Flaperons completed

Started the day off by attaching the nose skins. The rod-end bearings were then placed with loctite 243 and screwed in per measurement on plans. This completes the wing kit. The fuselage kit will be ready at the end of June, so that gives me a little time to work on the wing tip lights and other projects around the house.

Time: 1.75 hrs.

Flaperon nose skins

Installing rod end bearings

Rod end bearing installed

Flaperons complete

Flaperons continued

A good portion of the flaperons were assembled today. The plan called out for fabricating actuation brackets and pivot brackets, but lucky me it looks like Vans has had those pre-fabricated. What a time saver! The small flaperon parts were primed and then I assembled the flaperon skeletons.   The aft skins were then attached. The plans call for making sure the skins lay flat against the main ribs, which at first they appeared to lay flat. After riveting the skins it does look like there is a little bow outward of the skins between the main ribs. This will be something I will have to look at in the future to see if they will need to be adjusted by squeezing in on the trailing edge. For now we will leave as is.

Time: 5 hrs.

Inboard nose rib

Priming of small flaperon parts

Flaperon skeleton complete

Aft skins clecoed

Aft skins riveted

Right wing finish / start flaperons

Great accomplishment today getting the right wing completed (minus the tip lighting). Started out attaching the handle and top skins. The hole was cut in the tip closeout for the lighting. The closeout was riveted and the right wing was placed in the cradle with the left wing. Don't they look great together!  I have ordered some epoxy that will be needed to install the wing tip lights, so that will have to wait for another day.

Then on to the flaperons. The counterbalance was match drilled and attached to the nose ribs. The outbd nose skin was clecoed and the counterbalance was match drilled.

Time: 3.5 hrs

Right Wing Tip Top Skins

Right wing Tip Top skins

Marking hole for lighting

Wings complete and in cradle

Flaperon counterbalance

Flaperon counterbalance

Match drilling outbd nose skin

Landing light finish/ R. Wing top skin

Good progress was made today on the right wing. I had the help of T and N at times during the day. We first installed the landing light. That was a little tricky. We had to pay close attention to the instructions as the bolt to use is not the bolt the comes with the light. Took me a few minutes to figure that one out. Getting the landing light bolted in was also a little tricky. I can see how it would definitely be a difficult task if done after the wings were completed. It is not something that I want to have to mess with much in the future.  While installing one of the wires came loose from the molex connecter. I replaced the connector and decided to place some electrical tape in a few places to assure that the likelihood of disconnection would be reduced. We then tried in the landing light cover. It fit nicely. I took it off for now as I do not want to worry about it getting damaged during the rest of the construction process. I will install it towards the end before getting ready for first flight.

After the landing light was installed we then worked on the upper wing skins. With 3 sets of hands all 3 upper skins and the doubler was able to be installed.

Time: 3.5 hrs

Landing light isntalled

Landing light inside view

T and N working on top skins

Top skins complete.

Landing light backing strips

Worked some with N getting the landing light ready for install. I had to wait for #6 dimple dies to arrive so that I could dimple the skin for the landing light cover. They arrived today, so we dimple the 8 holes for the landing light cover. We then countersunk the landing light cover and added nutplates to the back straps. The landing light ribs were installed. Molex connectors were placed and the landing light wires were connected.  It took a little bit to get the molex housings to connect due to the not exact alignment of the pinsm, but it was finally accomplished. 

Time: 1.5 hrs

Nutplates on back straps

Left landing light rib installed

Right landing light rib installed

Landing light wired.

Landing light ribs

Worked on the landing light ribs. Deburred them then attached the doublers. Ground wire was then attached.

Time: 1 hr.

Landing light ribs

Left wing finished, Right wing started

Its amazing what you can get accomplished when you have a full day (almost with a few interuptions) to work on the plane. T and N helped me a little bit throughout the day.  We finished the left wing skins and close out. It was a little tricky getting the closeout placed with all the bends to be made and the curves, but we were able to get it accomplished. A hole was cut for the light. The left wing is all done now except for the light.  We placed it in our wing cradle and boy does it look nice.

Then the right wing was started following the same procedures as the left. The bottom skins and doubler were riveted.  The wing was turned over and the leading edge was riveted. I then placed the template for the landing light.  Using a dremel and a grinding disc I cut the hole out and then smoothed the edges. The holes were also drilled for the light bracket. We also marked and cut the lense, which I don't have a photo of yet.  I can see how it is a lot easier to place the light now vs at the end of the build.

Time: 9.75

Wing tip top skin

Left wing tip

Left wing close out

Left trailing edge

Wing tip trailing edge

Left wing in cradle

Right wing ready to skin

Right wing doubler

Right wing inboard bottom skin

Hing ribs and brackets

Right wing leading edge

Positioning of template for landing light

Landing light cut out and holes dilled

Left wing skins, access hatch, tip rib, handle

Spent some time with the help of T riveting the remaining rivets of the left skins.  The access hatch area was dimpled on the skin and nutplates placed. The access hatch was screwed in place although several screw heads ended up being stripped, so I will have to order some replacements. Most likely due to being the first screws in the nutplate. Using a hand screw driver slowly seemed to reduce the chance of stripping.  We place the tip rib, handle, and bottom tip skin.

Time: 1.5 hrs.

Left wing skins riveted

Dimpling skin for access hatch

Dimpling skin for access hatch

Access hatch placed

Tip rib

Handle

Bottom wing tip skin

Left upper middle skin and doubler

Finished up riveting the upper skins and doubler with the help of T.

Time: 2 hrs.

Left upper outboard skin riveted

Left middle upper skin riveted

Doubler riveted

Left inboard upper skin.

The left upper inboard skin was riveted and then the outboard skin was clecoed.

Time: 1 hr. 

Left upper inboard skin riveted

Left leading edge, hinge brackets

Riveted the leading edge of the left wing. Attached the hinge ribs and brackets.  These were a little tricky to get the rivets in as there was some interference with other rivets.  I detemined it would be best to placed the rivets from the rib and bracket to the wing rib first and then place the rivets from the bottom skin and rear spar second, unlike the plans say.  I then had a little time and clecoed the inboard upper skin.

Time: 1.25 hrs.

Rivet leading edge

Hinge bracket

Hinge Bracket

Cleco inbd upper wing skin