My Ventus 2 does not have this airbrake hole, although the POH still
mentions it, so I set the air brakes about 2.5" open for rigging. Mark,
if you have this guide hole. can you measure how far your brakes
have to be open, exactly, so I can use that in future?

I thought the suggestion of taping the first wing sounded a good
idea, I'll try that.

My experience is that its 99% a matter of wing alignment, plus
having the cockpit levers set according to the POH. I've found that
anything lying in the cockpit that causes the control column to sit off
center will also cause a problem. I check the wing-fuselage gaps,
both on top and lower surfaces, as an aid to wing alignment. If the
wing pins are aligned, and all controls set right, very little force is
usually needed to pull the wings together on the Ventus. If
something isn't aligned, no amount of force will help.

The final inch does have more resistance, I guess because the pins
are naturally made to be tight-ish fits. I find an plastic eccentric tool
helps a lot with the last 1/2" with no chance of damage. I got mine at

http://glidersource.com/cgi-bin/post.cgi?id=145



At 02:30 22 July 2014, wrote:
Dennis,

There is the tube that is the airbrake handle. It slides over another
tube=
which is basically a guide. If you open the airbrake handle 2-3
inches
yo=
u should see that the guide tube has a roughly 1/4" diameter hole
drilled
i=
n it. You can put any metal rod in this hole and it will prevent the
airbr=
ake handle from moving forward to the full closed position. Many
people
us=
e the tail assembly threaded tool. With the airbrakes held partially
open,=
you won't be fighting the airbrake over-center lock when you push
the
wing=
s together.

The next thing is to make sure that the end of the spar of the first
wing
i=
s centered vertically in the opposite spar cut out and is aligned
forward/a=
ft and up/down such that the pin on the end of the spar will line up
with
t=
he socket in the opposite root rib.

The last trick if you can get the wings to start to go together (end
of
spa=
r pins are engaging the root sockets) is to use a metal pry bar to
pull
the=
wings together the last 3/4". To make one of these pry bars, go to
lowes
=
or home depot and buy an 18" piece of 1/2" round bar. Use a
grinder and
ag=
gressively grind one end so that it starts to look like a flat blade
screw
=
driver. Be sure to remove any sharp edges. Cover the bar with a
piece of
=
tygon tubing except for the last 1-2". Be sure the last 2" are well
rounde=
d and very smooth so you don't put any marks on the inside of the
main pin
=
bushings. When you can see the aft main pin bushing hole through
the near
=
bushing, insert your new rigging tool and you can lever the wings
home
with=
minimal effort.

Mark