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Update on My Wing Rebuild...Roger and Darin Meggers

WindOnHisNose

BENEFACTOR
Lino Lakes MN (MY18)
I flew the cub out to Baker MT in January and after some delays Roger and Darin Meggers have made good progress on the cub. I am hoping to have it back in time for the Missouri Breaks.

First, the intent was to simply recover the wings and install the Xbrace and install larger fuel tanks. Shortly after getting into the project the Meggers called to tell me that the existing ribs were in pretty tough shape. This is no surprise. The aircraft was put on its back shortly after the first owner took possession, landing on snow. The wings were recovered by a shop that I have come to know as being not a great one. The Meggers found most ribs damaged and the repairs were shoddy, at best. This changed entirely the scope of the project, and we decided to make some other modifications while the plane was apart.

Here are the changes/repairs that are made/being made:

1. Replace all the ribs with Dakota Cub ribs. The spars, thankfully, were in good shape;
2. Install Dakota Cub 24 gallon tanks;
3. Install a JPI fuel flow meter;
4. Replace the strobes with LED strobes on the wing tips;
5. Install LED landing lights in both wings (already existed in left wing);
6. Install the 2000 lbs "One Ton" modification (wanted this in case I decide to put on amphibs in the future);
7. Replace the battery shelf (was in really bad shape) and replace the Concorde battery with the smaller battery;
8. Replace the stock fuel selector with (I believe) the Dakota Cub fuel selector;
9. Remove the existing 121.5 ELT and replace with the ACK 406 ELT; Tie this in with the Garmin 796 to improve search and rescue ops;
10. Replace the windshield;
11. Replace the skylight with a tinted skylight;
12. Install the Xbrace modification;
13. Replace the wing root covers and rewire to clean up these areas;
14. Install a cross brace in the tail section to improve strength thereof;
15. Recover, prime and paint the wings using same paint scheme;
16. Install Atlee's tie down attachments;
17. Replace seats front and rear.

I decided to wait for the ACME shocks for now. I am also going to hold on to installing a Baby Bushwheel for the time being.

This isn't going to be cheap, but I am thinking these repairs/changes/mods will keep me flying this airplane for a long time. Roger and Darin are not only wonderful people, but also very attentive to detail and they have a wealth of knowledge for the cubs. I am so happy to have crossed paths with them.

Photos to follow...

Randy
 
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The Ryan and Darin Meggers begins to take things apart for assessment...
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The old battery shelf...
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After...
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I elected to keep the battery in the back, as I like having the space open under the front seat.

Randy
 

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The wings were taken apart and the spars looked good...
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Ribs were purchased and assembled...
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Landing light mechanisms installed by Ryan...
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Leading edges installed by Darin...
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Flaps and ailerons fitted...
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New tanks are installed, ready to cover...
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Covering process begins...
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Primer and painting followed...

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Prepping, covering...
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Randy- You’ll have to stop at STC sometime. I have a similar project going.

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Wing roots were a mess, before and after...
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Reworked electrical, cleaned things up a bunch, chose to install the JPI fuel flow in left wing root...
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Darin installing cross brace in tail...
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Installing Xbrace in cockpit, before...
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After...
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Windshield prepped...
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Tinted skylight install...
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That's about all the pertinent photos for now. I am counting down the days until it is finished, and really hoping this will be completed so that I can fly Montana a bit in June.

I appreciate all of you who have asked how things are going, and hope this helps. The Meggers run a top notch shop!

Randy
 

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The Meggers men are absolute gems. Excellent craftsmen and just the nicest folks.

But, those are Univair ribs and I am sorry Doc, that Wipaire kit is only gonna get you one ton, not two [emoji6]

Looking forward to seeing you back Cubbing about!

P.S. If you are really thinking floats and Roger and Darrin get under the floorboards, they can probably run a bunch of lines and wires for you...
 
Excellent suggestion, Amy. Relayed the message to Roger and Darin.

Thanks for the heads up for one ton vs two :lol:

Randy
 
A side note about the stall warning sensor...

I was at New Holstein several years ago shooting the bull with the usual suspects and we were standing by my cub. One of the more elegant, tall gentlemen was standing resting his left hand on the leading edge of my right wing near the stall sensor and I mentioned that it had been driving me a little nuts in that it would sound the stall alarm when I knew darned good and well that I was not near a stall. This was disconcerting not only to me, but particularly to Julie in the back seat. He looked at it, then at me and said he knew exactly how to fix it, if I wanted him to. I said sure and he took out his trusty leatherman tool and unscrewed the plate and calmly disconnected the wires leading to the unit, then reinstalling the plate. He looked at me and smiled, stating that this had been a continual problem for him when he was operating a base up north and this was a easy solution.

