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Date:  1-5-2018
Number of Hours:  3.00
Manual Reference:  Section 7
Brief Description:  Repair "Snowman" Hole in Right Aileron

On 9 December I described a mistake I made rermoving a bad rivet and creating a "snowman" shaped hole. I wrote to Van's and described the scenario and received the following reply from Eric Rushing:

I see a few alternatives here:
1) I would fill that hole with JB-Weld and move on. As it stands, that rivet will loosen up over time. It might never turn into a structural issue.
2) Drill those rivets out, drill the rivets out to either side so you have 4 open rivets in a line. Fabricate a doubler the same thickness as the spar and match drill it to the 4 open holes (machine countersink the #40 holes and slightly countersink the #30 holes. Rivet it in.
3) You could replace the spar but I probably wouldn’t go that far. #1 should be sufficient.

I elected to go with Option #1. I received an endoscope for Christmas and used it to take before and after pictures inside the aileron. I drilled the rivets on the end rib and removed it to provide access. Flattened the end of some 1/8 wooden dowel, mixed JB Weld and used the dowel to apply the JB Weld while looking through the scope. Was able to fill the hole and totally surround the rivet. Set the aileron with the JB Weld down so gravity would help continue to flow into the hole and left it overnight.
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Endoscope of snowman hole

Endoscope of snowman hole

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Remove end rib

Remove end rib

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Endoscope of JB Weld

Endoscope of JB Weld

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