Page 6 - January 2019

Team work on preparing brackets for the fuel tank What you see are 8 of 10 fuel tank brackets
mount assemblies bonded to the spars with epoxy. Four more
brackets will be attached at the beginning of
By quarter end, most of the fuel tank mounting brackets the next quarter followed by fibreglass strips
had been attached to the wing spars in the first phase – to reinforce all the supports
bonding with epoxy. Each of the larger fuel tanks will
have a four point support system comprising brackets
attached to the spars and matching brackets attached to
the fuel tanks. The smaller two rear tanks will only
require three brackets. The reason behind this
connection system is that with rigid fuel tanks mounted
within the delta wing structure, they have to be able to
move slightly when the wing is under severe stress/’g’
loading. During the coming quarter all the bracket
mounting points on the spars will be fitted and
strengthened by the addition of structural fibreglass
strips over each side of the brackets. After the brackets
are attached to the spars, the tank bracket locations will
be determined such that the top of the fuel tanks are
positioned just below the upper wing skin and then the
brackets bonded in place. Only after all the tank fittings
have been added will the inside surfaces sealed against
jet fuel and the tank lids bonded in place with additional
structural fibreglass strips added to the edges of the
flanges on the tanks. Once the brackets on the fuel tanks
have been attached and their position verified by test
fitting the tanks, the wing will be ready for attaching to
the fuselage. Subsequently, work on the fuel tanks will
be deferred until the fuel tank fittings are acquired much
later. The fuel tanks will be installed in the aircraft when
fuel distribution systems and engine positions are
finalized.