Aileron bellcrank inspection panels

[Joel Severinghaus]

The rectangular aileron bellcrank inspection panels on the top of my wings run side to side, but most others I've seen run fore and aft, like the photos below. Does anyone know which orientation is correct? And how many attachment screw holes did those panels originally have? I think I remember seeing a factory drawing with eight screw holes...

[crispy critter]

Re: Aileron bellcrank inspection panels

I always thought it just had a round inspection cover like the ones on the bottom of the wing

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Aileron bellcrank inspection panels

Nope rectangular and side to side....

[mhorowit]

Re: Aileron bellcrank inspection panels

The rectangular aileron bellcrank inspection panels on the top of my wings run side to side, but most others I've seen run fore and aft, like the photos below. .

When you say "side to side", that implies (to me) that you are talking about two objects. If we rephrased to say " long side of the panel parallel to the ribs" would you mean the same thing? - MIke

[alwaysoar]

Re: Aileron bellcrank inspection panels

And what dimensions, and what backing do you use to screw into, and why not use round inspection covers (because they would flop around due to their location)?

Ed@BTV VT
TF 527

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Aileron bellcrank inspection panels

Yes Mike or "longways" ; Mrs. Feris went to the round standard plates on the F-19 as they did not have the die. they were "formed" to have the edge turned over on the edges like the glove compartment doors. The thoughts back then for better access were if you ahd to change the bellcrank, you could. AND the early ones had grease down in them with a cork on top.
The Model D used a lot of them......to access stuff.

[high time cub]

Re: Aileron bellcrank inspection panels

and what backing do you use to screw into, and why not use round inspection covers (because they would flop around due to their location)?

Ed@BTV VT
TF 527

http://www.supercub.org/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=12249

Hi Ed.

[mhorowit]

Re: Aileron bellcrank inspection panels

And what dimensions, and what backing do you use to screw into, and why not use round inspection covers (because they would flop around due to their location)?

Ed@BTV VT
TF 527

Ed - under last week's thread "Wing Fabric", Rob Lees shows how to embedd a thin aluminum backing into the fabric for an aileron. a piece of thin aluminum over this and #4 self tapping screws would do it, I believe. might also be a good idea to bend the edges very slightly so the cover would 'dish' out and air couldn't get under; maybe even a gasket - Mike

[alwaysoar]

Re: Aileron bellcrank inspection panels

Thanks Jim and Mike. Happy New Year to you both. My thought was to use regular round plastic rings and standard covers, but to drill through the cover and the ring into the spring clip in the cover and tighten down with screws or short AN#3 bolts so they wouldn't blow away in the turbulence on top of the wing. It would be easier to do than to make rectangular covers. Anybody see any problem with that idea?

Ed@BTV VT
TF527

[mhorowit]

Re: Aileron bellcrank inspection panels

Thanks Jim and Mike. Happy New Year to you both. My thought was to use regular round plastic rings and standard covers, but to drill through the cover and the ring into the spring clip in the cover and tighten down with screws or short AN#3 bolts so they wouldn't blow away in the turbulence on top of the wing. It would be easier to do than to make rectangular covers. Anybody see any problem with that idea?

Ed@BTV VT
TF527

Ah, drill holes further out on the spring clip, close to the edge of the reinforced fabric and clamp it down with self-taping screws. Wonder if the round inspection ports are on the underside for a reason, and since you have't said anything about reinforcing the edges of the hole, could you be subjecting the fabric to more vacuum than you anticipate? - Mike (speaking with absolutely no authority)

[alwaysoar]

Re: Aileron bellcrank inspection panels

The hole would be reinforced with the plastic ring and a fabric doily (is that the word?) My guess is that the cover would be very tight and secure to the fabric. My only reason for thinking of this approach is that it's a whole lot easier than constructing the rectangular cover with the backing for the screws and all. However, the hole would not be as large.

Ed

[Joel Severinghaus]

Re: Aileron bellcrank inspection panels

OK, found the drawings of the 4 1/2 inch x 7 1/2 inch inspection panel and its frame. Looks like eight screws.

"Side to side": Now I'm confused. On my plane, the 7 1/2 inch long side of the panels run parallel to the trailing edge of the wing, perpendicular to the ribs. Forrest, do I understand you to mean that the long side of the panel should instead run parallel to the ribs, as in the wing photos above?

[Joel Severinghaus]

Re: Aileron bellcrank inspection panels

Just realized I compressed those jpg thumbnails of the part drawings so far they're barely legible. PM me with an "outside the Forum" email address if you'd like me to email you the original, bigger, and readable files. The original files were 726 KB and 1.45 MB.

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Aileron bellcrank inspection panels

perpendicular to the ribs, longways to the trailing edge, what ever that is the correct way

[crispy critter]

Re: Aileron bellcrank inspection panels

That's one inspection panel I didn't put on Crispy,maybe I should have but I didn't want any holes on the top side of the wing that might let moisture run in on the spar.It makes it a little hard to get into the bell crank but I can still get to it to service it and/or safty the cables if I ever have to do so. I have another T-craft that I bought in November and it has the rectangle plate onto of the wing and the length of it runs in the direction of the wing,it also has small sqare plates on the bottom of the wing at each hinge point and on the aileron as well.....not sure why they did that yet but I have not removed any of them yet either. I'll try to get some pics before I cut the fabric off.