A friend of mine (who is also rebuilding a L16) talked to the local FAA guy about rib stitching his wings due to the fact the PK holes in his ribs are "wallowed out". The FAA guy said that if he (my friend is an A & P) could find an approved 337 for rib stitching on a Champ/ etc. he would approve my friends L16 also with the understanding about taping over the sharp edges on the ribs.
I actually looked at a Champ yesterday that has rib stitching with approved paperwork, but we're looking for a couple more copies just to be sure.
If anyone has an approved 337 for a Champ/Chief/L16 etc. please contact me either here or off the memberlist. It certainly makes more sense to me rather than drill more holes in the ribs (probably safer, too).
Thanks,
Mike
Rib Stitching Again
Rib Stitching Again
"If God had intended man to fly He would have given us more money"
Mike,
Do a search on "stiching" on this forum and you will find at least for other threads on stiching. Not sure if it would find others who have done this but worth a try.
Joe A
Post-War Aeronca Champ airplanes Rib Stitching a Champ - Part 2
28 Jan 2006 19:15 pm
Post-War Aeronca Chief airplanes Chief rudder repair
20 Jan 2006 18:31 pm
Post-War Aeronca Champ airplanes rib stiching
05 Jan 2006 20:42 pm
Aeronca General items rib stiching
24 Jan 2006 20:09 pm
Post-War Aeronca Champ airplanes Fabric Seams
Do a search on "stiching" on this forum and you will find at least for other threads on stiching. Not sure if it would find others who have done this but worth a try.
Joe A
Post-War Aeronca Champ airplanes Rib Stitching a Champ - Part 2
28 Jan 2006 19:15 pm
Post-War Aeronca Chief airplanes Chief rudder repair
20 Jan 2006 18:31 pm
Post-War Aeronca Champ airplanes rib stiching
05 Jan 2006 20:42 pm
Aeronca General items rib stiching
24 Jan 2006 20:09 pm
Post-War Aeronca Champ airplanes Fabric Seams
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Nathan K. Hammond
- Posts: 2371
- Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2004 00:22
- Location: Danville, KY (DVK)
- Contact:
Nathan,
I'll try to keep on top of it. Neither my A/P friend or the fed guy is local to me, but I'll forward any information when and if I get it. I've seen Champs rib stitched before, but never paid enough attention at the time.
Mike
I'll try to keep on top of it. Neither my A/P friend or the fed guy is local to me, but I'll forward any information when and if I get it. I've seen Champs rib stitched before, but never paid enough attention at the time.
Mike
"If God had intended man to fly He would have given us more money"
FYI - here in the Northwest Mountain Region, ribstitching is absolutely NOT approved. I had an A&P come to me wanting to do rib stitching on a Champ and since I was unable to come up with an STC allowing it (manual says PK screws or rivets and there is an STC for the clips) I checked with my PMI. NO says he - earlier Aeronca's and other airplanes that used rib stitching have rounded cap strips on the ribs. The Champs do not, they were press punched and so are rounded on one side and sharp on the other. When asked about the many Champs out there with rib stitching he quite adamantly stated that they were not in compliance with their type certificate.
Remember that until the last few years, 337's were approved by an IA and submitted to the FSDO for filing - in very few cases was a field approval required. That left the IA holding the bag for "not in compliance with the type certificate" issues. Now since the FAA has become more stingy, almost everything requires a field approval. If you can find a PMI that will give you a field approval 337 for rib stitching - more power to you but I can almost guarentee you that if the bad thing happens the FAA legal department will say that the PMI exceeded his authority by not submitting the field approval to engineering and your airplane will be found to be not in compliance with its type certificate.
Remember that until the last few years, 337's were approved by an IA and submitted to the FSDO for filing - in very few cases was a field approval required. That left the IA holding the bag for "not in compliance with the type certificate" issues. Now since the FAA has become more stingy, almost everything requires a field approval. If you can find a PMI that will give you a field approval 337 for rib stitching - more power to you but I can almost guarentee you that if the bad thing happens the FAA legal department will say that the PMI exceeded his authority by not submitting the field approval to engineering and your airplane will be found to be not in compliance with its type certificate.
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Gene Morton
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Wed Dec 06, 2006 13:36
- Location: Texas
- Contact:
"Rib Stiching"
I have been corrected by more than one including the Poly Fiber manual that it is NOT "rib stiching" but rather RIB LACING.
Quote from the Poly Fiber Manual:
"On certified aircraft, the methor you use to secure the wing fabric to the wing ribs should be the same one used at the factory when your airplane was manufactured. If you want to use a different method, you have to get a field approval from an FAA Field Service District Office."
Quote from the Poly Fiber Manual:
"On certified aircraft, the methor you use to secure the wing fabric to the wing ribs should be the same one used at the factory when your airplane was manufactured. If you want to use a different method, you have to get a field approval from an FAA Field Service District Office."