7ECA Wing and Tail Recovering Project

MarcM said:
Hi Ed,
Thanks for the heads up, I thought my only options were Wag or Millman, and the Millman’s are quite pricey, and then add a considerable shipping charge to the great white north.
I guess the third option is new blanks from Spruce, And then I could get them longer and add another rib, I bet that would help the seaplane performance… but that’s a pipe dream I think if I want it back in the air for the spring,
I think if we’re going to need new spars we’d be looking for gcbc wings with the flaps to Frankenstein together because lord knows it’s a struggle to get her off the water on a hot summer day.
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Did you take a look at Rainbow Flying Service?

rainbowflying.com

Rainbow Flying Service

11905 Road 4 NE, #10 Moses Lake WA 98837 (509) 765-1606 [email protected]
rainbowflying.com rainbowflying.com
 
Bob Turner said:
Look a bit more carefully. On Cubs, when sliding the ribs on and off you routinely get scrape marks from the nail holes, and they look like cracks until you do a little sanding. Cracks do not usually start at nail holes.
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that's what I was going to say, it sounds like a spar was replaced at some point and they didn't bother trying to massage the nail holes smooth before sliding the spar back in.
 
Bob Turner said:
Look a bit more carefully. On Cubs, when sliding the ribs on and off you routinely get scrape marks from the nail holes, and they look like cracks until you do a little sanding. Cracks do not usually start at nail holes.
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Good to hear! I was starting to get quite worried... But I think you're right :)
 
Big Ed said:
Did you take a look at Rainbow Flying Service?

rainbowflying.com

Rainbow Flying Service

11905 Road 4 NE, #10 Moses Lake WA 98837 (509) 765-1606 [email protected]
rainbowflying.com rainbowflying.com
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Thanks! I'll definitely keep them in mind. I sent them an email seeing if they can quote us on a landing gear package for it too, we bought it as strictly a seaplane, but if would sure be nice to convert it to wheels or skies for the winter next year, unfortunately we need everything from the tires to brake pedals...
 
Bartman said:
that's what I was going to say, it sounds like a spar was replaced at some point and they didn't bother trying to massage the nail holes smooth before sliding the spar back in.
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The only odd part, is that it wasn't disassembled to replace the main spar as you can see the double nail holes at the ribs, and the logs are kind vague and mostly handwritten in French. I had my wife working at translating some of it, but the writing is absolute chicken scratch in a lot of places
 
As much as I love Aircraft Spruce be advised that almost ALL the Aeronca parts they have listed will come to you from Wag Aero. No big mark up but sometimes a sizable time delay...
Chris
 
Hiperbiper said:
As much as I love Aircraft Spruce be advised that almost ALL the Aeronca parts they have listed will come to you from Wag Aero. No big mark up but sometimes a sizable time delay...
Chris
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I will keep that in mind :) I'll definitely shop around, tho sometimes through spruce it'll be cheaper considering the shipping and brokerage fees bringing stuff from Wag into Canada, and it's just a quick trip down the highway (or airway) to pick it from the Spruce here.
 
These wings have value. Finish them, and finish them in white only that matches your fuse, then find your dream wings. Definitely finish these and have them done and sellable.
 
Update 3,
Uh Oh! Wood Decay!

So I spent the evening grinding the heads off all the rusty leading edge screws,

IMG_8151.jpg

And all seemed fine, until I got to the last piece, in front of the fuel tank.... *Sad Trumpet Sound*

So I guess this wing is coming apart after all! I just knew we were going to find something, this is where they have already scabbed a reinforcement along the rear side of the spar, so that explains the disassembly and reassembly marks, and it is on the same side we found all the moisture under the fuel tank plywood...

No one seems to sell an individual spar for the 7ECA, I emailed rainbow to see if they'll sell me just the one, waiting on that, otherwise I think we're going to be buying spar stock from Spruce and fabricating our own.

Unless someone has some gcbc wings for sale?

What does everyone figure a fresh set of 7ECA wings would be worth if we did replace all the spars with new rainbows spars?
 
I'm sure Ron at Rainbow has (or can make) a single spar for you but I'd be replacing both spars as long as you're having to rebuild it.

Good luck with your project...

Chris
 
I am not "everyone" but if you do this for a hobby you will be ok. If you think you will make $ you are probably in for disappointment. You will be working for $10/hr. You would be better off working overtime in your day job and use the difference to buy new wings from ACA.
 
Hiperbiper said:
I'm sure Ron at Rainbow has (or can make) a single spar for you but I'd be replacing both spars as long as you're having to rebuild it.

Good luck with your project...

Chris
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Yea, i saw the individual ones listed after a little more digging... The shipping from WA to here almost triples the price tho :(
 
Bob Turner said:
I am not "everyone" but if you do this for a hobby you will be ok. If you think you will make $ you are probably in for disappointment. You will be working for $10/hr. You would be better off working overtime in your day job and use the difference to buy new wings from ACA.
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As the old saying goes, to make a small fortune in aviation, you'd better start with a large fortune.

But no, this is just for me and my friend that own it, I don't ever plan on selling this bird and if he wants out I'll buy his half in a heartbeat.

We just want to ensure that we're safe :)
 
MarcM said:
Update 3,
Uh Oh! Wood Decay!

So I spent the evening grinding the heads off all the rusty leading edge screws,

View attachment 5794

And all seemed fine, until I got to the last piece, in front of the fuel tank.... *Sad Trumpet Sound*

So I guess this wing is coming apart after all! I just knew we were going to find something, this is where they have already scabbed a reinforcement along the rear side of the spar, so that explains the disassembly and reassembly marks, and it is on the same side we found all the moisture under the fuel tank plywood...

No one seems to sell an individual spar for the 7ECA, I emailed rainbow to see if they'll sell me just the one, waiting on that, otherwise I think we're going to be buying spar stock from Spruce and fabricating our own.

Unless someone has some gcbc wings for sale?

What does everyone figure a fresh set of 7ECA wings would be worth if we did replace all the spars with new rainbows spars?
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Yikes, that is scary. As a habitual acro flyer it is downright terrifying. And no way to inspect a flying aircraft. That's a heck of an argument for a metal winged aircraft or kept in a hangar.
 
Big Ed said:
Yikes, that is scary. As a habitual acro flyer it is downright terrifying. And no way to inspect a flying aircraft. That's a heck of an argument for a metal winged aircraft or kept in a hangar.
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Hiperbiper said:
The fact that the wing held up with all that damage at the root is indeed a testimony to how well these old birds are designed.

Chris
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Right?? Especially as Ed says, there's no way to inspect there, and if had of just continued on with re-covering without replacing the leading edge... Oy!

Unfortunately too, being a seaplane, its hard to keep it in a hangar. Its so amazing being able to take a few steps down to the beach and be flying a few minutes later... The closest airport with water and hangars is a 35 minute drive away, and then it's a half mile or more to tow the plane down from the hangars to the lake..

Maybe I need to build it a lean-to on the beach to keep the elements off

Rainbow's got a lead time on spars due to a lack of wood, but Spruce says i can have spar stock for next week. My A&P has experience making up spars, he's going to come over tomorrow for an assessment and try to guess how much its going to cost to make one up. Between the spar and shipping from rainbow it was going to come in somewhere north of $2000 for one spar. and probably about $5500 for the whole set.
 
What does the Melman kit cost? No ADs on those? A properly done annual spar inspection can cost more than $500.
 
$2500 extra divided by how many spar inspections?
I do my own - just finished the struggle with Bend-A-Lite and mirror. Yuk. Takes an hour just to get the plates on and off.
It would be quicker and better if modern borescope inspection was an alternate.
 
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