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Thread: Landing Light Install Tip

  1. #1
    Senior Member N867SP's Avatar
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    Default Landing Light Install Tip

    So I hung onto the leading edge skin clamps and used them to allow me to pull the light housings against the leading edge skins to get a tight fit while the meth to cure.

    Pete




    Pete
    CCK-1865-0078
    ✈️N9PW
    Severna Park, MD

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    Pete
    ✈️CCK-1865-0078 N9PW
    Severna Park, MD W18

  2. #2
    Senior Member ceslaw's Avatar
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    Default Re: Landing Light Install Tip

    Good idea!

    when the clamps come off the rivets will go in.

    plans call for squeeze rivets to secure the light housing. I used the same sized flush pull rivets. Never could figure how to get a squeezer in there.

    chuck

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Landing Light Install Tip

    Great idea. I Bucked the rivets around the housing. seemed to work well.

  4. #4
    Senior Member Paul's Avatar
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    Default Re: Landing Light Install Tip

    Quote Originally Posted by ceslaw View Post
    Good idea!

    when the clamps come off the rivets will go in.

    plans call for squeeze rivets to secure the light housing. I used the same sized flush pull rivets. Never could figure how to get a squeezer in there.

    chuck
    For the landing light flush rivets I removed the sets from my squeezer, worked the squeezer into place and then put the sets back in. I did the same thing on all the spar attachments. In fact, by using that technique I was able to squeeze every rivet on the plane (where solid rivets were called up) with the only exception being two rivets at the jury strut attachment on the front spars. For those, Mitch got me a number on some cherry maxes.
    I chose to go thar route considering I had zero experience with a gun and bucking bar. I had very good results by hand squeezing and if I had it to do over again, I'd do the same thing.

  5. #5
    Senior Member TroyBranch's Avatar
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    Default Re: Landing Light Install Tip

    Figured I would ask this question under the landing light topic.

    All the skins seam to have lots of over lap except for the landing light skin. It looks like I have to make it flush with the edge of rib 3 to give enough room for the light. The light may still need to be sanded narrower on the inboard edge. This gives me a 1/2" lip on the skin. Also the skin will need to be notched to clear the cap strip on rib 5. Is my findings all correct?

    I am quite dissapointed with the lack of prepunched holes in this wing kit. So much of the kit is over the top great but not so with the skins and false spars. It would not take much to make this part of the kit great too. With out holes, I am always confirm everything before I take the drill out, but it sure makes the project slow down.

  6. #6
    Senior Member jmorrical's Avatar
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    Default Re: Landing Light Install Tip

    I have reached the same point on the first wing with "wig-wag" lighting. Lighting is installed in both wings. Mitch suggested the following to get a proper fit for the landing light housing:

    1) After you confirm fit of the second skin and before riveting it in place trim it's inboard edge flush with the inboard edge of #6 leading edge rib. The Wing Manual Section 29 tells you to do this but doing so should allow the housing enough left and right slack for positioning and proper fit between that #6 rib and the next intermediate rib. The objective here is for the housing to slide freely within the space without hanging up on any overhanging material of #2 skin. You may or may not need to trim the housing. This second skin inboard trimmed edge also leaves the proper 2D to material edge for the 1/8" rivets joining skin to rib #6 when the third skin is in place.

    2) Expect the third skin will need to be trimmed for clearance at the #5 rib cap strip as you have seen. I needed to trim for the main rib #4 a bit also, but I expect that depends how much outboard you need to move the third skin to properly position the landing light cutout to allow for a good fit. There was some trimming of the rib clearance cutaways on the underside of the skin too.

    Here's are pictures.

    In my years with Continental Airline I enjoyed summer layovers there in Calgary, especially strolling the Bow River there. Winters I spent at the hotel, coffee shop or the aviation museum at the airport!

    IMG_5165.jpg

    IMG_5167.jpg

    IMG_5161.jpg


    Jim Morrical
    Last edited by jmorrical; 03-16-2016 at 08:27 PM.

  7. #7
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    Default Re: Landing Light Install Tip

    51 % rule. You need to do some work. If those skins were already drilled you would have a very tough time lining up all those holes at the same time. Easy enough to drill the nose ribs second hole with a chalk line or the template and then bottom drill those holes with a 12 in. bit. Nothing to it. Check your manual, there are a couple of top rivets need to be left out until cap strips are in. Good luck.

  8. #8
    Senior Member TroyBranch's Avatar
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    Default Re: Landing Light Install Tip

    Quote Originally Posted by tcwilliams View Post
    51 % rule. You need to do some work. If those skins were already drilled you would have a very tough time lining up all those holes at the same time.
    Building a fully prepunched kit will happen I bet one day even to take care of the washout. Technology is amazing, and they are at the upper end of it.

    I notched and trimmed as needed, it looks good.

    Thanks for the help.

  9. #9
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    Default Re: Landing Light Install Tip

    I am installing my landing light in the left wing. The manual says to countersink the wing skin for the HDW-04-00981 rivets. .016" wing skin is pretty thin for countersinking.... has anyone dimpled the skin and lightly countersunk the carbon fiber light housing?
    do the rivets sticking up get covered by the fabric?
    Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.
    Dewey

  10. #10
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    Default Re: Landing Light Install Tip

    Dewey. You can lightly countersink and also put a small washer behind the rivet on the carbon fiber side since that can be soft. The EX3 does not use rivets in the very leading edge where they use to out 1 rivet on either side of the leading edge on the precious models. The rivets won’t show through the fabric if countersunk.

    Quote Originally Posted by Dewey View Post
    I am installing my landing light in the left wing. The manual says to countersink the wing skin for the HDW-04-00981 rivets. .016" wing skin is pretty thin for countersinking.... has anyone dimpled the skin and lightly countersunk the carbon fiber light housing?
    do the rivets sticking up get covered by the fabric?
    Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.
    Dewey
    Dave Embry
    "You only live once.......but if you do it right.........once is enough."..

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