Contruction Log The Plane About Us

Most Recent Entries

Entry Date: Monday, Jan 02, 2012 (details)
Fit and Drill the Cove Skins for the Flaps
Assembly: Wings
Sub-Assembly:  General
Work Time: 4 hours

*In Progress*
Cut the cove skins for the flaps to length.
Trim any tabs that would interfere with skin placement.
Determine hole locations for final riveting along the base of the cove skins and drill.
*Upper line will be epoxied, not riveted*

Entry Date: Sunday, Jan 01, 2012 (details)
(Mostly) Completed Wings Attached!!
Assembly: Wings
Sub-Assembly:  General
Work Time: 6 hours

Attach completed wings to the fuselage.
Trim any material needed for fit.
Run the wiring down the struts and install.

Entry Date: Saturday, Oct 29, 2011 (details)
Bulkhead A Installation
Assembly: Fuselage
Sub-Assembly:  General
Work Time: 1.5 hours

Align the composite Bulkhead A and mark locations for 16 nutplates.
Drill and attach nutplates.

Entry Date: Thursday, Oct 27, 2011 (details)
Fuselage Fairing Installation - Surface Prep & Attach
Assembly: Fuselage
Sub-Assembly:  General
Work Time: 10 hours

Prep the fuselage surface for fiberglass work by sanding off the gelcoat where the strake will attach.
Drill cleco holes for final alignment during the fiberglass bonding.
Bond the strakes to the fuselage.
Fair the strake flanges.

Entry Date: Tuesday, Oct 25, 2011 (details)
Optional Addition - Cabin Air Vents
Assembly: Fuselage
Sub-Assembly:  General
Work Time: 5 hours

Purchased the Cabin Air Vent kit - Installed per instructions.
Align and rough-cut duct opening.
Prep inner fiberglass pieces - install nutplates for eyeball vent, position and paint.
Remove inner foam from edges of outer opening and fill. Sand/file until it matches the inner piece.
Bond inner fiberglass to the fuselage.
Fill gaps, trim and sand.

Entry Date: Sunday, Oct 23, 2011 (details)
Install the Cabin Air Vents
Assembly: Fuselage
Sub-Assembly:  General
Work Time: 5 hours

*Optional Kit Addition - Not complete yet*
Mark location of front air vents, cut basic shape. Align inner vents and partly drill for later attaching.
Remove inner foam edging around the cut-out and replace with fiberglass fill (for stability).
Sand area and align vents again.
Attach inner vents.
Fill gaps between vents and fuselage.

Entry Date: Sunday, Sep 25, 2011 (details)
Fuselage Fairing Installation - Basic Strake Construction
Assembly: Fuselage
Sub-Assembly:  General
Work Time: 3 hours

Mark the centerlines for the strakes on the fuselage. Check alignment.
Fit the strake halves to the fuselage and tape together.
Seam the strake halves.
Fill inside of the strake with expanding foam. Clean up excess and refit to fuselage.

Entry Date: Friday, Sep 16, 2011 (details)
Shearweb Change
Assembly: Fuselage
Sub-Assembly:  General
Work Time: 3 hours

Upgraded the shearweb to a two-piece design for easier access and to remove the need to drill an access hole in the fuselage.

Entry Date: Monday, Aug 22, 2011 (details)
Right Wing - MOSTLY COMPLETE!
Assembly: Wings
Sub-Assembly:  General
Work Time: 16 hours

After a marathon weekend of riveting... wing #2 is out of the jig an awaiting final-final-assembly.
Awwww yeah!!

Entry Date: Wednesday, Jun 15, 2011 (details)
Install the Fuel Tanks & Rivet the Tip & Root Ribs
Assembly: Wings
Sub-Assembly:  General
Work Time: 5 hours

*Note* We're not going to rivet the tanks in until the last possible moment, but we are going to final-fit as the wings are built.