AVID/KITFOX WING TANK FIX

[dholly 718]

Ran across this ad on Barnstormers today. Is this fellow an AFF forum member per chance?

--------------

AVID/KITFOX WING TANK FIX • TELL YOUR FRIENDS • I have the answer to your leaky fiberglass wing tanks! Contact me @ 559-871-5001 • Contact Gary M. Chapman located Chowchilla, CA USA • Telephone: 559-871-5001 . • Posted May 21, 2014

---------------

[Av8r3400 1179]

So what are we looking at?  Aluminum tank?

[dholly 718]

That would appear to be the case, along with a whole bunch of missing ribs and drag/anti-drag tubes if I understand correctly. My spidey-sense alarm went off immediately when I saw the pics. Other Avid and Kitfox related builders (not to mention the manufacturers themselves) have tried and been proved wrong with this approach, so I'd like to hear from Mr. Chapman what is different this time.

[akflyer 1427]

I felt the same way when I saw the aluminum tank... yikes... run raggy run!

 

[lostman 198]

I'm curious why the aluminum tank would be such an issue? I realize that many believe the tank to be an integral part of the wings when it comes to rigidity and structure, but why couldn't an aluminum tank be built to do the same thing? There isn't really any reason you couldn't put structure inside of it to fill the same need.

 

Thoughts?

[EDMO 1078]

These wings flex so much that the original aluminum tanks cracked and leaked.

EdMO

[akflyer 1427]

you would have to built the tanks so heavy that its way past the point of being worth it.  Aluminum tanks dont last long in a flexy wing.

 

[lostman 198]

I wasn't thinking about the flex of the wings being the issue. That makes much more sense.

 

This makes me wonder about the handling characteristics of Pursang too. I found out yesterday that one wing had .1003 wall spars and the other has .083. That might make enough of a difference to actually throw off the way it would bank in each direction......hmmm.

[dholly 718]

I'm curious why the aluminum tank would be such an issue? I realize that many believe the tank to be an integral part of the wings when it comes to rigidity and structure, but why couldn't an aluminum tank be built to do the same thing? There isn't really any reason you couldn't put structure inside of it to fill the same need.

 

Thoughts?

My Aerotrek wing tanks are aluminum and designed to 'float' on the spars with a drag tube passing thru. Seems to be working ok, no issues within the fleet that I am aware of.

[Av8r3400 1179]

How about a nice detailed photo essay of those wings in their own thread, Doug?

[dholly 718]

Sure, I'll see what I can do.