Aériane Swift'Light Quick start guide

Microlight Aircraft and Composite Engineering
Aériane s.a. Rue des Poiriers, 7 B-5030 Gembloux Belgium -Tel.[phone]
e-mail : [email protected] Internet : www.aeriane.com
Swift’Light :
Rigging manual
February 2003

Swift’Light –Rigging manual 2
Contents
Introduction
A.Rigging the cockpit
B.Rigging the wings
C.Rigging the fairing
D.Break-down
Appendix:
qRudders control line
qGround handling
qReinforced areas

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Introduction
The Swift light is designed to be very light and strong. The wings are very tough in
flight and the machine is made to be rigged frequently. The main problems are
encountered when the rigging procedure is not carried out according to
manufacturers specifications. So, you must carry out to the letter the following
procedure to avoid wasted energy and damage, notably on the skin of the wings.
If you follow the following sequence precisely:
-The machine will rig quickly
-You wont leave out anything that could be dangerous
-And you will have a perfect result
The last point concerns particularly the wing fairings and cockpit fairings.
Transport
It is strongly recommended to transport the Swift Light in its XC container. It supports
the wings in respect with the wings twist and with no pressure points. The walls are
relatively insulated and reflect a good amount of sunlight, this protects the wings from
UV and high temperature, to which composite materials are sensitive. The wings are
well protected from mechanical injury. Caution: The Swift container is not watertight.
If the rain wets the container, dry the wings and the container without delay.
Handling
Don’t put point pressure on any of the skin (rocks, etc …).The wing is reinforced
where you have to handle it following the procedure below. Always support the wing
with flat hands on the bottom surface, level with the spar (the thickest part of the
wing) or at either end of the wing. Avoid putting pressure on the top surface, as it is
not reinforced.
Careful of the big leverage effect owing to the great span of the wing:
-When pushing on a winglet to move the glider, this twists the cockpit, as this
can bend the structure.
-When slotting on a wing make sure it is well lined up with the spar or else you
could damage the wing. Always support the wing tip until the wing is fully
slotted onto the spar.
Storage
The wings must be stored in the dry, out of direct sunlight and avoid extreme
temperatures.
If the wings get wet they must be dried as soon as possible.
If the wings are not stored in the XC container then wing supports must be wide and
allow for the twist of the wings.

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A. Rigging the cockpit
1. Put cockpit where you want to rig. 2. Assemble the median frame to the oblique
tubes.
3. Fix these 2 parts with pushpins, with the head up
and the wire to the washer going downward to
avoid this interfering with the wing.
4. Slot the stick assembly rear pin into the eyebolt
found on the right horizontal tube. To do this it
is necessary to pivot the triangular part forward.
5. T
hen fasten the triangular framing to the front tube
with a pushpin.
6. Take out the 2 parts of the tail cone.

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Note: Do not lock the parachute support now.
7. To balance the cockpit in order to fit the wings
you can use the tail cone. So, put the 2 parts
together.
8. Attach the spar. The tips of the spar push
against the inside of the wing and so the angled
end of the spar faces forward. The bolts come
from the back to the front. A plastic washer goes
underneath the wing nut to avoid hanging on the
threaded part of the bolt.
9. Stabilize the cockpit. You can use the tail cone
or the support used to carry the cockpit
underneath the XC container (optional
equipment) or a stick supporting the spar. Don’t
let the cockpit sway side to side as this could
damage the fairing.
10. Put a protection mat where the right wing tip will
come.

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B. Rigging the wings
The procedure below describes rigging the wings on your own. It is, however, easier
to have help to slide the wings on the spar, especially if the wind is strong. (Then
above all don’t get helped!)
11. Put a protection mat underneath the container.
Start by pushing the right wing (Lower one) by
the rib in order to release the last elevon hinge.
12. Pull out 2/3 of the wing. Take the wing by the
bottom surface at the balance point, one hand on
the leading edge, and the other on the trailing
edge. Take the wing right out of the container.
13. Put the wing tip on the ground so you can pivot it.
14. Put the wing tip on the ground so you can pivot it.
15. Put the tip on the protection mat and grab the
wing root.
16. Put yourself in front of the spar on the opposite
side of the wing and slide the wing onto the spar.

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17. Line up the finger of the triangular frame with its
reciprocal female location on the root rib and
engage the wing completely home on to this.
Pass the rudder control line through the shackle.
18. Line up the left wing.
19. Put the wing on the spar tip 20. Take hold of the wing tip and slide it onto the
spar. Be careful not to force the spar box, it
will slide on easily when it is properly lined up in
all axes.
21. When the wing is completely on you may have
wiggle the wing a tiny amount to get the finger of
the triangular frame to go into its location in the
rib.
22. Put in the front pin locking the 2 wings together
then IMMEDIATLY put in its ring. Put the 2nd
winglet / rudder cable in its guide.

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23. A
t the wing tip push it a little backwards to tighten
the wings together …24. … a
nd to aide getting the pin in to fix the back of
the wings together then IMMEDIATLY put in its
ring.
25. (From this point on it is strongly advised to
continue the rigging alone). Take out the elevon
push rod that was pushed into the wing for
transport.
26. Release the elevons rods at the wing root.
27. Connect up the elevon rods to the control stick
rods with the pins, putting the rings on facing
backwards to help the preflight check.
28. Be sure that the pin goes through the 2 rods!

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29. Connect up the flap cables.30. Pulling almost all flap you can release pressure
on the flap push rods and so take the retaining
pins out and releasing the rods
from the inside of
the wing.
31. Connect the elevons up with the pin and ring..
The elevons must be connected before the
winglets are put on. Do not connect up the flaps
yet.
32. Put the bracket on the rudder together with its
elastic return. The knot of the elastic is facing up.
33. Fit the winglet and make sure that the spring pin
is properly engaged. 34. Put the split pin through the rib and the rear winglet tube. The split pin must come out the
other side of the rib. The split pin is twisted
towards the wing and goes from the back to the
front.

