Nuts & Bolts

Beginning the rigging process.

O V E R T H E PAST S E V E R A Lmonths we've taken an in-depth look at the processof restoring an antique orclassic airplane. In Marchwe discussed supplemen-tal type certificates (STCs)and parts manufacturingapprovals (PMAs). Nowit's time to discuss enginesand propellers and to putthe airplane back together.After assembly we will rigthe airplane and thenweigh it. Finally, it will beready for the f i n a l inspectionand the test flight.

Engines & PropsIn most cases the a i r p l a n eyou're restor ing will comewith an engine and propeller,and if they need it, you canhave them overhauled whileyou're working on the air-frame. Unless you can docu-ment an engine's low time, getthe engine a major overhaul. Whyrisk all your restoration time andeffort on a questionable engine.

When shopping for an engine

102 APRIL 2002

Aircraft Assembly,Rigging &Weighing

Restoration steps leading to first flight

RON ALEXANDERPHOTOS Bin. HAMMOND AVIATION

Typical engine installation.

and/or prop overhaul, find a goodshop and check its references. Ifyou're dealing with a radial engine,you may have limited choices. In ei-

ther case, a good place tostart your search is withthe members of type clubsand other aircraft restorers.

Occasionally a restorerwants to change the typeof engine for safety rea-sons or because the origi-nal is no longer available.Ant ique airplanes thatoriginally wore a Wrightengine are good examples.Finding one of these earlyWright engines and the

parts to overhaul it is becom-ing increasingly difficult today.If you do f i n d one, only ahandful of shops will touch aWright.

Currently being restored, myStearman C-3B originally camewith a Wright J-S engine. Be-cause the J-5 is so hard to find,I wanted to replace it with anengine that at least looks likethe original, so I decided on a300-hp Lycoming radial. The

C-3B's type certificate says the J-5 isthe only engine approved for theairplane, so I have to get FAA ap-proval to use the Lycoming.

I may face a similar situationwith the propeller because the typecertificate also lists the propellersapproved for the airframe. Like theengine, have your propeller over-hauled before installing it on theairplane. Several older propellershave airworthiness directives (ADs),and you can comply with themduring the overhaul.

AssemblyAfter we've completed all the com-ponent parts, it's time to assemblethe airplane. Many restorers of fab-ric-covered aircraft assemble and rigtheir project before covering it withfabric. This is a good idea because itallows you to discover any prob-lems—and correct them—beforeyou cover your easy access to thecomponent parts.

It's not unusual to assemble andrig a covered surface and then findthat you need to move a surface justa bit to achieve the proper fit. Afteryou've covered the airplane thisslight move can result in an un-sightly wrinkle in the fabric. This isparticularly true if you have rebuiltthe wings or the fuselage.

There is nothing magical aboutassembling the airplane. You'llneed enough room to hold the as-sembled airplane and a few peopleto help you. Laying out the neces-sary tools and having all new hard-ware sorted by the attach pointswil l speed the process and reducefrustration. Attaching the wings tothe fuselage will be your most chal-lenging task. Double this if you'rerestoring a biplane. Again, havingenough people and the proper toolsmakes the job easier.

The reassembly sequence de-pends on the airplane. Many restor-ers often attach the tail feathersafter the wings because it makeswalking around the airplane easierwhile attaching the wings. A typicalsequence might go like this:

1. Attach the engine to the fuse-lage.

2. Connect the wing's center sec-tion to the fuselage.

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Aircraft Building

Lower wings and center section in place. Attaching upper wings.

3. Attach the lower wings, usingthe landing wires to hold them inplace.

4. Attach the upper wings.5. Attach the tail feathers.Again, the sequence depends on

your airplane. Some airplanes have aone-piece upper wing, and lifting it

into place can be d i f f i c u l t if youdon't have a forklift. If not, you'llneed some strong friends on steplad-ders to hold the wing in place whileyou place the bolts in the attach fit-tings.

Because reassembly can be a cum-bersome and frustrating task, think

your way through every step of itbefore you start the process. Thiswill save you a lot of grief, and itcould keep you from damaging afreshly restored part.

Rigging an airplane means you prop-

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104 APRIL 2002

AU aircraftperformance data

is based uponthe aircraft beingproperly rigged—the wings beingattached at the

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the fuselage beingsquare, and others.

erly install and adjust the airframecomponents (wings, center section,ailerons, and tail surfaces). Each ofthese components is designed for aspecific aerodynamic job and con-tributes to the aircraft's overall per-formance, stability, and safety.

Even if you pre-rigged the air-plane before covering it, you mustrig it after f inal assembly. This en-sures that the airplane is in the con-f igura t ion on which its fl ightcharacteristics and performancedata are based, the wings have theproper angle of incidence, and thefuselage is square, for example.

