where a Cherokee II project
is laying
around? Not for me but I know of a need for a set
of wings. Otherwise
Im consiering taking the other fuselage, bolting it
to mine and making
the worlds first two cockpit glider, similar to the
two cockpit P51
from late WWII. I figure itll be a great way to teach
other people how
to fly cross country in crappy gliders. plus when
they want to move up
in performance, i can just remove one of the fuselages.


If you havent figured it out, the season in Iowa is
pretty much over,
let the real fun begin!

Tony wrote:

Otherwise
Im consiering taking the other fuselage, bolting it to mine and making
the worlds first two cockpit glider, similar to the two cockpit P51
from late WWII.

This has been done already. In Lithuania, Sportine Aviacija, (aka The
LAK factory) used two L-13 Blanik glider fuselages to make a two
fuselage glider. On the wing between the fuselages was mounted a test
rig into which airfoil sections could be mounted. The idea was to test
airfoils in the real atmosphere.

I was told it flew very poorly and was disasembled after a short time.

Robert Mudd
Moriarty, New Mexico

See here for a photo.
No wonder it didn't fly well

http://discovery.ot.lt/cfair97/images/misc04.htm


At 01:00 03 November 2006, wrote:

Tony wrote:

Otherwise
Im consiering taking the other fuselage, bolting it
to mine and making
the worlds first two cockpit glider, similar to the
two cockpit P51
from late WWII.

This has been done already. In Lithuania, Sportine
Aviacija, (aka The
LAK factory) used two L-13 Blanik glider fuselages
to make a two
fuselage glider. On the wing between the fuselages
was mounted a test
rig into which airfoil sections could be mounted. The
idea was to test
airfoils in the real atmosphere.

I was told it flew very poorly and was disasembled
after a short time.

Robert Mudd
Moriarty, New Mexico

that twin blanik is pretty cool! I totally forgot about 337 forms,
that makes sense. I guess it would apply as a major repair or
alteration. of course i wouldnt want to fly wings without them being
inspected, i just couldnt remember how it worked.

Derek Ruddock wrote:
See here for a photo.
No wonder it didn't fly well

http://discovery.ot.lt/cfair97/images/misc04.htm


At 01:00 03 November 2006, wrote:

Tony wrote:

Otherwise
Im consiering taking the other fuselage, bolting it
to mine and making
the worlds first two cockpit glider, similar to the
two cockpit P51
from late WWII.

This has been done already. In Lithuania, Sportine
Aviacija, (aka The
LAK factory) used two L-13 Blanik glider fuselages
to make a two
fuselage glider. On the wing between the fuselages
was mounted a test
rig into which airfoil sections could be mounted. The
idea was to test
airfoils in the real atmosphere.

I was told it flew very poorly and was disasembled
after a short time.

Robert Mudd
Moriarty, New Mexico

Earlier, Ian Cant wrote:

Assuming the gliders are of the same type [not a Cherokee
with Nimbus wings] then you will need to send a F337
to your local FSDO plus a logbook entry. I think this
applies both to certified and experimental aircraft...

Actually, that does not apply to sailplanes that carry Experimental,
Amateur-Built certificates. This article by Earl Lawrence of the EAA
Government Programs Office spells out most of the requirements for
maintaining and modifying homebuilt aircraft:

http://www.wanttaja.com/avlinks/MAINT.HTM

The way I understand FAA form 337, it describes deviations between an
aircraft and its FAA type certificate.

However, note that many US homebuilt sailplanes carry operating
limitations that specify that the operator must notify the FAA of any
major repairs or alterations. The FAA may require a test period to
validate the changes. This was the case when I developed and installed
a retrofit center stick control system for my HP-18. The FAA guys came
out to the airport, inspected it, made sure the paperwork was in order,
and gave me a new airworthiness certificate and operating limitations.

Thanks, Bob K.
http://www.hpaircraft.com/hp-24

Tony wrote:
on aircraft with removable wings, how do the regs approach the
possibility of you using wings from some other glider on your fuselage?

Helped rig Ventus C wings on a B once, took a while to sort out the
mixer. That one had a wing that was run over by a truck during a
retrieve.
Jim