spades

[Bartman]

Some say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. IMHO, the value would be in offering new wood spar wings with Ron's spar design and spades. It would open up a new line of supply for older planes and could maybe be done more economically than the metal spar wings. IMHO, yes, that was twice in one post, what makes wood spar wings problematic isn't the spars, it's the questionable history of the wings after they've gone through a few owners. It's hard to know for sure what they've been through after two or three decades have gone by. Ron's spars are something of a hedge against that and the spades would make for an overall nicer flying experience.

 

[8KCABrett]

Hi all,

Does anyone have images of the spades attached on a wood wing Decathlon? In particular, the area shown in this picture. There's interference between the plate of the spade bracket and those rivet heads, so something is amiss here and I'd like to understand what:

 

[Bartman]

Anyone know where a guy might be able to get a set of spades for wood wings?

in recent years this seems to have reached a dead end with no new sources having been developed and the old sets being technically non-transferable. spades for metal wings are not compatible with the wood spar wings. sorry to be the bearer of bad news

 

[8KCABrett]

in recent years this seems to have reached a dead end with no new sources having been developed and the old sets being technically non-transferable. spades for metal wings are not compatible with the wood spar wings. sorry to be the bearer of bad news

Does this apply to the wood wing Decathlons as well? ACA sold a set to the owner of the airplane in my picture posted before your message and were told which wing they were destined for.

 

[Bartman]

I had to call ACA about something else and, while I was on the phone, I wanted to confirm that current Decathlon/8KCAB factory spades could be installed on wood spar airplanes. The answer is yes, I didn't know that!

I asked about your photo @8KCABrett and Dale said that, to have that problem, it must be a very early airframe when they used modified Citabria hinge points with the riveted extensions. He said you can put washers between the spade mounting plate and the hinge so that the plate will clear the rivets. Or you can replace the hinges with the later design.

Learning has been accomplished, at least for me.

 

[8KCABrett]

I had to call ACA about something else and, while I was on the phone, I wanted to confirm that current Decathlon/8KCAB factory spades could be installed on wood spar airplanes. The answer is yes, I didn't know that!

I asked about your photo @8KCABrett and Dale said that, to have that problem, it must be a very early airframe when they used modified Citabria hinge points with the riveted extensions. He said you can put washers between the spade mounting plate and the hinge so that the plate will clear the rivets. Or you can replace the hinges with the later design.

Learning has been accomplished, at least for me.

Thanks Bart, that was what I was thinking too - though I wasn't sure if the spades would oscillate/flutter if washers were used underneath them rather than the larger surface of the aileron. Thanks!

 

[Bartman]

fwiw, I asked Dale today if ACA bought the Olin Pash spade STC and if they were sitting on it. he swears they didn't

 

[Bearhawk]

fwiw, I asked Dale today if ACA bought the Olin Pash spade STC and if they were sitting on it. he swears they didn't

Ron bought the Olin Spade STC. He’s making them now. Just a little update.

I have ACA wings on a 1970 7GCBC so I think with my limited information/understanding of the subject I have to do ACA’s outboard spades which are also still manufactured- just hard to order.