Fuel tank assembly / canopy frame

Fuel tank assembly starter today.  With the help of N we were able to get a lot of it put together. I didn't take photos during the process as it was a little messy but here are a few of the finished product for today.

Some friends came over to lend a hand and we bolted on the canopy frame.

Time: 4 hrs

Fuel tank front

Fuel tank back

Fuel tank inside front

Fuel tank inside back

Canopy Frame Riveting

Canopy frame installed

Start fuel tank

I thought I would start on the fuel tank since I just received a new can of sealant. That will allow the weather to warm up a little more before messing with the canopy.  Today I prepared several parts as per plans to have ready to assembly together.

Time: 1.5 hrs.

Ring nutplate

Forward tank bulkhead

Ring and nutplates attached to forward tank bulkhead

Fuel tank doublers

Sender plate

Roll servo / turtle neck skin / canopy

Another good, productive day. I attached the Pitch servo wire harness.  Then mounted the roll servo and push rod.

Then with the help of N I was able to get the turtleneck and Rear window clecoed in place. Holes were match drilled into the roll bar.  The window was then removed and the holes in the roll bar were tapped. The turtleneck was then riveted. I ran out of LP4-3 rivets, so I will need to order some more.

Then it was time to start tackling the canopy. I started out by drilling the holes in the ends of the gas struts as per plans. The struts were then attached to the canopy frame. The latch handle was match drilled to the frame. I will have to wait until more LP4-3 rivets come to install it.  Then I marked the attach angles and drilled as per plans.

Time: 4.25 hrs.

Pitch Servo Harness

Roll Servo

Turtleneck and Rear Window set in place

Turtle Neck riveted

Canopy gas struts

Gas struts attached to canopy frame

Latch handle stop match drilled

Attach angles marked and drilled.

Cabling/ pitch servo

Started off today by attaching the rudder cable links. It was a little tight of a space to get in there but was able to get it done. I then joined the stabilator cables and tightened them some.  I need to borrow a cable tensioner if I can to get the proper tension.

I then started on installing the Garmin autopilot servos. Pushrods were fabricated as per plans and then the pitch servo and rod was installed.

Time: 2.25 hrs

Rudder Cable links

Stabilator cable tightening

Autopilot pushrods

Pitch servo

Pitch servo and rod

Wing attach

Finally a nice day to take the plane out of the shop so the wings could be fitted and flaperon torque tubes installed. N and S helped me a lot today.  It took a little work to get the right wing fully in.  Finally used a tiny bit of tap on the spar pin and it went into place.  The skins of the wings were marked at 3/16 inch as per plans and I will trim at a later date.

The flaperons were installed. I had to open up the space between the plastic blocks on the flaperon torque tube in order to get the actuation bracket to fully seat.  Once seat the torque tubes were matched drilled to the flaperon torque arms.  The wings, the flaperon torque tube, and the flaperon arms were then removed. The holes were enlargened and then the arms and tubes were then reinstalled.

It was a great day to get this part accomplished.

Time: 5.75 hrs

Wings installed

Fitting actuation bracket to torque tube

B showing off plane

Wing spars in fuselage

Right flaperon attached

Left flaperon attached

Fitting flaperon actuation brackets into the flaperon torque tubes

Shims placed on left flaperon

Torque tubes clamped for drilling

Torque tubes bolted

Seat floor cover plate / Baggage bulkhead

Weather hasn't been too cooperative to get the plane out of the shop, so I have decided to work ahead on stuff that can be done. I started section 33 by working on the seat floor plates.  Nutplates were attached.

I then proceeded with the corrugated baggage bulkhead. The upper and lower were match drilled and then nutplates were added.  The parts were then screwed together.

Time: 1 hr

Seat floor cover

Baggage bulkhead

Baggage bulkhead

Wheel chocks / tail support

The past month or two have been quite busy. We spent a week and a half in Guatemala on a dental humanitarian trip.  A lot of our time over the past month or so has been in preparing for that trip and catching up on things afterwards. So today I was able to get back out in the shop and do some work on the plane.

I decided I would go ahead and make some PVC wheel chocks so I cut 3 pieces of PVC at a length of 7 1/2" and glued them together with elbows.  With no engine installed the plane is tail heavy so I decided to make a nice support on wheels to keep it up.  I utilized parts from the support I had the tail cone on.  I think it works pretty good.

Now we just need some good weather so I can roll the plane out of the shop and continue work on the wing attach.

Time: 1.25 hrs

PVC Wheel Chock

Tail Support