Tri-R Technologies TR-4
BUILDER'S MANUAL
This Builder's Manual is NOT the official manual as published by TRI-R Technologies.
Introduction 2
Quick Links to Introduction Sub-Sections:
HEALTH
AND SAFETY IN HANDLING COMPOSITE MATERIALS
COMPOSITE
TERMS AND PROCEDURES
REMOVING
PEEL PLY
BID
PREPARATION
FOR BONDING
MOLDED
SURFACES
PEEL
PLY SURFACES
MICRO and
FLOX
BONDING
AND LAMINATING TO FOAM
GREEN
TRIMMING
CAUTIONS
DIMENSIONS
AND STATIONS SYSTEM
STATIONS
BUTT
LINE
WATERLINE
SHOP
& TOOLS
TOOLS
& EQUIPMENT
TYPICAL
HAND
TOOLS
TYPICAL POWER TOOLS
SUGGESTIONS
EPOXY
SCALES
SCALES
DIRECTIONS FOR USE
DIMENSIONS AND STATIONS SYSTEM
The dimensioning systems used in aircraft are usually describes with such terms as "Stations", "Butt Lines, and "Water Lines". Since this dimensioning system will be used in locating important elements in the assembly, it is important to understand these "call outs" without confusion, or ambiguous interpretations. Figure 1-4 should help you become familiar with the aircraft dimensioning nomenclature.
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The longitudinal locations on an aircraft are described as stations, and the station dimensions are generally in inches as measured aft of the reference station. Negative station locations are for those locations which are forward of this reference point. Various builders and designers use different techniques for establishing the reference "zero" station location. In some cases this may be an imaginary vertical plane several inches or feet in front of the aircraft. For the KIS aircraft the zero station is located at the aft surface of the propeller spinner. A reference station at STATION 32 will be established during the fuselage assembly at the molded in "joggle" which provides clearance for the aft edge of the cowling. All components added to this assembly will be located based on this station reference plane. The station locations will continue to be of importance after the assembly of the aircraft is completed, particularly in weight and balance computations. Station locations of major components are required for computations of weight and balance to assure safe loading of any aircraft. Typical locations of movable or removable weight (such a fuel, passengers, and ballast, will be cataloged for the completed plane, and will be use in these calculations
The next most important location parameter is the distance of the various features on each side of the aircraft centerline. The KIS aircraft uses the most common form of notation for Butt line locations, with the zero plane being along the axial centerline of the fuselage. Left Butt Line values (LBL XX.X) would be measured out from the centerline on the left side (pilot's left side). Obviously the Right Butt Lines (RBL XX.X) are measured out on the right side from the zero centerline. The very first component to be assembled (Horizontal stabilizer) uses B.L. dimensions extensively in locating cut edges and rib locations. Most portions of the aircraft design are symmetrical about the airplanes longitudinal center, but some features require notable exception to this fact. Be particularly careful with those components which are assembled upside down, to avoid confusion between right and left Butt line dimensions. (The wings are a good example of being assembled upside down)
Waterline, (W.L.) dimensions are much less frequently used than the other two. The vertical locations on an aircraft are known as waterline locations. This is apparently a holdover from marine applications in "lofting" hull shapes, and these lofting techniques were carried over for layout of the aerodynamic shapes of aircraft components. It is not unusual for the zero reference Water Line (WL 0.0) to be located in some imaginary horizontal plane below the aircraft, such that all W.L. call outs will be positive numbers. The use of WL dimensions in this kits assembly procedures is less frequent than the other measurements, but will be used from time to time, the belt line joint between the fuselage halves must be level and square with the world for the joining operations, and that will be the most frequent use of waterline dimensions.