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Covered the starboard side this weekend. Glue, iron and tape, glue, iron and tape...and so on
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Finished covering the top and tail. I'm happy with how it all came out, other than the lowest rib on the VS being pulled up a little by me prematurely shrinking the fabric above it. I have a removable aluminum center section for the cabin roof mounted with almost 50 6-32 screws (it ain't coming off). The com antenna will be mounted there, almost a perfect ground plane. I'm glad I put in the extra effort to make sure that lower rib on the VS was rib stitched since it's so much more streamlined than letting that area balloon out.
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Before I took a week to prepare for Oshkosh, a week to go to Oshkosh and a week to recover from Oshkosh, I managed to get the Ekofill sprayed onto the fuselage. I'm very happy with how it went on. I made the mistake of brushing it onto the tail feathers which resulted in a thick coat that I now have to sand down. In one of the Stewart Systems videos, Marty Feehan makes the point that you always want to spray it on or you'll have 5X the amount of sanding to do. I'm here to say he's spot on. Wish I'd sprayed it...oh well
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Looks good MarkComment
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Damn, I can’t seem to catch up to you.
Looking goodN678C
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Revo Sunglasses Ambassador
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Looking good Mark, making quick progress!!!Comment
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Since I restarted the project, I thought I'd post a few photos of where I am. As a more or less retired person (small business owner and son taking over), I have time to work on it. When I paused the project, I was working on the avionics since I had access to everything I needed. That's where I'm focused right now. Still have a bunch to go, but I anticipate having it all done in a couple weeks, minus the connections from the wings
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I ran out of bullets (aka DB sockets) so have to wait a few days to get another supply. Like Geo Patton in France, I'm outrunning my supply lines. The blue board you see in the photo is a Dynon Skyview interconnect board designed and sold by Brian Adams in Reno. If you've worked with the Skyview system before (I installed it in my RV-8), there are a bunch of interconnecting wires sharing data across components and it's extremely easy to create a rats nest of wires. This helps simplify it.
I had originally planned to do a simple fuse panel for the electrical distribution scheme, but decided to go with the VPX Sport. I used the Pro model in my RV-8. The issue I had with the fuse panel was related to trim safety since I am implementing an electrical trim system (Ray Allen) and having had a trim incident in the RV-8, I could imagine the same in this plane and I assume it would be harder to control given the size of the elevators and the trim tabs. So, now I have two trim control systems (VPX and Skyview, in the autopilot panel), with a 12 pole on-on switch that allows me to select which trim control system I want active. In the case of the incident in the RV-8, the Dynon autopilot panel decided it was time to descend in the middle of a cross-country flight. Turns out there was a fault in the panel, but it kept doing it. I implemented the same back up plan later which allows me to cut out the Dynon component and use the VPX trim system, and vice-versa. If you're going to control trim electrically (and I know this is controversial with the BH), then you need a backup. I've never had an issue with the VPX....between the two systems, my odds are pretty good.
Another thing I addressed is the flimsiness of the baggage area floor. I'm not planning to compete in STOL competitions, so I'm not counting ounces, and I want a sturdy and safe cargo area. So I ditched the piece of .025 aluminum that was back there in favor of a 1/16 piece of diamond plate. I love this. No more buckling when I climb back there to do work. One of today's jobs is the baggage area rear bulkhead, which will be made from Kydex stiffened with left over stringer pieces. I'll post photos later on this.
Painting is on my mind...if I can get a few days of decent weather here in the Memphis area.
IMG_1850.jpgLast edited by Mark Dickens; 09-14-2024, 05:12 PM.Comment
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Interesting about floor board thickness. I looked at Bob's Patrol book. He said use .032 on the floor where you'll stand. All others get .020". I know my factory floor is has NO .020. its at least .032 could be thicker (this is a 2017 kit)Brooks Cone
Southeast Michigan
Patrol #303, Kit buildComment
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It was marked as .025 on the aluminum, so... Anyway, it was way too flimsy. I love the 1/16". .032 might have been acceptable or at least tolerable. I turned the old floor into part of my baggage compartment bulkhead yesterday. One of my missions for this plane is flying for Pilots N Paws, and in the past, I always seemed to get Pit Bulls, Huskies, Great Pyrenees, or a mama dog with 7 puppies. I flew these missions in my RV-8 believe it or not. but this plane will be the bee's knees for hauling homeless pups...
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Beavering along on the Companion. I should have the panel, avionics done this weekend, at least as far as I can go before wing attachments and all that. We are having a nice stretch of weather here in West TN right now, so I took advantage to get some painting done. Using Stewart Systems and I have to say that as long as you take it slow and easy, and layer on multiple thin coats, it results in a nice finish. Unfortunately for me, the underlying fabric work isn't anywhere near perfect...but I think it's airworthy. I'm too used to metal. I'll have to put some eye catching vinyl graphics on to distract viewers!
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Diamond tread aluminum plate in 3003 can be had in 0.045" thickness as well, although I think the 1/16" is not that much heavier and stiffness goes by cube of thickness.
Love seeing the factory tabbing on the fuselage... def helps visualize where things go. Speedy build!Comment
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99% wired...1% when I get the wings mounted, etc. I have some more painting to do this week while the weather cooperates and then engine mounting, with FWF and cowling ahead throughout the winter. My plan, if you can call it that, is to emerge from the darkness and wetness of winter ready to move it all to the hangar. We shall see...
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Finally took that engine out of the box and mounted it in its forever home. Actually the vintage of some of the components of this engine reminds me that parts of it have had other "forever homes" in the past...perhaps long past
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