Tri-R Technologies  TR-4

BUILDER'S MANUAL

This Builder's Manual is NOT the official manual as published by TRI-R Technologies.  

SPAR PREPARATION

LEVELING AND FIXTURING
SPREADER STICKS
TEMPORARY FITTING OF THE FUSELAGE TOP

FIREWALL
FIREWALL FRONT FACE
ADDED REINFORCING IN FIREWALL AREA

STATION 139.5 BULK HEAD
STATION 180.5 BULKHEAD

MAIN SPAR AND OUTBOARD SPAR PRE ASSEMBLY
REAR SPAR
MAIN SPAR LOCATION AND INSTALLATION
POSITIONING
SPAR MOUNTING LAMINATIONS

MAIN GEAR BOX REINFORCEMENT
SEAT FRONT BULKHEAD & CONTROL MOUNT
FUSELAGE BELTLINE CONDUITS
FRONT SEAT BACK ASSEMBLY
REAR SEAT BACK INSTALLATION
CONTROL CONSOLE - FRONT SEAT AREA
ELEVATOR IDLER BELL CRANK
SEAT BOTTOM ASSEMBLY
FRONT SEAT
REAR SEATS

FRONT FLOOR ASSEMBLY
STICK LINKAGE ASSEMBLY
FLAP HANDLE ASSEMBLY BRACKET
AILERON IDLER INSTALLATION
FLAP ACTUATION TORQUE TUBE INSTALLATION
RUDDER IDLER LEVER INSTALLATION

HORIZONTAL STABILIZER
INSTALL RUDDER POST

ELEVATOR AND PUSH/PULL ROD INSTALLATION
RUDDER CABLE ROUTING AND INSTALLATION
MAIN GEAR INSTALLATION
BRAKE LINE INSTALLATION

FIN RIGHT HALF INSTALLATION
INSTALL LEFT FIN HALF
HANGING RUDDER
INSTALLATION OF FUSELAGE TOP
BAGGAGE AREA BACK PANEL

DOOR PREPARATION
WINDOW INSTALLATION
DOOR LATCH ASSEMBLY
MOUNT DOORS
LATCH PLATE INSTALLATION
AIR STRUT INSTALLATION
REAR WINDOWS

INSTRUMENT PANEL
WINDSHIELD

MAIN SPAR AND OUTBOARD SPAR PRE ASSEMBLY

NOTE: IF THE SPAR SUB ASSEMBLIES HAVE NOT BEEN PREVIOUSLY PREPARED AT THIS TIME, REFERENCE THE WING ASSEMBLY SECTION AND COMPLETE THE REQUIRED SPAR SUB ASSEMBLY.

REAR SPAR

The rear spar is fabricated from a strip cut from the same 1/4 inch aircraft plywood as used for the firewall.

• Cut a strip 3 1/4 inches wide by 48 inches long.

• Apply a 6 ply BID on both faces of the plywood spar, holding the strip flat with no bend or twist during the resin cure. "Green trim" the edges, and grind any overhang flush with the edges when the resin cures.

MAIN SPAR LOCATION AND INSTALLATION

POSITIONING

The position of the main and rear spar cut outs is located either by using the spar locating jig shown in the attached figures, or by laying out lines in the fuselage using the dimensions shown in figure XXX. The spar locating jig method has been used with good results by the builders of the two place KIS. Kits later than serial no. 7 have the critical layout lines scribed in the mold which transfers to the outside of the fuselage, and most of the following steps may be ignored..

If you intend to use the jig, fabricate it from materials with good dimensional stability such as plywood or high density fiberboard.

• Cut out the two sides using the template drawing supplied (Figure XXX). Cut carefully noting that the aligning surfaces are at three degrees to set the angle of incidence for the wing.

• Support the two panels from selected straight two by fours or similar boards about four feet long. ( Test fit the potential jig parts to see how far you can space them apart. The wider these sides can be spaced without interference to the inside of the fuselage - the more accurate the final installation will be. ) Space the panels at least two feet apart parallel to each other and at right angles to these top boards.

• Brace the panels as required to keep them straight and parallel.

• Locate station 44 and carefully position the fixture, centered and square with the fuselage centerline( remember that a 1/8th inch error here can multiply to a couple of inches at the wing tips).

• Transfer the position of the spar from the jig to the fuselage wall, projecting the critical corner locations with a straight edge, out to the inner surface.

