making my own spar for Decathlon

J

jamey

New member
It seems I have two alternatives for replacing the spars in my 72 Decathlon. (1) buy new metal wings from ACA or, (2) make one myself (as an owner produced spar) as specified in AC 43.13-1B para 1-41. If I buy new wings, I'll get rid of the repetative AD inspection (for now) and be out a lot of money that doesn't seem to be recouped on the resale. If I make them myself, I've only found one supplier (Wick's) of spruce that big (6 1/2" X 1" X 14.6') and I'll have to wait a month for the order to process.

Any comments or suggestions would be very welcomed.

Jamey Cook
A&P, IA, Private pilot
Lincolnton, NC
 
Its not a huge savings, but you could get ACA wings without cover for 2K less (for the pair). And, they do hold additional value on resale. It will not be the full 100%, but the retrofit aircraft do fetch more. Remember that the new wings are all new parts, tanks, ribs and all.

/shameless plug
 
There is not gurantee that the new wood spars will not crack either. Just isn't much good quality spruce available anymore. That is why Taylorcraft ( until they closed) swithced to aluminum spars.
 
And oh BTW: would these work?

Wood spars from '68 7KCAB in Fly Market
http://www.bellanca-championclub.com/flymarket.html
[Ed. by Moderator]
 
looks like the spars on my wings are cracked and delaminated from years of improper storage. Teh biggest problem with getting the spruce is that very few dealers handle anything large enough for an 8KCAB. Its a much larger spar than the 7KCAB.
 
A few years ago I replaced the wood spars plus some wing ribs on one wing of my 8KCAB. I believe that parts are still available but not from ACA.
If I had been rebuilding both wings I would've bought a pair of new wings from ACA.
 
Help me here guys but I think Ron at Rainbow Aviation in Moose Lake Washington has the parts, and maybe even the made up blank spars ?
MP
 
I think that now they own Safeair, Wagaero sells wood spars, I was told by their sales people at the Aeronca flyin this sumer that they could supply predrilled and finished spars for my 8GCBC. They have a small catalog (10-12 pages) of Aeronca and Citabria parts. You could call and ask them for one.

Tim
 
Ron at Rainbow seems to be the only person that has (soon)a "new" wood spar for the Decathlon right now. He doesn't have the PMA stamp yet but he thinks he will have it soon. Wag-Aero (safe-air) and Univair don't have many Decathlon parts at all, Milman engineering doesn't have a metal replacement for the Decathlon either ( as of a few months ago) . I think the new all metal wings are great, but unfortunately, If you look at the market, metal winged Decathlons aren't bringing in enough premium to financially justify purchasing new metal wings. Especially if you can do your own work. If I had an engineering drawing, I'd make my own, but of course ACA wouldn't sell me a wood spar drawing. Anyone out there have one?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top