Perfect Tape Hinging

Attach aileron hinge tape to the upper and lower sides of a wing’s hinge joint as follows. Place the wing on the edge of your workbench and, if necessary, secure it to the bench with masking tape. Turn the aileron upside down and place it on the wing so that its leading edge is perfectly aligned with the wing’s trailing edge in the aileron bay. Center the aileron side-to-side and then temporarily apply masking tape as necessary to hold it in position. If there is any bowing in the aileron, apply a small, padded weight. Apply the strip of aileron tape down the middle of the joint and carefully smooth it down to ensure a good bond. Rotate the aileron to its full downward deflection and anchor it with a piece of masking tape. Apply the hinge tape to the top surface of the hinge joint. You now have a perfectly aligned and sealed tape hinge.

Nick Appleby, Phoenix, AZ