Wing spar?
- Thread starter tdicke
- Start date
I have the Millman kit on 7GCBC... I did not do the install on it; it was done in 1996. All is fine with the plane... seems like a good deal. The factory ones have bigger struts and you get a 100lb gross weight increase. As for the weight of the wings... the milkman kit adds about 10lbs compared to wood spars and the factory wings are a bit heavier than that... so I guess that really equates to a 80lb gross weight increase. I believe there is an AD out for the strut attach fitting on the factory ones; although I bet it's now an improved design. Not sure on any of the prices, but I bet the Millman kit is substantially cheaper.
Here is what the Milman folks say:
Thank you for inquiring about our Metal spar STC. The price for the Kit with four metal spars and STC is $4,800. The price for the D-cell leading edge kit is $1,200. The empty weight of your aircraft with our system can be unchanged with weight conscious covering and paint application. The gross weight offered by others is required due to the increased empty weight. This leaves the remaining useful load essentially unchanged.
$6,000 for new spars and heavier metal leading edge. How much would an A&P charge to install, cover and paint? Of course while you had it out install new cables and bearing. Factory new wings are close to $25,000. Guessing nother $6,000 to install and cover with new cables and bearings still beats the factory wings by more than half.
Maybe find and A&P school that would do it as a project and save some labor costs?
Thank you for inquiring about our Metal spar STC. The price for the Kit with four metal spars and STC is $4,800. The price for the D-cell leading edge kit is $1,200. The empty weight of your aircraft with our system can be unchanged with weight conscious covering and paint application. The gross weight offered by others is required due to the increased empty weight. This leaves the remaining useful load essentially unchanged.
$6,000 for new spars and heavier metal leading edge. How much would an A&P charge to install, cover and paint? Of course while you had it out install new cables and bearing. Factory new wings are close to $25,000. Guessing nother $6,000 to install and cover with new cables and bearings still beats the factory wings by more than half.
Maybe find and A&P school that would do it as a project and save some labor costs?
Well, that is a flat out lie. We have weighed plenty of airplanes before and after wing swaps. Never more than 15 lbs. Truth is, if your empty weight goes up much, you never had it to begin with and your paperwork was wrong. Happens all the time.
You really believe that a 125 lbs wood wing goes to 225 lbs with the same I-beam spar?
If you find someone to disassemble your old wings, assemble the parts on your new spars, then cover and paint it for $6000, make him your best friend.
I ain't completely knocking the Millman's (though I have my technical reservations), and I know its large cash outlay either way, but I been doing this bit for 2 decades. Dont pull wool over people's eyes - its a viable option, not the end all beat all by a long shot.
You really believe that a 125 lbs wood wing goes to 225 lbs with the same I-beam spar?
If you find someone to disassemble your old wings, assemble the parts on your new spars, then cover and paint it for $6000, make him your best friend.
I ain't completely knocking the Millman's (though I have my technical reservations), and I know its large cash outlay either way, but I been doing this bit for 2 decades. Dont pull wool over people's eyes - its a viable option, not the end all beat all by a long shot.
wbecker
New member
I bought the factory new wings over 10 years ago for my 8KCAB.
I'm an A&P IA so I saved some by covering them myself and installing them.
The ACA wings are beautiful, especialy when you see them before they are covered.
Still flying them, for me they are well worth it.
Bill Becker
I'm an A&P IA so I saved some by covering them myself and installing them.
The ACA wings are beautiful, especialy when you see them before they are covered.
Still flying them, for me they are well worth it.
Bill Becker
I replaced my old wings with factory wings a little over two years ago. I flew it out to the factory, got there around 10 AM on a Thursday and was out the door Friday afternoon---and that included some extra things I had asked them to do(of course, I ordered the wings ahead of time). The paint was nicely matched to my fuselage.
The new wing also comes with a heavier front strut.
The fit, finish and workmanship is excellent. After 2 plus years and about 350 hours, they still look like new.
Bill
N5054N
The new wing also comes with a heavier front strut.
The fit, finish and workmanship is excellent. After 2 plus years and about 350 hours, they still look like new.
Bill
N5054N
Thanks guys
Well, you cant say I am not bias towards factory wings, lol. It would be silly for me to not be.
There are many non-bias reasons for it, of course, but the details are all extremely dry. I even bored one of the club's EAA forums to death with it...once.
The cash outlay is large due to the ammount of 'airplane part' that you get. You are buying the whole wing, ribs, tanks, drag truss, all new. assembled, coverd, painted. It arrives in a huge box. I always post the question to the owner...are you going to keep it?
As I said before, if you want the best price, Millman and do the work yourself. I dont trust myself with a tweezers, much less real tools, so its not an option for someone like me. But some owners have plenty of mechanical licensing and its a real option for them.
Well, you cant say I am not bias towards factory wings, lol. It would be silly for me to not be.
There are many non-bias reasons for it, of course, but the details are all extremely dry. I even bored one of the club's EAA forums to death with it...once.
The cash outlay is large due to the ammount of 'airplane part' that you get. You are buying the whole wing, ribs, tanks, drag truss, all new. assembled, coverd, painted. It arrives in a huge box. I always post the question to the owner...are you going to keep it?
As I said before, if you want the best price, Millman and do the work yourself. I dont trust myself with a tweezers, much less real tools, so its not an option for someone like me. But some owners have plenty of mechanical licensing and its a real option for them.