Slingsby Sport Vega Quick start guide

August 2016 Sport Vega rigging guide v1-1 Page 1
Crown Service Gliding Club
Slingsby Sport Vega
Rigging/De-rigging Guide
This Guide should be treated only as an aide-memoire—it is no substitute for a
briefing and demonstration. Rigging the Sport Vega from its trailer is very easy
and needs only two people.
This Guide covers the details special to the CSGC trailer.
Rigging
Preparation
To open the trailer the rear needs to be raised (ie. the front lowered). Lower the
tailgate and re-jack the front of the trailer so that it doesn’t rock fore-and-aft.
Having opened the trailer place the wooden wedge in position to ensure the
main wheel has a smooth transit:
Remove the cushions out in place for the tailplane.

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Remove the trestles and fuselage support and place in position:
Procedure
1. First remove the fuselage from the trailer: untie the strap at the tail and lift
the tail wheel out of the well and that will then release the fuselage to be
pulled out of the trailer.
Rear wheel well
Rear
fuselage
strap

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2. When the fuselage is in position far enough away (a wing’s length) from
the trailer, place the stand firmly in position under the nose.
3. Remove the metal trailer fuselage support and attachments where the wing
roots fit and put to one side; when finished place back in the trailer. It is
important that the fuselage is straight and level for the wings to fit.
4. At this point remove the tail plane from its support at the tail and place on
the cushions. This is because the fuselage stand is not very stable and if the
fuselage tips over it could damage the tailplane.
5. Next, the wings—remove the port wing from the trailer by lifting the root
and dragging it out, rolling on the tip trolley and keeping the air brakes
closed. Take care that the tip doesn’t slip out of the trolley. Check the two
spherical bearings in the root are lined up as shown; one here and one
forward of the tang.
The spigots on the fuselage go in these bearings.
6. The second person now lifts the tip and the wing is carried to the fuselage
and rotated flat. Lift the aileron to the level position and insert the root tang

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into the fuselage and then place the trestle to support the tip. With the
aileron central the automatic connection lines up better.
Check on the starboard side the end of the spar is even and adjust the trestle
if necessary:
7. Remove the starboard wing in the same way and insert the root into the
fuselage. Note that the starboard wing especially is trailing edge-heavy
when lifted by the spar root; so be sure that the trailing edge is held upright
when lifting out of the trailer.
This spigot must line up
with the hole in the
starboard wing root when
both wings are in place.

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8. Make sure the spigots on the ends of the tangs line up with the holes in the
opposite wing’s root, and if necessary pull the wings together using the
rigging tool:
If there is a problem pulling the wings together it sometimes helps to move
the tip in a circular motion to find the right position.
9. Place the main pin through the spars and rotate the shorter rod to clip into
the locking hole at the bottom.
Locking pin
rotated into this hole
Push in
and rotate

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10. Now the wings are on, fit the tailplane. First, remove the safety clip from
the long pin at the top of the fin and screw the rigging tool into the end and
pull it out.
11. The tailplane can then be placed in position:
It might need a gentle thump on top with the flat of the hand to persuade it
to settle into place.
Safety clip fits here
Don’t lose it!
Rigging tool
screws in here
Pull
out

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Secure it with the tailplane pin inserted and pushed right in by the rigging
tool:
12. Check that the groove on the end of the pin is horizontal so that the safety
clip can be inserted:
13. Tape up the gaps between the wings and the fuselage and the joint between
the fin and the tailplane.
The groove for the
clip is horizontal

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Simples!
Now DI the glider and remember to get an independent check of the controls.

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De-rigging
Preparation
Make sure the trailer is open and cleared out to receive the glider—and place the
wooden wedge in position as for rigging.
Position the trestles and place the fuselage support under the cockpit.
Procedure
1. First position the tailplane holder on the rear fuselage.
2. Then remove the tailplane and set it on cushions well away from the action:
Removing the safety clip Screw the rigging tool into the pin and
pull the pin out
Normally one would place the tailplane in its holder straight away but the
Vega’s fuselage stand is not very stable, and if the fuselage topples over the
tailplane would be damaged.

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3. Now the wings can be removed and stowed in the trailer.
•With the port wing supported on a trestle, lift the starboard tip to take
its weight. Then the main wing pin can be removed:
•Use the rigging tool to separate the wings. Take care as either wing
could come out first.
•Carry the wings to the trailer and carefully place each tip in its dolly
and roll the wings into the trailer— port wing goes on the right and
...rotate
and pull
out
Press down to
release the pin...

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starboard on the left; i.e. top surfaces to the outside of the trailer (as
marked in the trailer). Make certain the tips are in position at the end
of the trailer as the wooden tracks do not always keep the wing dolly
on course. Secure the wing roots:
4. Make sure the rigging tool is stowed in front of the battery tray, close the
canopy and assemble the the metal support on the fuselage:
Fitting the fuselage centre-section
fittings—they have straps which clip
together inside the fuselage to hold the
fittings in place
Slot in the fuselage top fitting

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5. Place the tailplane in its holder on the rear fuselage. Secure with the
bungee.
Slide the tailplane through the hoop
on the holder...
...and set it into the slot.
Secure with the bungee
6. Roll the fuselage into the trailer. You will need to help the roller into the
guidance rail; make sure that the fuselage is straight, upright and central in
the trailer when the roller is placed in the rail:
7. Lastly, lash down the tail using the strap, and replace all the trestles etc and
close the trailer. Jack up the front of the trailer and check it is tied down.