Pulley in aft fuselage, vertical Z #1

[Bryan Cotton]

This is a Waiex question, but I think probably common to straight tails too. My plans show the pulley mounting over a little hole. The holes in my Z channels are a lot bigger than shown on the plans and I will miss a couple of rivets. I am going to email Kerry tonight, but I would also like to work on it tonight and maybe somebody has just been through this.

[Rynoth]

Bryan, check your alignment when positioning the brackets. The way I interpreted the placement is to imagine a cable running within the U shape in the pulley, and make that cable be in the center of the hole. You should end up having an equal amount of each bracket showing in the hole. In your pictures there is a lot more of the top bracket showing in the hole.

I didn't have any issue with rivets at the main hole, but I did end up having a rivet that clipped the tooling holes on either side.

Also, once I clecoed this component to the aft fuselage side, I had a rubbing issue against the side skin. I ended up removing material from all 4 brackets to reduce the rubbing. I'm really not sure why this happened and I checked the shape of my brackets probably 20 times against the templates, and will be curious if you encounter the same contact issue.

[Rynoth]

Here is how mine turned out on the right side with the same parts you photographed. The rubbing issue I was describing was at the top of the first photo, I removed some material where bracket -04 was pressing outward on the side skin.

[Bryan Cotton]

Ryan,
What you say all makes logical sense. What is odd is the hole on the F27-01 for the pulley is shown as 3/4 on WIX-F28 but is 1" on the part. Also, if I use the 9 7/8 measurement shown on WIX-F26 view J-J then I do not end up centered on the hole.

[Rynoth]

Both great points Bryan. As I've mentioned elsewhere I've been lulled into complacency on occasion due to relying on the laser cut parts, but you're describing actual discrepancies versus the plans. Very curious to hear Kerry's response to this.

I've already reported several plans errors while building (all of which I deduced correctly using logic), but have yet to see an actual revision posted on the Sonex website.

Here's an example that's relevant to you soon:

Plans page WIX-F21.
Section C-C
WIX-F22-10 Channel
The description states "flanges facing AFT" should read "flanges facing Foreward". This I discovered as it worked no other way and was contrary to the image, and Kerry verified that the wording was wrong.

Also, WIX-W19, calls for 1 part each of W19-08 and W19-09 to be made, when it should be 2 of each.
On WIX-W14 Detail E, it calls for W19-09 to be forward of the spar and W19-08 to be aft of the spar, but it should be reversed. Verified by Jeremy as incorrect in the plans and should be revised. Looking at the angles of each component in the graphic, it makes sense.

I guess what I've learned so far is that what looks right in the graphics is more correct than what's in the wording, as I've yet to find an incorrect graphic. Although it seems that you may have just found one.

[tonyr]

The more I look at your pics, this Z piece looks like it belongs to a Sonex kit, not Waiex.
If its the number 1 former behind the seat back, for a Sonex the fairlead hole is 1 inch, and the small hole is for a grommet ... which the Waiex doesnt have as it can only use the dial a trim.

Edited to attach picture of F27-01R from my Sonex plan page

[BK9977]

I assume that if those are the laser cut parts they are prob using the same part for the Sonex and Waiex to keep part numbers down and that hole, used for the trim cable on the Sonex, is just a side effect of using it for both airframes.

As for plans problems, yeah, there are a ton of them that they seem they don't care to fix. I know one problem I brought to Sonex's attention with incorrect plan measurements for an angle piece. I was told yeah we have known about it for about 2 years...That was a over a year ago and still no revision on the site. I have found so many incorrect things on the plans and when telling Sonex about them it was always the same yeah we know about it, and nothing happens. I can't imagine it is that hard to list it on the revisions page. Instead I have to talk to other builders to find out they ha the same issue and what they did to fix the problem. Thank God for great people on the talk groups.

[edit by Chris: Removed portion not related to the topic]

[Rynoth]

The Z channel in the kit is the same as the Sonex part, and it is noted as being so in my packing list (it lists both the SNX and WIX part numbers as being the same part). The location of the center of the hole in question is the same on both parts, but as Bryan found it doesn't quite match the Waiex plan dimensions. In looking forward at rigging it appears that it would be fine, with the only real issue being that the larger hole (and the extra small hole that I thought was a tooling hole) make a couple rivets end up being less than ideal.

[Mike53]

I assume that if those are the laser cut parts they are prob using the same part for the Sonex and Waiex to keep part numbers down and that hole, used for the trim cable on the Sonex, is just a side effect of using it for both airframes.

As for plans problems, yeah, there are a ton of them that they seem they don't care to fix. I know one problem I brought to Sonex's attention with incorrect plan measurements for an angle piece. I was told yeah we have known about it for about 2 years...That was a over a year ago and still no revision on the site. I have found so many incorrect things on the plans and when telling Sonex about them it was always the same yeah we know about it, and nothing happens. I can't imagine it is that hard to list it on the revisions page. Instead I have to talk to other builders to find out they ha the same issue and what they did to fix the problem. Thank God for great people on the talk groups.

[edit by Chris: Removed portion not related to the topic]

A ton of them?Just out of curiosity I counted about 200 listed required and optional revisions for the Waiex so I guess I'm having trouble understanding your disillusionment with Sonex.I too have found two discrepancies with the plans that have not had an optional revision listed yet but they are not critical in any way and probably everyone who has run across them have figured them out like I did.
If you find a mistake in the plans that would result in a safety issue and they ignore it I would say yeah there is a problem but I don't think that will ever happen.
Me ,I will toot their horn as I think they have resolved all of my issues in a timely and at times in a generous way.I noticed Chris edited out some of your comments that I read earlier and was one of the reasons I started this reply.There are obviously hundreds of satisfied Sonex customers out there and so far I count myself as one of them.
Cheers

[phenry]

Just as an aside I found that after fitting the brackets as specified when I later fitted the skin the bracket fouled slightly.
The corners of the brackets circled in the picture shown below created very small dents in the skin. Only I can see them but they are there. Remember the skin tappers in towards the tail from this point.
I would suggest rounding these off with a file prior to final riveting.