FT EXPLORER spar improvement

[Flybichou]

Hello to everybody,
Here my solution preventing the FT Explorer inflight wingfolding process well documented on Youtube, based on a 4 mm steel bar, 2x 8x3 pinewood sticks, an aluminium tube and 2 x 1mm aircraft plywood spacers.
Advantages :
-strenght
-modularity (easy possible process to increase wingspan)
-advanced storage (2x 1/2 wing)
-short building time (about 2.5 hours, including R&D !)
-weight increase negligible
My ailerons wing will include the same modifications.
I stay you informed about the first flight.
It is my first FT build. Really amazing and cool.
Greetings from cold Switzerland.
Ol ivier

 

[Tench745]

I'm confused about the purpose of the aluminum tube.

 

[Flybichou]

Hello Tench,
1 aluminium tube in each 1/2 wing, the 4mm steel bar joining them.
Note the 3mm steel bar on the picture, not intended for this model, but showing
the dihedral.
One of my design advantage: testing the best dihedral is very easy, just make another one
with an other angle !
I suggest one improvement and will include this in my ailerons wing:
close the aluminium tube Inside of the wing. This will prevent a dihedralless steel bar (if you want to try a dihedralless wing) disappearing in the aluminium tube ...

 

[Tench745]

Ah, I like it. Don't know how it will hold up to high-G maneuvers, but a good solution nonetheless.