11. Before installing the new wing, you should
take advantage of improved accessibility to inspect
and repair corrosion damage, and renew
preservative coatings in previously inaccessible
areas.
The petty officer in charge should ensure that the
following general precautions are taken in installing a
wing or wing section.
1. Check the identification tag of the new
assembly to make sure it is the correct replacement
unit.
2. See that extreme care is taken in removing the
wing from the container, preventing any possible
damage.
3. Inspect the new wing or wing section for
possible damage incurred during shipment or removal
from the container. The container should be used for
shipping the damaged wing to the depot maintenance
facility.
4. With the wing in position for installation and
properly supported, ensure that all structural bolts are
installed and the nuts properly torqued.
STABILIZERS
The removal and installation of stabilizers
are similar, in most cases, to that of wings and
wing panels. On many aircraft the horizontal
stabilizer is a movable airfoil, controllable from
the cockpit. On some of these aircraft, it is used
in conjunction with the elevators to maintain
longitudinal control at sonic speeds where the
elevators have a tendency to lose their
effectiveness.
On other aircraft the movable
horizontal stabilizer serves the dual purpose of
elevators and stabilizers and, in many instances,
is referred to as a stabilator.
Some aircraft have an empennage or tail group
that consists of all-movable horizontal stabilizers and
a single all-movable vertical stabilizer. These aircraft
do not have elevators or a rudder.
The removal and installation of stabilizers, like
that of the wing, are major jobs and must be
accomplished with care and close supervision.
Step-by-step instructions of the removal and
installation of stabilizers are also included in the
“Airframes” section of the applicable MIM. Many of
the general precautions listed under “Removal and
Installation of Wings” also apply to stabilizer removal
and installation.
CAUTION
FLIGHT CONTROL SURFACES
The attaching bolts should never be forced;
if they bind, check alignment of the wing.
Forcing the attaching bolts will result in
damage to the wing structure.
5. Make certain that all tubing, electrical con-
nectors, control cables, and any other disconnected
mechanisms are properly connected.
6. Check the operation of all mechanisms that
were disconnected during removal.
Make the
necessary rigging adjustments in accordance with the
applicable MIM before installing access doors and
fairings.
7. Make a final inspection of the completed job.
It is sometimes necessary to remove control
surfaces from aircraft to repair or replace them.
The instructions presented in the following
paragraphs are general instructions, applicable to
several types of aircraft. For specific instructions
and precautions, you should always consult the
MIM before removing a control surface from any
aircraft.
Removal of a control surface should not be
attempted until the aircraft is placed in a hangar or
an area protected from the wind. Before any
control surface is removed from the aircraft, it
should be tagged with the bureau number of the
aircraft and the location of the control surface on
the aircraft.
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