Kit #7 arrived

[gregc]

Without oil and with whatever residual fuel remained after draining it, my Companion weighs 1242 lbs with an empty CG of 14.6.

[Utah-Jay]

jaredyates

I have not, we just threw it on the scales yesterday as the scales were used for a Kitfox and needed to be returned to the EAA chapter. It was just a quick weigh.

My plane with all the avionics and heavy duty cargo closeout was never going to be as light as the one that Dave built. My target was 1220 +/- 20 so I am happy as it stands now, but I think the weight will change +/- 5 before I am done

[jaredyates]

Of the three Companion weights that I know of, yours is in the middle and pretty close to the other one at 1257. Have you figured up the location of the empty cg yet?

[Utah-Jay]

Did an initial weigh in today
IMG_6260.jpg

[Skyward II]

Progress. Looks good.

[Utah-Jay]

All fuel lines and sight gauge lines are finished.
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Put the epoxy primer on the wingtips and windshield fairing today, they will get painted when I get home after this weeks work trip.

I had a left wingtip light gremlin that got solved a few days ago, so all my wiring is all set. I updated (for the first time) my Dynon HDX, so all it good on that front.

I made part of the wing to fuselage fairing template yesterday, it was the front cap I made.

I am chipping away at things

[Utah-Jay]

Fairing drilled to windshield, rivnuts installed for fairing attachment to the boot cowl. Gonna try to get the fairing and possibly wingtips pained tomorrow
IMG_6216.jpg

[Utah-Jay]

Windshield faring is done and cleco’ed in place, holes will be upsized tomorrow
IMG_6208.jpg

Holes cut in wing root panel for the aileron pass-through
IMG_6209.jpg IMG_6210.jpg

[Utah-Jay]

Trimmed the fairing and started sanding
IMG_6175.jpg IMG_6176.jpg IMG_6174.jpg

Sanded most of the day to get the high spots out, then filled the low spots with SuperFill

And…..
Being I forgot to put on my tie down rings when I put the struts on I did that yesterday
IMG_6177.jpg IMG_6178.jpg
Wings are on and torque sealed

[Utah-Jay]

After 5 weeks traveling it was good to get back to work on the plane. Windshield is fitted and cleco’d in.
IMG_6162.jpg
Tons of prep work to get ready for the windshield fairing.
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3 layers of fiberglass done today, more tomorrow

[Utah-Jay]

Where is the best place to store my wingtips while I am away working? I figured on the wings so I spent the day doing a final sand, did not finish as I both ran out of sandpaper and my fingers got numb. Oh and some of the fill I put on yesterday must have not had a good mixture as it was not sanding to powder but rather gumming up the sand paper a bit, so I will finish tomorrow.

Yesterday I ran the aileron cables, so today I made rub blocks for the cables to rest on in the top of the strut.

I started with this
IMG_6010.jpg
And finished with these
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[Utah-Jay]

Skyward II

Still seems like a lot left to do

[Skyward II]

Lookin good. Your list must be down to a few pages….

[Utah-Jay]

I often joke with my wife when I walk in the door at the end of a long day working on the plane… Some days you are the bug, and some days you are the windshield…. Well yesterday I was mostly the freaking BUG with a few small wins.

Why? Because after getting the landing and wigwag lights done I started on the 3 in 1 wingtip lights, did the left one first and all was good. The right one at first did not work at all, so I redid all the connections at my ACM (Dynon). I had extra wire (shielded 4 wire in 20 gauge), so I cut it and redid all the connections using a ground soldered to the wire shield. Boom, I instantly had my strobe lights, but still no (green) NAV light. Got frustrated…. Sat down and had two cookies and then went back at it but still no joy… my buddy looked at it, we checked to make sure all the pins were fully seated, then checked the voltage and compared it to the left wing. Everything matched, but no NAV. My buddy is a wiring genius and will look at it next week when he gets back in town. In the meantime I did the connections (Deutsch plugs) for the two camera power boxes for the wing strut cameras and both are good to go.

Today I drilled the holes for the aileron cables to feed down the strut. That went pretty well, as you can see in the photo I put a rubber grommet on for the time being. Amazon had perfect timing as they delivered my rub block material for the inside of the strut for the cable to rest/rub on. I will cut and fit those tomorrow IF I have time after doing a final sanding on my wingtips.
IMG_6007.jpg IMG_6008.jpg
I leave Monday for 5 weeks of work… I am nearly positive the windshield will not fit itself while I am gone. The windshield pretty much scares the crap outta me

IMG_5999.jpg Truth be told, when I snug it up against the side attach points it is about perfect along the bottom edge.

[Utah-Jay]

Set the windshield on the cowling and in the upper channel, fitting will possibly start tomorrow afternoon.
IMG_5999.jpg
Landing and wigwag lights are working, gonna get the 3 in 1 wingtip lights wired tomorrow