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In the future I would like to build a home built aircraft from scratch, but I would like the aircraft to be able to be hauled by trailer. I would like the wings to be removable but don’t have a definitive answer on how to go about building the wings and how the control cables would connect to the ailerons. I would also like to know how the detachable wings would be attached and kept to the main body of the aircraft securely without falling off. The wings are elliptical that come out straight for about six ribs, then angle up at about 15 degrees.

Logan Bell
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    Quite a few homebuilt aircraft are already designed to be 'trailerable', with either removable or folding wings - google 'trailerable homebuilt aircraft' or 'homebuilt aircraft removable wings'. – Fiddlesticks Feb 06 '18 at 02:09
  • Contact your local EAA chapter and ask. – Dan Pichelman Feb 06 '18 at 13:58
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    It sounds like you wish to both design and build your first aircraft. May I suggest that you first home built aircraft should be someone else's design, one that already has the removable wing feature that you want? That doesn't mean you have to use a kit, but it would mean at least using proven plans. Then you would not have to learn both aeronautical engineering and how to build an aircraft at the same time. I hope I am not talking down to you; please correct me if I am off base. – Wayne Conrad Feb 06 '18 at 23:09
  • @DanPichelman Hey, you seem to be assuming he's from US... What makes you think so ? AFAIK, EAA is mainly present there, I don't think there are present in many parts of the world. – kebs Feb 07 '18 at 17:01
  • @kebs - I wasn't assuming the OP's from the US, but I was assuming EAA was global. Looking at their chapter map it looks like I was mostly wrong - just US & Canada. That's disappointing. They make a big fuss about international visitors to Airventure and there are plenty of non-US articles in their magazine. Thanks for the comment. – Dan Pichelman Feb 07 '18 at 17:08

2 Answers2

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Planes on board of aircraft carriers have this: they need to fit all next together in a tight space, so they are made with foldable wings. This photo shows the folding mechanism:

enter image description hereImage source

  • Both sides of the split end in a full rib plate.
  • The two ends are connected via two large pins. The upper pin is the fold-up hinge, the lower pin is moved in-out via a hydraulic cylinder.
  • Aileron control is via a push-pull rod, with a connection bolt right at the wing hinge point, so that the wing part of the linkage can fold up/down.

The vertical black rod keeps the wing up. If one would like to remove the wing completely, only the upper wing pin and the aileron push-pull connection rod would need to be disconnected.

Koyovis
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    have a look at sailplanes- almost all of them are built to be trailerable, with detachable wings and aileron, trim and flap controls that are detachable too. – niels nielsen Feb 06 '18 at 04:00
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Sailplanes are built with removable wings to load on a trailer for transport to another airfield or in case of a land out. Check The Soaring Society of America website for a glider club near you.

Sailplane Pilot
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    Welcome to the site! Will the Soaring Society of America really tell me about glider clubs near me? Remember that about 95% of people in the world live outside the USA. – David Richerby Feb 06 '18 at 17:16