• Welcome aboard HomebuiltAirplanes.com, your destination for connecting with a thriving community of more than 10,000 active members, all passionate about home-built aviation. Dive into our comprehensive repository of knowledge, exchange technical insights, arrange get-togethers, and trade aircrafts/parts with like-minded enthusiasts. Unearth a wide-ranging collection of general and kit plane aviation subjects, enriched with engaging imagery, in-depth technical manuals, and rare archives.

    For a nominal fee of $99.99/year or $12.99/month, you can immerse yourself in this dynamic community and unparalleled treasure-trove of aviation knowledge.

    Embark on your journey now!

    Click Here to Become a Premium Member and Experience Homebuilt Airplanes to the Fullest!

Foam ribs with plywood capstrips?

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

ToddK

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2016
Messages
1,097
Location
Shweaty Texas
I remember that seeing that Brian Austein's Woodpecker was built with foam ribs and wood cap strips. That turned out to be a fairly fast and tough little bird. Unfortunately there have never been any photos or details about the inner structure of the wing made available. I have widely circulated tests from a 1999 sail plane group where a member found that a solid 1" foam rib with a cap strip turned out to be incredibly strong and very light.

What I am wondering is if wood ribs are ever designed to bear a portion of the horizontal compression loads? My particular airplane has 3 1x1 spruce members to handle compression loads between the spars, and I am wondering of the stick build ribs are also factored into loading, and if foam ribs would screw all that up.

The obvious thing to do would be to build a wood rib, and a foam rib and see how each handles compression loading. Just curious if any one has already done that or had any thoughts on the topic.
 
Back
Top