Foldable Corby Starlet

[Geoff_H]

Has anyone made a trailable Corby Starlet?  Folding wings maybe, or even removable wings with a reasonably quick reassembly.  

[facthunter]

Never heard of one. The wing structure is unique on a Corby. Laminated one piece wooden spar. It could maybe be done like a Kittyhawk bolted up  from the bottom..  Nev

[Thruster88]

Simple folding wind aircraft are usually high wing with struts. Kitfox, Glastar etc. Strut supports wing at all times. Spar has no carry thru. Would not be feasible on a cantilevered wing. Quick remove like the RV12 is an option for cantilever wing types.

[Geoff_H]

It appears that there maybe a 2 piece spar option with a joining plate in the middle.  I was wondering if anyone had worked out a way to separate it or make some other arrangements for quickly changing the wings.  If I bought one I know that I would prefer to trailer it.

Geoff

[rodgerc]

[Geoff_H]

I like it.  Any details on the way it was converted?

[spacesailor]

Hummel Birds have removable outer wings.

One builder has upward hinged folding wings .

Dave King 19-1945 has a Rotax air-cooled motor in his .

spacesailor

[rodgerc]

9 hours ago, Geoff_H said:

I like it.  Any details on the way it was converted?

It’s not a converter Corby but rather a stock standard Sonex Onex

Edited October 14 by rodgerc
Typo

[facthunter]

Pity to alter probably the best wooden spar in the game. Nev

[Geoff_H]

I have noticed that the aircraft with folding/removable wings seem to be metal aircraft.  Is there a problem with removing and retightening timber bolts?  What if the Corby was trailered by removing and re torquing the attachment and inter spar coupling bolts?  Besides taking a long time would this deteriorate the timber from stress cycling (assuming that the bolts are not used in shear only capacity?

[facthunter]

I think you will Muck up a good aeroplane. You will also add a lot of weight. Resale Value?  Its aerobatic as is. . .   Nev

[Geoff_H]

For me it is more about keeping costs down by trailering the aircraft. I paid a small fortune for hangerage when I had my GA aircraft.  Being timber and 'fabric' the craft cannot be stored in the open.   But i think that all that i would have to add would be cable quick releases.

Geoff

[Thruster88]

Once you have removed and reinstalled the wings twice you will be over it and be making excuses not to go flying. Cheapest way to fly is join an aero club that has an LSA. Cowra has a brumby for $150 per hour wet, we only make a modest profit and the aircraft is flying a lot more hours than a typical privately owned so our fixed costs are spread over many more hours. Pay as you go. Only cheap aircraft is a $5k thruster kept in a farm shed😎

[Geoff_H]

Unfortunately Cowra takes a long time for me to get there.  But I like your idea. 

[rodgerc]

 

[rgmwa]

On 14/10/2024 at 4:00 PM, Thruster88 said:

 Quick remove like the RV12 is an option for cantilever wing types.

Removing the wings is quick but re-installing them is a lot slower and is a two-person job because the tolerances for the two retaining pins are very tight. Using a pipe expander is the best way to align them and pull them up tight against the pressure created by the wing root seals. I would not trailer an RV-12.