Steen Aero Lab - Aircraft Builder's FAQ

Alastair also "trimmed" the plane, balancing it, he said, just nicely so that it would "fly itself." That's his story. I think it's baloney; I was flying the plane and I've got the white knuckles to prove it.
(John Ewing [The Cessna, The Sky... and the Cartoonist])

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Aircraft Builder's Frequently Asked Questions
(Builder FAQ and How-To Section)

The FAQ section is intended to answer commonly-asked questions and provide a forum to share helpful techniques. While we obviously can't cover every topic here, we would like to hear from you on anything you wish to know. If it's of interest to others, the question and answer will likely be added here. Remember, there is no such thing as a dumb question, except the one that doesn't get asked... we're here to help. Send us your questions!

Currently showing the General Info / Fuselage category (last updated 07/29/03)
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GENERAL INFO

WINGS

· Hale used to offer routed spars. Why are they no longer available?

· Why are laminated spars stronger than solid wood?

· What are the tradeoffs between built-up and routed-ply wing ribs?

· What are the tradeoffs between aluminum and ply leading edges?

>> FUSELAGE

· I bought a project and the fuselage is an inch shorter than the plans. Is this a problem?

GENERAL INFO

· Who is Steen Aero Lab?

PITTS MODEL 14

GENERAL INFO

· When will parts kits for the Pitts Model 14 be available?

· When will plans for the Pitts Model 14 be available?

SKYBOLT

GENERAL INFO

· I understand the Skybolt Radial drawings have been done for some time. It seems you guys are holding back on them. What's up?

· What are the historical engineering changes for the original Skybolt?

WINGS

· Can the new three-piece wing be used with an existing Skybolt fuselage project or rebuild?

· Can an existing upper wing be adapted for use in the three-section wing?

· Can an existing wing set be used to construct a three-section wing for the Skybolt Radial having a 2250 gross weight?

· What are the advantages of the new three-section wing for the Skybolt?

· Can standard Skybolt wing wire sets be used with the Skybolt Delta or Radial.

GENERAL INFO - FUSELAGE

I bought a project and the fuselage is an inch shorter than the plans. Is this a problem?
  07/29/03
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Not at all. This is a VERY common construction error with any of these airplanes. We've seen this on Pitts, Skybolts, and other similar designs. The problem arises when the side panels of the fuse are laid out. The station numbers describe the finished fuselage, not the tube locations of the side panels in the jig. When the longerons are bent inward to meet at the tailpost, the fuse shrinks an inch or so, depending on the airplane type. As far as flight performance or weight & balance is concerned, the difference is too small to matter.

Steen Aero Lab 1451 Clearmont Street NE Palm Bay, FL 32905 USA

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