Inspection covers location

[FireFoxIV 58]

The wings on my Kitfox don't have any inspection holes in them. What are the places that need them?

[Allen Sutphin 705]

I've got 2 in my left wing. One for the pitot attachment and one where it goes thru the spar.

[1avidflyer 1983]

If the wing tips are not removable, out near the tips is a good place as well.  JImChuk

[FireFoxIV 58]

The wing tips are removable. I had an A$P tell me there wasnt enough inspection covers in the wings and that I was gonna have to put a bunch more in. But maybe there doesn't need to be that many?

Edited 25 Jun 2020 by FireFoxIV

[109jb 181]

Inspection covers are placed in order to inspect or perform maintenance. On a Piper for example they are placed to get at the drag and anti-drag wire fittings, bellcranks, pulleys, etc. On a kitfox there are riveted and bonded drag/anti-drag tubes, not wires with clevises, and a kitfox has no internal wing controls. With a removable wingtip, you can see down through the entire structure. If you want a closer look, you can buy a USB inspection camera that can be inserted from the removable tip to look at any spot in a kitfox wing. I recently bought one for about $20. Also, even on production airplanes many of the inspection rings are placed in case of needed maintenance but not cut out until needed, hence no cover. I would not be putting a bunch of inspection covers on just to satisfy an inspection cover happy A&P.

[Allen Sutphin 705]

An A&P who is familiar with Avid/Foxes knows how to look and what to look for in a wing on a Avid/Fox. On of the reasons that I don't do condition inspections on aircraft that I am not experienced on. Not a lot different than the old rag and tube planes that I fool with. Composites are ones that I won't touch due to way too many variables in construction methods.

[FireFoxIV 58]

Thanks guys, that's what I wanted to know. There is no moving parts in the wing so it make sense that there doesn't need to be inspections holes all over the place

[ChrisBolkan 130]

You can buy an inexpensive USB camera and go in and look through the wing tip at almost anything you want to look at. I bought one with something like 20 feet of cord attached and it works pretty darn well. Even has a ring of dimmable LED lights on the camera and it's barely larger than a pencil. I just tape it to a long stick and inspect away. Not perfect, but works OK. I wouldn't try and punch a bunch of holes since you can do a pretty good job inspecting as I just described.

[FireFoxIV 58]

You can buy an inexpensive USB camera and go in and look through the wing tip at almost anything you want to look at. I bought one with something like 20 feet of cord attached and it works pretty darn well. Even has a ring of dimmable LED lights on the camera and it's barely larger than a pencil. I just tape it to a long stick and inspect away. Not perfect, but works OK. I wouldn't try and punch a bunch of holes since you can do a pretty good job inspecting as I just described.

thanks Chris. That's sound a lot easier

I really wasnt look forward to cutting holes in my fabric

[nlappos 413]

If you have a problem, such as a ground loop, then a full camera internal inspection is a good idea. Otherwise, the simplicity of the internal wing structure makes a simple coin tap inspection of the ribs, which will show cracks, rot and spar disbonds, should be enough. A small tapping hammer tapping along the ribs every few inches will show the thud or rattle that signals trouble. I have worked with composite structures, and had inspectors tap to see voids, and then compared their grease pencil outlines with X-Rays. It is astonishing how good tapping is!