The rigging process can be time-consuming, and taking your timeleads to an airplane that flies well.Like reassembly, the rigging processdepends on the airplane, so gatheras much information as you canabout it from type clubs, other re-storers, and the maintenance man-ual or f rom your local EAATechnical Counselor.

Rigging often requires some spe-cific tools like rigging boards, levels,and f ly ing wire tens iometers . Ifyou're unsure about rigging, find anairframe and powerplant (A&P) me-

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Aircraft Building

Checking and rechecking the work process.

chanic with experience or a fellow restorer who is famil-iar with the process.

Weight & BalanceBefore test flying your airplane the FAA requires you togather new weight and balance data because you'vemade major repairs/alterations to it. You should alreadyhave typical weight and balance data for your airplane.It's then your responsibility to weigh and calculate thenew numbers after the restoration. In most cases themanufacturer will present you with the following refer-ences and limits for the design:

• Recommended gross weight• Aerobatic gross weight (if applicable)• Maximum baggage weight in each compartment• Forward center of gravity limit• Aft center of gravity limit• Aerobatic aft center of gravity limit (if applicable)• Datum reference pointObtaining the proper scales is the first step in weigh-

ing your airplane. Rent or borrow platform scales thathave been calibrated for accuracy. You're only going todo this one time, and accuracy is critical to flight safety.

Weigh the airplane in its empty condition, and theaircraft documents should define this condition, such asno fuel in the tanks, no oil in the engine, and all cowl-ings and access covers in place. Before you begin, assem-ble all the equipment you'll need in addition to thescales. That means chocks, jacks, leveling equipment,plumb bobs, chalk lines, and measuring tapes.

Because most antique and classic airplanes have a tailwheel, you'll need a stand under it to level the aircraft,and you may want to build ramps so you can roll themain wheels up onto the scales. If the scales are onwheels (this is typical), chock them so the scales will notmove when you roll the airplane onto them.

Weigh the airplane in a closed hangar, out of thewind. A smooth floor is also desirable because you'llprobably be marking lines on the floor during the

106 APRIL 2002

process. To achieve accurate read-ings the fuselage must be perfectlylevel, and starting with a level floormakes this easier.

Having three scales is ideal, butyou can do it with just one. Build aplatform under the other wheels toget the airplane perfectly level, thenweigh the airplane one wheel at atime. Use the leveling procedurerecommended by the manufacturer.

After noting the new weights, youcan then calculate the new center ofgravity, useful load, and more. For adetailed discussion on weight andbalance see the March 2001 EAA SportAviation or visit Homebuilder's Head-quarters at www.eaci.org.

PaperworkAfter you have properly rigged andweighed the airplane you must com-plete and submit the appropriatepaperwork. If you are not a certifi-cated mechanic, the A&P who su-pervised your work must fill out andendorse the airplane's maintenancerecords and the required FAA Form337s. (You may recall f rom theMarch "Aircraft Building" that FAAForm 337 is required for any majoralteration of an a i r f rame, engine,propeller, or appliance.)

Before you can fly the airplane anA&P with an inspection authoriza-tion (IA) must make a final inspec-tion, sign the Form 337s, and releasethe aircraft into service. He or she willsign the form under the section thatsays "Approval for Return to Service."

Basically, a re tu rn to servicemeans all applicable maintenancerecords and forms have been com-pleted certificating that all work onthe airplane has been properly ac-complished. Generally speaking, anannual inspection, required by FARPart 43, will also be completed atthis time.

You are now ready to test fly yourairplane. Next month we'll concludethe series on restoration with a briefdiscussion on test flying proceduresand maintaining your airplane.

Sport Aviation 107

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April 20-21.2002

April 27-28.2002

May 3-5.2002

Workshop ScheduleWatsonville. CA July 12-142002 Griffin. GASHEET METALCOMPOSITE CONSTRUCTFABRIC COVERING

Pittsburgh. PASHEET METALCOMPOSITE CONSTRUCT.FABRIC COVERINGGAS WELDING

Griffin, GATIG WELDINGRV ASSEMBLY

May 31-June 2.2002 Griffin. GAADVANCED TIG WELDING

June 7-9. 2002

June 21-23 2002

Corona, CARV ASSEMBLY

Griffin. GATIG WELDING

RV ASSEMBLY

August 9-11,2002 Griffin. GATIG WELDING

August 16-18,2002 Griffin, GARV ASSEMBLY

August 17-18,2002 Arlington. WASHEET METALCOMPOSITE CONSTRUCT.FABRIC COVERING

Sept U-15.2002 Denver, COSHEET METALCOMPOSITE CONSTRUCT.FABRIC COVERINGINTRO TO AIRCRAFT BLDG,ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS

& AVIONICS

Sept 20-22.2002

June 21-23.2002RV ASSEMBLY

Visit www.sportair.com for a complete listing of workshops.

Griffin. GATIG WELDINGRV ASSEMBLY

SPORTAIRWORKSHOPS

1-800-WORKSHOP1-800-967-5746sportair@eaa.org