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Ralph; Removing the wings to take a good look at the center section is
easy, if you have done it before. Two people working together can have
both
wings off in an hour.
Cutting the eight inspection holes, deburring, riveting in all the
back up material after setting up and drilling the holes will take about 3
hours, if you have done that work before. If the person doing ti has not
done
any of this before, expect it to take longer as they learn what and how to
do
it.
However, neither way is perfect. Cutting the inspection holes does
not
let you look at the front spar area behind the fuel tanks. Removing the
wings
gets a look at that area, but it is still difficult to see the area behind
the rear spar, especially the inboard rib, where John Wright has found
many
to be corroded.
I was the one who recommended doing both. I have completed three of
these inspections so far, and have found light surface corrosion on a
couple
Alons bottom skins, as well as the inboard rib corrosion. If you pull the
wings, you will be able to look into the area behind the fuel tanks and
determine if any corrosion is present. To remove the fuel tanks requires
removing the fairing between the fuselage and the wing, disconnecting the
fuel lines, and removing the screws that hold the fuel tanks to the spar.
It
is tedious for one person because of the 32 nuts on the inside of the
fuselage that hold each fairing in place, but it can be done alone.
Pulling the wings, inspecting behind the fuel tanks and inside the
center section, cutting the holes (especially the two behind the rear
spar)
and looking at that rear spar area will give you peace of mind about the
Coupe's condition. If you cut all the holes, then when the inspection
comes
due in another 3 years, it can be done in less than an hour.
Lynn Nelsen
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