Roger and Darin chose to take a different approach, installing a new unit and installing a switch in the wing root that can be flipped to disarm the thing. That will work for me!

Randy
 
A side note about the stall warning sensor...

I was at New Holstein several years ago shooting the bull with the usual suspects and we were standing by my cub. One of the more elegant, tall gentlemen was standing resting his left hand on the leading edge of my right wing near the stall sensor and I mentioned that it had been driving me a little nuts in that it would sound the stall alarm when I knew darned good and well that I was not near a stall. This was disconcerting not only to me, but particularly to Julie in the back seat. He looked at it, then at me and said he knew exactly how to fix it, if I wanted him to. I said sure and he took out his trusty leatherman tool and unscrewed the plate and calmly disconnected the wires leading to the unit, then reinstalling the plate. He looked at me and smiled, stating that this had been a continual problem for him when he was operating a base up north and this was a easy solution.

Roger and Darin chose to take a different approach, installing a new unit and installing a switch in the wing root that can be flipped to disarm the thing. That will work for me!

Randy
I had Pierce switch mine, love it...
 
A side note about the stall warning sensor...

I was at New Holstein several years ago shooting the bull with the usual suspects and we were standing by my cub. One of the more elegant, tall gentlemen was standing resting his left hand on the leading edge of my right wing near the stall sensor and I mentioned that it had been driving me a little nuts in that it would sound the stall alarm when I knew darned good and well that I was not near a stall. This was disconcerting not only to me, but particularly to Julie in the back seat. He looked at it, then at me and said he knew exactly how to fix it, if I wanted him to. I said sure and he took out his trusty leatherman tool and unscrewed the plate and calmly disconnected the wires leading to the unit, then reinstalling the plate. He looked at me and smiled, stating that this had been a continual problem for him when he was operating a base up north and this was a easy solution.

Roger and Darin chose to take a different approach, installing a new unit and installing a switch in the wing root that can be flipped to disarm the thing. That will work for me!

Randy

Why not just bend the tab so it works properly and gives an accurate warning?

Kurt
 
Randy,
The tail brace that is being installed, is that the Atlee dodge one? Can you install it on a covered fuselage? I have an A model with a metal belly so I can get up in there.... Project is looking awesome!
Andrew
 
The plate in the stall warning vane has slots and needs to be adjusted, circuit breaker switch works well too.

Do you have the headerless fuel system (left, right, both)?

Edit: I see the header tanks.The bottom circuit breakers will interfer with the right front fuel line that is added when you go headerless. Just got into this issue myself. Had to modify the fuel line.
 
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Randy,
The tail brace that is being installed, is that the Atlee dodge one? Can you install it on a covered fuselage? I have an A model with a metal belly so I can get up in there.... Project is looking awesome!
Andrew
It is a clamp in affair but can be welded in at rebuild.
 
Randy,
The tail brace that is being installed, is that the Atlee dodge one? Can you install it on a covered fuselage? I have an A model with a metal belly so I can get up in there.... Project is looking awesome!
Andrew
I am not sure where they purchased this, but I do know they installed it on my covered fuselage, via the removed metal belly!

Thank you!

Randy
 
Wings are on!
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Roger's Twin Grandkids lending a helping hand...
Wings attached kids on tail.jpg

Looking good, especially those grandkids!

Randy
 

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come on over when its done. I'm pretty sure we could get it broke in properly !!
A few Sagebrush scratches on the belly and tailfeathers and cow manure on the wings !!
 
That dog in the pictures scared the bejesus out of me when I flew over there for my physical in April. Twice. First as I was looking for the courtesy car keys I didn’t notice him on the couch and turned around looking for the keys when Woof he jumped off the couch but was friendly -but big enough to eat me. Then After My physical I was talking on the phone,,,forgot all about the dog and he got me again,so good this time that I put the keys in my jacket pocket and flew home,,,next day Roger left me a message wondering if I was the cause of the missing keys...I flew them back over and remembered the dog this time...:oops:
 
Jim, you are right. I flew the cub over in January, just after taking the skis off, and the biggest tires I can put on with the Federal skis are 8.50's. It is taking a tad bit longer than I thought to complete this project (the fellas found more than expected to repair), so I'll probably just do the western flying on the 8.50's rather than fly it back to MN just to put on the 31" Bushwheels. Just don't poke too much fun at me, pardner...

Randy, with the small tires
 
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