Kit Builder Manual Status/Discussion

[jaredyates]

Thanks to all of you who have been providing feedback to the kit manual in progress. If you have a quick-build kit and are not yet set up to help, please send an email to web@bearhawkstore.com and I'll send directions. I thought I'd start this thread so that I can provide updates on what is published so far, what I could use help with specifically, and so that you can make specific requests for topics that need more coverage.

First, here is a list, updated as of April 2018, of topics.

Currently Published:
Kit builder support
Types of threads
Prerequisites
Workshop and Tools
assembling shock struts
Nicopress
Fuel and brake lines
Drilling
General aluminum handling
General riveting
General Steel
General kit welding
General fiberglass
Wing inspection covers
Edge Rolling
Routing Fuel lines through the wing root
Installing Nutplates
Fuel Tank Straps
Cutting the Fuel Tank Filler Neck Hole
Installing the Gear onto the fuselage
Installing brake calipers
Brake Line Hardware
MLG Alignment
Unpacking the Kit
Unpacking the Wings
About the Kit builder Manuals
Installing the tailwheel (leaf spring)
Casting elevator balance
Selecting tires 4-place
Engine Selection Tips
Installing the horizontal stabs
trim tabs
Installing the elevator and rudder
Elevator trim cables
4-place stick installation
4-place rudder pedal installation
Installing the flap system
installing 4-place floorboards
Elevator Trim Torque Tube and Horns
Drilling wings to the fuselage
Installing the Firewall
Boot Cowl
Instrument panel
Cowling
Brake lines and pedals
Cabin Ventilation
Fuel System
Instrument panel

Some of the above need further review and more pictures, especially the boot cowl and cowling. See below for specific photo requests.


The following topics are in the queue, not yet published but at least on the radar:
Doors
windshield installation
Windshield fiberglass fairing
Installing the aluminum formers for the boot cowl
Interior and Upholstery
Fabric Covering
Engine Mount installation
Engine Installation
Baffles
Oil Coolers
Exhaust Systems
Fuel Sight Gauges
Aux tanks
Wiring
Pitot/Static
Lights
Flap and Aileron Mounting
Aileron Cables
Flap Cables
Flap Torque tubes
Build wing struts
Aileron Counterbalance
Fuel Flow Test
Weight and Balance
DAR Prep

What topics need to be added to the queue?

[jaredyates]

I have specific photo requests for the following. If you can provide a photo, please email it to me (web@bearhawkstore.com).

Fuel line going forward to lower left corner of firewall bulkhead fitting

If you'd like to see a particular topic have more pictures, please make a post here, and/or take photos and send them to me when you complete that step.

[Chewie]

It seems like several sections of this manual will be great resources for scratch builders as well.

[svyolo]

I can see that one of the difficulties with a kit builder manual is the numerous changes made to the kits (and plans/beartracks) over the years. There are probably still 10 year old kits still being built or resold. More pictures will definitely help.

One of the really good things is the little notes about small fitment difficulties like grinding away a nut and washer to make clearance to mount things like the brakes. This will save a lot of head scratching. Definitely, more pictures will help. I will save this thread and hopefully send some.

[jaredyates]

It is a "headwind" of sorts, and we also don't have a list of when variations became effective based on serial number, etc. But that's in the realm of the last 10% and we're still far from completing the first 90%. Please do take pictures along the way, and most importantly, speak up when your kit doesn't match the manual or if the manual doesn't cover something that you don't know how to do.

[jaredyates]

It seems like several sections of this manual will be great resources for scratch builders as well.

I agree... here's what I'm thinking about, and I welcome input. QB kit builders will have (currently have, if they ask for it) access included with the purchase of their QB kit, and will hopefully contribute content and corrections as they go through the build, to help other builders. For now I've focused on getting the 4-Place content organized, some of which overlaps with the Patrol and LSA. QB Kit builders from those types are welcome to use the manual in progress, as long as they understand it is farther from ready for them than it is for the 4-place. One of the biggest challenges is that I've not built a Patrol or LSA. But the venue that we've created will allow for the common "general" content to be created once, and presented inline with the type-specific information. For example, there's no need to have three different manual chapters on how to assemble shock struts. The primary manual navigation is via the chart:
map.png
Which shows the tasks in the order that they need to be completed, when there is an order. Tasks on the chart that currently have a supporting manual section have a little arrow link to the right of the words. Tasks that do not yet have an arrow have either not yet been published, or not yet linked on the chart in a few cases. We'll need to continue to add to the chart, which will happen when someone says "hey, task X needs to be on there." There will be a separate chart for each of the three types, but some of the links in the charts will connect back to the same articles (shock strut assembly, for example). The chart in the screen shot above (and at http://bearhawk.tips/kit) is for the 4-place. Once we decide that it is pretty well fleshed out, I'll duplicate it for the Patrol and LSA, and start modifying the duplicated charts to the unique features of those two types. My goal is for this step to happen once the list of pending articles in the first post above is processed.

It will be possible to produce a start-to-finish pile of PDF versions of the articles about each task. This will be required by the FAA for kit validation purposes, etc. But the intent is that a builder visits the chart right before performing a task, and views/downloads/prints the section that applies to the upcoming task only. This will ensure that the builder is using the most current version of each article. So in the end, the manual is not a pile of static paper pages, but an online database to be accessed in more or less real time.

Scratch builders will be able to participate on one of two plans: contribute bountiful and QB-relevant helpful content, or contribute money to keep the lights on. I'd like to get the manual further along before opening the gates to the monetary contribution, but if anyone is interested in the helpful content path, please reach out and we can get started. I have a to-do list of actionable things that you can do right now. I'm also willing to consider frequent and helpful contributions here at BHF in the equation. We need to find more ways to incentivize high-quality participation, in addition to the great participation that we already have.

