need your experience

[Bluebird19kf]

Pretty sure I read a follow up to that SB and it basically said that either flox or microballoons were fine to use.

[Guy Buchanan]

Doesn't look like the root rib braces are installed correctly. There are supposed to be some internal aluminum tube braces coming from the front and rear spars to the root rib top and bottom to make sure the fabric tension doesn't bend the root rib. Are they there? Are the root ribs straight fore and aft?

You've got some repair work on your hands there. First you'll have to stabilize the rib with some temporary braces, then grind all the existing epoxy off the forward and aft attachments, then prep the wood and aluminum for epoxy, then epoxy the forward rib break, then straighten the root rib using additional permanent internal braces, then epoxy the rib to the spars, then do cosmetic clean-up.

The big problem will be if the builder didn't install the braces, then bowed the heck out of the root rib during fabric shrink. You'll never be able to straighten it and will have to re-cover the root bay or the entire wing. (Probably just the root bay.)

PS. Check both sides. Probably the same inherent problem.

[avidflyer]

In the first picture, it looks like there are 2 aluminum tubes attached to the rear spar, maybe about a foot in. I figured they were the rear braces for the butt rib. Would have been nice to see the complete end of the wing to see if there were any pop rivets showing that would have been holding those braces in place on the rib. Fabric does pull pretty hard when shrunk, no doubt about it. JImChuk

[jiott]

Those braces visible in the picture look like the spar cross bracing tubes; they don't support the center of the rib against the pull of the fabric. What Guy is asking is are there additional support tubes not visible in the photo that go to the center of the rib, similar to what is done on the opposite wing tip end. With a fuel tank in the root bay we put small wood blocks from the tank side wall to the rib for support, but with no tank and if no support tubes, that could easily explain the damage that we see.

[Esser]

It is a concern and you could have a whole wing repair on your hand. I would offer him what ever for the plane he is asking minus 4 or 5 thousand if you are willing to repair it

[PapuaPilot]

I agree with Esser, it could be a bigger job then it looks. I would also make sure the spars are perfectly straight and don't have any kinks or bends in them.

[Richard31]

Thanks all for your reply and investigations !!!!!, i am going to see the Minifox (it is the name on the ID card, a kitfox with 10meter wing span to have 15m² surface... in 1996 it was the regulation).

i note to the following:
>check if wing was swung into the overhang on the skylight part of the windscreen?
>wing brace or not during transportation?
> other wings ? (see pictures attached)
>job to do if i bought the plane
>negociate price

i attach other pictures that could help you. Left hand wing, seams to have no trooble, and a picture of internal Right hand wing.

thanks again for your help.

regards,

richard