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35. Pass the rudder line through the stainless steel
bracket. 36. Offer up the tip fairing and position. Pass the rudder cable through the little window.
37. Rest the bottom surface on your knee. Line up
the turbulator on the top surface with the
corresponding mark on the fairing.
38. Press down to engage the Velcro
from the line up
point …
39. … towards the leading and trailing edges. 40. Do the same thing on the bottom surface, from
the leading edge to the trailing edge one hand on
each side of the tip rib.

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41. Line up the exterior superior edge of the fairing
with a Velcro just underneath the hinge of the
rudder. In doing this you can tension that edge
so that the fairing will marry up the exact form of
the winglet.
42. Close up the rear horizontal part of the fairing
making sure that the 2 skins line up perfectly with
the elevon.
43. Close up the vertical part making sure that they
line up with the rudder 44. Make sure that the fairing fits snugly to the winglet, you can adjust by playing with the rear
Velcro’s.
45. See that the rudder has full and free movement
and does not touch the fairing 46. Connect up the rudder control. Make sure that the quick link is properly closed. Never put
tension on the quick link until it is screwed shut.

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47. Offer up the tiplet. First put in the rear screw a
few turn and then put the front screw in and
screw up all the way. Finally, screw up the rear
one.
48. Put the vortillonson, point facing forward!
49. Connect up the cablesto the pedals.
Do not put them round the wrong way !
The left wing line to the left pedal.
50. Put the ASI probe on.
G
51. Check that the rudders are working properly and
put your instrumentation on before putting on
your screens.

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C. PUTTING THE FAIRINGS ON.
Be careful with the screens as they scratch easily when not in place. Only unpack
them at the last moment.
52. Offer up the left part of the tail cone. Line up the
bottom rear corner with the wheel fairing then
press home the Velcro going forward.
53. With the slide latches open, insert the bushes
into the opening.
54. From the rear angle, press the Velcro following
the rear edge. 55. Close the latches.
56. Offer up the left side and follow the same
procedure. 57. Put in the pins at the rear of the cone in the corresponding openings then put the 2 semi
cones between the wheel
fairing and the tail cone
end.

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58. Put the corner reinforcement on the top part. 59. Finish joining the 2 semi cones together on the
top junction.
60. Put the parachute window in place (it is placed in
the head rest during transport). Lock the
parachute support.
61. Offer up the right window lining up the rear top
corner with its line up mark on the tail cone.
62. Follow down the vertical recess of the tail cone. 63. Then follow along the oblique tube.

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64. Do the same thing to the other side window then
close up the zip between them. 65. Put the flaps of the windows on the trailing edge of the wings so that the widows line up with the
top surface.
66. Offer up the side window starting with the bottom
forward corner following the side tube down. 67. Follow the vertical edge engaging the Velcro.
68. Then follow along the bottom fairing. 69. Make sure that the Velcro is properly in by
squeezing tightly.

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70. Tighten up the Velcro on the oblique tube as well.
Then fit the left side widow in the same manner. 71. Offer up the wind screen
72.
Clip the pipe clip on at about 2/3 up the front tube
thenslide it up. Attach the bottom pipe clip. 73. Position the point of the windscreen before engaging the Velcro.
74. Tension the windscreen and engage the Velcro
from the front to the back. 75. Go up the upright tube pressing the Velcro firmly in.

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A careful pre-flight check has to be done before each flight!
76. Go back over the fairing pressing the Velcro
firmly home. 77. Offer up the windscreen fairing symmetrically.
78. Velcro progressively starting from the
front, lining
up with the windscreen Velcro.79. Connect up the flap pu
sh rods. ( The flap control
should be set at 0 to 15 degrees to make the
connection easy.)

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D. Derigging
In general follow the rigging instruction starting at the end and working back wards.
Take care with the windows as these scratch easily. It is best to keep them very
clean and only clean them with a damp rag –never dry. Store the windows in their
protective bags as soon as you have take them off, making sure that there is no dust
in them.
Before taking off the wings make sure that you have disconnected all the control
cables.
Make sure:
•The flap push rods are pinned to the wing ( do to before disconnecting the flap
control inside the cockpit.)
•The elevon push rods are pushed inside the wing both at the elevon and
cockpit ends.
•The flap cables are hidden inside the wing.
Before pushing the wings inside the container make sure that there are not any
stones or other things that could scratch the wing.
1. In the bag:
a.1 tiplet with the 4 screws.
b. The second tiplet comes in the first one.
c.2 rudder brackets and 2 vortillons
2. Start with the left wing (top wing in the container)
After having taken out the fixing pins take the
wing by its balance point in front of the leading
edge. With 2 people:one at the tip and one at
the root cord, leading edge side.

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1. Carry the wing vertically 2. Put the tip on the ground on a
protection mat and
take hold of the root cord.
3. Rotate the wing to horizontal and work your way
to the balance point 4. Once you have found the balance point put the wing on the top level in the container.
5. Before collapsing the cockpit, stow the tail semi
cones under the hammock 6. Put the semi cones in 1 by 1 putting a protection clothe them.

Swift’Light –Rigging manual 20
7. After removing the push pin fold the front tube
down back wards. Swing the triangular frame
forwards a bit to disengage the control column
then bring the control stick against the thick side
tube and fold down the triangular tube.
8.
Before folding down the side frames get the flap
pulleys out of the way so that they don’t get
squashed when you fold the side tubes down.
9. Fold the side frames down before the rear tubes
and then the parachute stay / head rest.