How it's Made - Gliders

I just ran across this for those of you who missed this segment on
Discovery Channel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxhwkM0ZXRM

Craig

Part 1 of that episode is available in the link below. Start at 5:35 for
the glider part.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwiF8pi26Nc

Paul Remde

"Craig" wrote in message
...
I just ran across this for those of you who missed this segment on
Discovery Channel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxhwkM0ZXRM

Craig

Interesting -- SH is vacuum bagging the wings, and then curing in an
oven. I didn't know they were so high tech.


Paul Remde wrote:
Part 1 of that episode is available in the link below. Start at 5:35 for
the glider part.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwiF8pi26Nc

Paul Remde

"Craig" wrote in message
...
I just ran across this for those of you who missed this segment on
Discovery Channel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxhwkM0ZXRM

Craig

On Mar 2, 8:05*pm, Greg Arnold wrote:
Interesting -- SH is vacuum bagging the wings, and then curing in an
oven. *I didn't know they were so high tech.


Ssshh! Everyone will want one!

Mike

On Mar 2, 10:05*pm, Greg Arnold wrote:
Interesting -- SH is vacuum bagging the wings, and then curing in an
oven. *I didn't know they were so high tech.



Paul Remde wrote:
Part 1 of that episode is available in the link below. *Start at 5:35 for
the glider part.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwiF8pi26Nc

Paul Remde

"Craig" wrote in message
...
I just ran across this for those of you who missed this segment on
Discovery Channel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxhwkM0ZXRM

Craig- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

The resins used in our modern gliders must be cured at 60 deg C for 12
hrs or more to achieve their full strength properties. Since you can't
see that the carbon cloth is completely wetted out, vacuum bagging is
used so that a minumum of excess resin is required. Not as low a resin
content as autoclaved prepreg but much less costly in terms of
equipment and tooling required since molds don't have to remain stable
at very high temperatures. Also more practical to field repair due to
materials used.
No axes are required to build a modern sailplane- nor rocks and
chisels.
Cool to see our stuff shown on TV.
UH

On 3 Mar, 13:39, wrote:
Since you can't
see that the carbon cloth is completely wetted out, vacuum bagging is
used so that a minumum of excess resin is required.

Presumably it also helps to outgas the resin as much as possible. I
spent a couple of years of my life developing a standard test for
measuring resin-matrix bonds in composites...

No axes are required to build a modern sailplane- nor rocks and
chisels.

The final hand finishing is still pretty primitive!

Ian

Greg Arnold wrote:


"Craig" wrote in message
...
I just ran across this for those of you who missed this segment on
Discovery Channel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxhwkM0ZXRM

Interesting -- SH is vacuum bagging the wings, and then curing in an
oven. I didn't know they were so high tech.

Vacuum bagging has been used for many decades, even by people repairing
gliders, and you'll know it's "high tech" oven curing only when you can
order your new Ventus painted red!

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
* Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

* "Transponders in Sailplanes" http://tinyurl.com/y739x4
* Sections on Mode S, TPAS, ADS-B, Flarm, more

* "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" at www.motorglider.org

Anyone else notice that when the wing is being put on during the assembly,
one of the auto hookups misses? Watch closely at 3:15 into Part 2.

Oops! I bet the "amatuers" that assembled and launched the Discus in
under a minute didn't have that problem!

Steve

On Mar 3, 7:30*pm, Steve Leonard wrote:
Anyone else notice that when the wing is being put on during the assembly,
one of the auto hookups misses? *Watch closely at 3:15 into Part 2.

I didn't see that first time but yes, it did miss and roll down the
side of the fuselage didn't it. Is that possible with everything
rigged properly?

Andy

On Mar 3, 7:30*pm, Steve Leonard wrote:
Anyone else notice that when the wing is being put on during the assembly,
one of the auto hookups misses? *Watch closely at 3:15 into Part 2.

Oops! *I bet the "amatuers" that assembled and launched the Discus in
under a minute didn't have that problem!

Steve

FYI, the "Worlds Fastest Glider Assembly" video has been expanded to
show training of the team members and trial assemblies before the
camera rolled for the final cut - presumably due to criticism that it
looked unsafe. It looks to me as if the Fins did a fine job.