• Carefully cut away the marked area with a saber saw and use a small grinding wheel or file for truing up the edges. The bottom edge of the cut out is on a steeply curved surface so cut in straight towards the center, to allow the spar section to be slipped into place. If using the jig, the openings can be cut as much as 1/4 oversize to permit easy installation. SOME OVERSIZE IS REQUIRED AT THE TOP EDGE OF THE HOLE TO PERMIT THE ANGLED SPAR TO BE INSTALLED.

• Another alternate method if you have an early unmarked fuselage bottom, is to use the layout dimensions in figure XXX. These dimensions are taken over the outer contour of the surface. If you are using the layout method, or the scribed lines on the fuselage, make the main spar cut out oversize by cutting about 1/2 inch above the top line and about 1/8 inch forward of the front line.

• Install the spar through the oversize cut out, ( the spar close out facing forward ) and recreate the upper edge of the hole by temporarily bonding a stick to each of the fuselage sides in the proper location for the upper surface of the spar.

• Using this temporary top edge, keep the upper rear corner, and the two adjacent edges "dead on", and the other surfaces can be relieved for clearance. For the front (main) spar the reference points are the upper rear corner, and the aft edge of the cut out for control of the 3 degrees. The rear spar reference is the upper forward corner and the front face of this cut out for the 3 degree requirement.

• Using a system of elastic bungees and clamps, secure the spar sections in position (pulled into the upper rear corner for the main and upper front comer for the rear spar), and check for any error in positioning. Measure from fore and aft of the fuselage to assure "square " positioning. Use shims if required to average out all of these measurements.

SPAR MOUNTING LAMINATIONS

Once you are satisfied with positioning, you can install the inner wet "pre-lams" to the spar.

• Thoroughly clean and roughen all surfaces to be bonded with coarse sandpaper.

• Tape the outside of the fuselage to the spar surfaces to bridge the gap from the oversize cut out .

• Fillet all inside corners with dry FLOX where the laminations will be applied.

• Wet out these surfaces by brushing on a layer of epoxy.

For the main spar, prepare the BID wet lay-ups on plastic sheet as described in the procedures chapter ( Pre lam's).

• Make dry glass cloth patterns to test the shape of the pre wetted BID patches.

• For each side of the fuselage, make a total of four, four layer "pre lams" (wet out one at a time)

-one, 8 by 12 inches,

-one, 6 by 10 inches,

-two more for the sides 6 by 10 inches each.

• Apply the largest (8 by 12) centered on top of the spar with 6 inches overlap up and the same overlap inboard on the spar cap (as in figure XXX). Work the edges around the spar sides.

• Apply the side pre-lams on the front and back sides of the spar with about 1 and 1/2 inches overlapping the top of the spar (see figure XXX) .

• Apply the last (6 by 10 ) four ply pre lam on the top of the spar and up the fuselage like the first pre-lam, covering all the previous layers.

This should result in a minimum 8 plies across the top, and 4 plies along each side, and at least 12 plies in the overlap areas of the top comers (much stronger than required). Allow all these inner lay-ups to cure before removing any clamping or fixturing. See figure XXX

Follow the same basic procedure for the rear spar, using either the jig, or the dimensional layout procedure. Also clamp and use elastic straps to position the spar, and check dimensional integrity and square and level from as many reference points as practical. Shim if required, and tape the outer fuselage so you can apply the dry FLOX fillets.

• The inner laminates for the rear spar section are 4 by 6 1/2 inch rectangles of four ply BID with the long edge set flush with the spar top edge. The rectangle will splay out when fitted into the comer and provide the desired overlap pattern on the inner surface of the fuselage.

• Figure XXX above shows the basic concept of the outer pre-lam lay-ups for both the main and rear spars.

• The outer laminate should be precut to the pattern shown in figure XXX, also with 4 plies per each pattern, a total of four places. Cut out a dry pattern and test assemble the lamination to refine the pattern for optimum fit.

• The main spar side layers, 8 plies each side, are added first, making sure that the rear face main spar patterns extend 2 inches past the butt line 22 mounting bolt areas ( bolt holes for the wing panel ). The right number of plies must be used in these spar clamping areas to assure that the wing will be installed in the proper position. Do not extend the bid to high up the side of the fuselage as the wing fillet may not cover the lay up. Measure from the wing spar to the skin on the wing panel, draw a reference line on the fuse’. Hold the fillet (at this line) in its approximate location and draw a reference line for the lay up maximum height.