Hard to assemble glider

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 you should see that the guide tube has a roughly 1/4" diameter hole drilled in it. You can put any metal rod in this hole and it will prevent the airbrake handle from moving forward to the full closed position. Many people use 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 wings together.

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

The last trick if you can get the wings to start to go together (end of spar 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 aggressively 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 rounded 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