Kit #7 arrived

[Utah-Jay]

As posted above I have been working long hours everyday and today got the flaps (yesterday on the flaps) and ailerons all done. The ailerons are super light to the touch and have no side to side slop at all, I was really happy with that! Turnbuckles just above the triangle need a few turns to take out a bit of slack. I had to put a bit of lubrication on the right flap torque tube and that eliminated a bit of a slow and not quite complete retraction. Being I was doing it I did the left as well and now both spring (pun intended) back to full retraction.

[Utah-Jay]

Safety wired all but two of my turnbuckles today as I am buttoning things up. As I am sure many of you can commiserate…. I lost the will after a while and I just did not feel like removing the floorboard under the pilot seat to do the elevator, the remaining one is the aileron pass-through and I have a reason (more to come later) for waiting on that one. Here is a photo example
IMG_6519.jpg

I also started the fuselage to wing fairing today.
IMG_6514.jpg IMG_6515.jpg

While those are a perfect fit, I am going to change from .025 to .016 or .020 for a more efficient curve on the leading edge. Yep…Imagine that doing things more than once

[Sierra Skydog]

Good job at keeping a sense of humor through some “not so fun” tasks! I have to re-learn that once in awhile

[Bcone1381]

Have you tried to form the curve around a cylinder? I found that I could test a scrap piece of Alumn. You know, form it around a cylinder of a given dimension and then check the results of the scraps curvature radius against my desired radius. I then would adjust my cylinder diameter and test it again on a new piece of scrap until I got the diameter I desired.

I made that cylinder diameter adjustable by wrappping a cardboard shipping cylinder with I think felt I had on hand. It was quick and easy. 2024-t3 Alumin work-hardens, so if you sneak up on your desired radius, it will require a smaller and smaller diameter to get it to move. So Finetune your cylinder so your scrap can bend from flat to your desired curve with one motion. In otherwords, don't sneak up on it.

[Utah-Jay]

Thanks Bcone1381 I will give it a try

[Utah-Jay]

Working on fuselage to wing fairings
IMG_6554.jpg IMG_6514.jpg IMG_6559.jpg IMG_6562.jpg IMG_6515.jpg

Today I built a shelf for the aileron crossover cable to keep it above the trim cable
IMG_6560.jpg IMG_6561.jpg I countersunk the screws so as to never have a chance of a cable rubbing on a screw.

Just clamped in place at the moment. But I do not like anything potentially rubbing.

[Utah-Jay]

Fabricated the door post to contain the wires and forward fuel lines. It was a trial and error day, LOTS of errors before I got it right
IMG_6565.jpg IMG_6567.jpg IMG_6566.jpg IMG_6568.jpg

[Utah-Jay]

Lots of building, not much posting, getting close though

Flap and aileron pocket closeouts have been made and primed ready for paint.


Had a bit of a F-up building the front of the fuselage to wing fairing a week ago and had to order more material, but finished the two fronts and tops today. I dig into the bottom tomorrow

I will trim them all when the fitting is done
IMG_6586.jpg IMG_6587.jpg IMG_6588.jpg IMG_6589.jpg
IMG_6590.jpg

[rkennell]

It is looking very nice, but the work you have done all has. Looking forward to the day you ready to fly.

[Utah-Jay]

Got tire of working on wing fairings and needed a distraction… So made a holder for the door
IMG_6597.jpg IMG_6596.jpg

Oh yeah did my typical while safety wiring my oil filter
IMG_6595.jpg

Yep, stabbed myself with the wire I was removing because I was not satisfied the first time

[Utah-Jay]

Wing fairings are all but done… Trying to get my head about one last hurdle.

[Utah-Jay]

Did not wanna miss a day… I had been procrastinating doing this as the screwup potential was high, but time gave me no option and I knocked out the left side. What is it? The connection from the fuselage to the bottom wing fairing
IMG_6601.jpg IMG_6602.jpg

[Skyward II]

Commitment. It’s motivating. DAR date set yet?

[Utah-Jay]

Commitment. It’s motivating. DAR date set yet?

DAR has inspected the plane twice already as he is on my home field fairly often and is happy to stop in and check it out. I am hoping for first week of January. Planing an engine start next week before I leave for two weeks of work on December 8th. :fingers crossed:

[Utah-Jay]

Made a bunch of shiny stuff blue
IMG_6606.jpg
That was yesterday’s batch, plenty more got painted today and is still in the paint booth

Put a few pieces on before I left the hanger just for the feel good factor
IMG_6607.jpg

FYI, if you see a small amount of “orange peel” it is on purpose so be as close of a match to the Oratex fabric as possible.

Tomorrow is paint prep for some black pieces to be painted on Tuesday and then it is just putting it back together and I am done

[Utah-Jay]

Had planned on an engine start today, but it did not happen as I have a small fuel
leak on my sight gauge

Gots lots done today tho

Fuel caps now fit perfectly
IMG_6620.jpg

Installed the flap and aileron pocket close outs both top and bottom
IMG_6618.jpg IMG_6619.jpg

[Utah-Jay]

https://youtu.be/tAXfKbM9TAQ?si=PFCx9S0U466ytN0m

First engine start today. NO LEAKS!

Just a couple of squawks that need to be addressed.

1188 days from start to start

[rkennell]

Congratulations. Looking forward to hearing about the first flight.

[rodsmith]

That is an amazing build time. Especially since you are still traveling for work, congratulations!

[Kris]

Have you done a weight and balance yet? I’m currently doing a companion with Rotax 916 and trying to get real weights thanks

[rodsmith]

Hi Kris, that is so exciting for someone to develop a new engine option. Please keep us informed on your progress