Page 1 of 1

Stabilator fiberglass tip too long

PostPosted: Thu Mar 19, 2020 1:06 pm
by Carlos Trigo
Guys

I am now installing the fiberglass tip in the stabilator of my XENOS, and despite moving it in the most forward position, it is longer than the length of the stabilitor plus the ruddervator assembly.
Longer around 3/8”.

Did anyone have this problem?
Did you leave it like that?
Or did you cut the trailing edge of the fiberglass tip and redo it (lots of nasty fiberglass work )?

Thanks
Carlos


Enviado do meu iPhone usando o Tapatalk

Re: Stabilator fiberglass tip too long

PostPosted: Thu Mar 19, 2020 5:26 pm
by Mike53
Had the same issue with the Onex. Simply cut a strip from the open end which will automatically shorten it.Assuming it's like the Onex's
Cheers.
Mike

Re: Stabilator fiberglass tip too long

PostPosted: Thu Mar 19, 2020 5:30 pm
by scotttro
I'm working on an older Waiex. Yes, I had that problem. Did what you said - cut off the tip, subtracted the extra, stuck it back on. Here's a pic of it post-trim.

Re: Stabilator fiberglass tip too long

PostPosted: Thu Mar 19, 2020 5:53 pm
by Bryan Cotton
I think I did like Mike. Trimmed the bottom. Because of the swept leading edge, it moved the tip forward.

Stabilator fiberglass tip too long

PostPosted: Fri Mar 20, 2020 7:51 am
by Carlos Trigo
scotttro wrote:I'm working on an older Waiex. Yes, I had that problem. Did what you said - cut off the tip, subtracted the extra, stuck it back on. Here's a pic of it post-trim.

Scott

The photo you posted seems to be before trim, still with the line where you cut it.
Is this correct?
In that case can you please post the post-trim picture?

Thanks
Carlos

Stabilator fiberglass tip too long

PostPosted: Fri Mar 20, 2020 8:00 am
by Carlos Trigo
Mike53 wrote:Had the same issue with the Onex. Simply cut a strip from the open end which will automatically shorten it.Assuming it's like the Onex's
Cheers.
Mike

This seems to be a good idea, avoiding the nasty fg work of rebuilding the tip trailing edge.
As soon as I get to my shop, I will check if the XENOS tip is tapered, like the Onex’s.

But in this case, cutting a strip along the fiberglass tip, it will shorten up the whole stabilator assembly.
Is there no problem for the aerodynamic design by that stabilator length reduction?

Carlos

Stabilator fiberglass tip too long

PostPosted: Fri Mar 20, 2020 8:07 am
by Carlos Trigo
Carlos Trigo wrote:
scotttro wrote:I'm working on an older Waiex. Yes, I had that problem. Did what you said - cut off the tip, subtracted the extra, stuck it back on. Here's a pic of it post-trim.

Scott

The photo you posted seems to be before trim, still with the line where you cut it.
Is this correct?
In that case can you please post the post-trim picture?

Thanks
Carlos

Scott

Now that I looked better to the picture you posted, I think I saw that you didn’t cut the trailing edge.
You did cut the tip where the blue is, eliminated the extra length, and then just glued the cut piece again.
Am I correct now?

Carlos

Re: Stabilator fiberglass tip too long

PostPosted: Fri Mar 20, 2020 9:23 am
by Bryan Cotton
Carlos Trigo wrote:Is there no problem for the aerodynamic design by that stabilator length reduction?

Carlos


Carlos,
I don't think the loss of span is significant. It might have been a half inch. You can always check with Sonex.

Re: Stabilator fiberglass tip too long

PostPosted: Fri Mar 20, 2020 2:00 pm
by scotttro
Carlos Trigo wrote:
Carlos Trigo wrote:
scotttro wrote:I'm working on an older Waiex. Yes, I had that problem. Did what you said - cut off the tip, subtracted the extra, stuck it back on. Here's a pic of it post-trim.

Scott

The photo you posted seems to be before trim, still with the line where you cut it.
Is this correct?
In that case can you please post the post-trim picture?

Thanks
Carlos

Scott

Now that I looked better to the picture you posted, I think I saw that you didn’t cut the trailing edge.
You did cut the tip where the blue is, eliminated the extra length, and then just glued the cut piece again.
Am I correct now?

Carlos


The picture I posted was after trimming. I cut off the rear-end far enough forward that I missed the extra -thick layup at the back. Then I trimmed a half an inch or so off the forward section and reattached the rear. Smoothed the inside a bit with some coarse paper, several layers built up inside, job was done. The radius on the "outermost" curve is pretty constant at that point, I had very little forming of the 'glass after rebonding them together.

Stabilator fiberglass tip too long

PostPosted: Fri Mar 20, 2020 3:24 pm
by Carlos Trigo
The picture I posted was after trimming. I cut off the rear-end far enough forward that I missed the extra -thick layup at the back. Then I trimmed a half an inch or so off the forward section and reattached the rear. Smoothed the inside a bit with some coarse paper, several layers built up inside, job was done. The radius on the "outermost" curve is pretty constant at that point, I had very little forming of the 'glass after rebonding them together.[/quote]

Thank you Scott

Now I got it clear what you did

Carlos