| Safety Directive 501 - Tip Cap & Tip Webbing need inspection Click here to print Safety Directive 501 |
| Status: Mandatory - All Wings are Grounded until inspection has been completed |
| Date: July 10, 2024 |
| Issue: Yellow Tip Webbing abrasion from aluminum tube, cutting through webbing. Tip Cap Shrinkage making the cap too small, and it can get pressed down into the shim tube or Leading Edge tube and causes abrasion on the Tip Webbing Strap. |
| Background: We believe the wings with tip caps made from 2021 on could have this issue. However, we want to check all wings, no matter the year it was made. This is the first failure we have been aware of (July 2024). The wing we know about that has had a problem, had over 300 hours. Wings over the last 26 years, up until now have not had any issues that we know of. |
| Scope: We believe this is limited to 2021 wings or newer. However, we are requiring that ALL WINGS from 1996 to 2024 are not flown until inspected. This directive is to check the Yellow Tip Webbing on your wing, and measure the size of the Tip Cap, and check shims - making sure they don’t have a sharp edge. |
| 1 • Check to make sure the tip webbing is not cut through where it makes the bend. 2 • Check the tip cap, to ensure that it is not wedged down into the Leading Edge tube or Shim if it has shims. 3 • Make sure the Leading Edge tube or the shims do not have sharp edges. |
| Authorized Persons: Owner, LSA-R-M or an A&P or higher is allowed to execute this Safety Directive in accordance with the instructions in this directive. Tools and Articles Required: Phillips screwdriver |
| Compliance: Follow instructions to take the tip cap off and inspect the webbing, and measure the tip cap. This is also how you would add or take out shims for tuning your wing. To check the strap and tip cap, you must remove the yellow tip strap from around the tip cap and look at the inside of the strap for excessive wear. You can do this while the wing is on the trike, or when the wing is off the trike. We want to compile a data base of straps that are worn and needs to be replaced. We need model, serial number and hours on the wing. |
| Procedure: |
| 1 - Remove the Nose Rib and sail mount screws at the nose. |
 |
 2 - Take out the Tip Strut and first 3 curved Ribs. |
 3 - Take the cross bar haul back cable off the latch hook (Bailey Block). You will need to pull the sail in a little, so the sail is slack. It is best to take a little loop of rope or a sail tie buckle strap and extend the cable by about 9" and hook to the Bailey Block. This is to prevent the wing from coming back too much. |
 4 - Un-velcro the loops around the Leading Edge at the tip. Using the black finger loop strap, pull the main Yellow strap off the Tip Cap. |
| 5 - Now you need to take the Tip Cap out of the Leading Edge. To do this, you must release the wedge on the inside of the tip cap. Unscrew the 2 screws about 1/4" out. Now with the screw drive on the head of the screw, hit the top of the screw driver pushing the screws back flush. Now the cap can rotate and pull out. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Let us know what you need at ultrikes@northwing.com |