I wish ours was a world where all content was available to all builders without any barriers, but unfortunately it takes many dollars to maintain the various Bearhawk online assets. In the last year, I documented over $1k in explicit costs just for the ones that I handle, which is not all of them. That's only hosting, domains, SSL certificates, etc, and not including any hours or labor. It takes very many hours to edit, produce, implement, and maintain this sort of thing. Even when the content is monetized, my time contributions are far into the altruistic realm when the revenue is divided by the hours. It's probably not wise for me to contribute as much time as I do to Bearhawk pursuits for the tangible returns, but it having a strong community of builders is vital to the success of the designs, and if I can help with that, I'm glad to. I use these resources too. There are several builders who also are also crucial to the cause, and most of them are found here answering questions to fellow builders when they could just as well be out in the shop making or flying something. All of the Bearhawk builders that I've met over the years have many various interests and many things to do. It's not surprising that it can be hard to get some of them to participate and provide feedback. If a builder manual is going to be useful, it is going to take constant input and refinement from builders along the way, and not just passive consumption of the information. The amount of engineering that goes into the instructions at a company like Vans is staggering- multiple full-time employees working in years, not months. We'll need to find somewhere on the spectrum between what we have and what they have, for obvious reasons.

Content that is conflicting with the QB configuration or not relevant for QB builders, but still relevant and safe for the scratch building masses, is welcome for the Beartracks newsletter. I pay writers for these kinds of contributions, and it wouldn't take but two or three articles to equal the admission price for the QB manual. Every quarter involves beating the bushes to try and round up content for the newsletter. If we are going to have a newsletter, we need to have content for it, which means builders need to be willing to write down a few words every now and then.

[Mark Goldberg]

Our kit company, the kit builders, and all the Bearhawk community owe Jared a lot of thanks and appreciation for what he does. On the manual and everything else as well. Mark

[JimParker256]

I agree. I cannot imagine the organizational skills Jared has that allow him to accomplish all he does... Thank you so much!

And if you ever do get around to figuring out a way we can "chip in" a bit to help defray your costs, I would gladly contribute. This site keeps me sane! (Or NOT, according to my wife!)

[jaredyates]

Currently the Beartracks is paying the bills, thanks for those who subscribe!

[Archer39J]

Getting to installing the aluminum fuselage formers and haven't been able to find mention of them in any manuals.

[jaredyates]

Thank you Dave, I have added that to the list. The early Bearhawks, including mine, use steel formers that are welded in place, which were hard to prep and paint. The aluminum formers are an improvement that came along with the Model B, and as I understand it, were always part of the Patrol and LSA, though I don't have those plans to confirm. If there isn't an attachment method specified in the plans or book, I'm sure Mark knows.

[Mark Goldberg]

I posted the attachment (with stainless pulled rivets) in response to Dave in another thread. In the most recent batch of kits (arriving here tomorrow), there are pilot holes drilled so placement of the formers is easier. Mark

[Archer39J]

Yeah mine came with pilot holes for the formers which was nice, everything test fit well.

[svyolo]

Hard at work studying my kit builders manual on my IPAD.

[Clipped Wing]

Who flies a 737 to Guam?

[jaredyates]

As of today I've added a few more items to the "map." A little version is visible at https://bearhawk.tips/kit/ but the big version is here:

https://mm.tt/917081852?t=RSYClGATP3

It would be a huge help if builders are able to take a look and provide feedback. For example, what tasks are not there but need to be? Is anything out of sequence?
This is going to be the framework for the rest of the manual content. Items with the arrow already have an entry (that may need to be refined/expanded) and items without the arrow are still awaiting an entry. You can reply here or via email to web@bearhawkstore.com. This map will also become the framework for a Patrol and LSA version, but I'd like to sort out as many problems as we can before I make those, to keep from duplicating errors.

[svyolo]

Jared;
I should be able to get you any fuselage, most plumbing, and tail pictures you need in the next few weeks. Any special requests? I will try to take a few of the pictures requested above.

[PaulSA]

I'll send pics soon.......

[PaulSA]

As promised. Let me know if you want them emailed.

I couldn't get it to work by attaching the gascolator directly behind the fuel selector - and I didn't want to cut holes in the SS tunnel. So the gascolator is placed behind station B on the left with the fuel filter and pump on the right (injected engine planned). I've made a door in the lower boot cowl extension to access the gascolator. The fuel flow sensor will go on the firewall immediately after the pass-through.

[jaredyates]

Thanks for your help Paul!

[svyolo]

I wasted several days of airplane building time sorting out how I wanted to work on wings. First I built a 4X10 table on casters, and then realized I didn't want to move a 4.5X15 wing around without protection. I already built the table so I added "bumpers" around the table about an inch bigger than the wings all the way around. Also a 10 inch tall bumper for the leading edge and the tip and root.

Instead of laying the wing crate flat, I left it standing vertical, tipped it slightly to allow removal of the bottom bolts on the crate top. Removed the top and cut it into smaller pieces. Rolled the table next to the wing, put a layer of crate styrofoam on the table. Me and a friend carefully removed the wing, and slid and rotated it on top of the table.

I think this is much easier and less risky than laying the wings flat on the ground, removing the top, and then picking the wings up and walking them to whatever you are using as a table.

We moved the wings laterally 5 feet, 1 foot vertically, and rotated 90 degrees. Easy. I will post pictures.

John
Bellingham, WA