Completed the upper forward fuselage (Section 35)

Finished sealing the forward skin and seal angles.

Masked off and painted the right fresh air duct and skin.

Today’s Time (hours):	1.0
Fuselage Time (hours):	206.0
Total Time (hours):	660.5

Began work on Roll Over Structure (Section 37)

Screen Shot 2019-12-22 at 7.22.26 PM

Picked, inspected, and peeled all the parts. Cut apart the pieces that needed to be separated on the band saw. Deburred and scuffed all the parts.

Today’s Time (hours):	1.0
Fuselage Time (hours):	205.0
Total Time (hours):	659.5

Began work on the Aileron and Elevator Systems (Section 36)

Screen Shot 2019-12-22 at 7.20.22 PM

Picked, Inspected, and peeled all the parts. Cut the parts on the band saw that needed to be separated. Deburred, and scuffed everything.

Used the template from the plans to drill the ends of the elevator push tubes. Match drilled the rod end fittings to the tubes.

Everything ready to prime.

Today’s Time (hours):	2.0
Fuselage Time (hours):	204.0
Total Time (hours):	658.5

Sealed the forward top skin

Ran a fillet of sealant along the intersection of the skin that the fire wall as well as the skin and the sub-panel. Once it sets up, I’ll finish it with a bead on along the seal angles.

When I painted the interior, I left a section unpainted to seal the vents to the side skin. Today I masked off and painted the left one. I’ll get the right one next time I flip the fuselage over onto its right side.

Today’s Time (hours):	2.0
Fuselage Time (hours):	202.0
Total Time (hours):	656.5

Finished riveting the forward top skin

Finished riveting the skin and hinges. Just need to seal everything up with some tank sealant and that will complete the section.

Today’s Time (hours):	2.0
Fuselage Time (hours):	200.0
Total Time (hours):	654.5

Began riveting top skin and installed canopy release

Sealed and riveted the top skin center section in place leaving the sides free to provide access to install the canopy hinges and release mechanism.

Installed the canopy hinges and canopy cradles and connected up the gas springs.

Installed the canopy release mechanism.

Today’s Time (hours):	3.0
Fuselage Time (hours):	198.0
Total Time (hours):	652.5

Match drilled the cowl attach hinges

Match drilled the cowl attach hinges.

Took everything apart and dimpled the skin, the firewall flanges, and shims. Machine countersunk the hinges and longerons.

I got the nut plates I ordered. So I also finished riveting the instrument panel in place.

Today’s Time (hours):	2.0
Fuselage Time (hours):	195.0
Total Time (hours):	649.5

Assembled and installed fresh air vents

I assembled the fresh air vents by sealing the vents to the ducts with silicone adhesive and then bolting them together with the mounting bracket. I then glued these assemblies in place on the side skins with tank sealant.

Assembled the canopy release mechanism. Used the jig that came with the kit to align everything and drilled the tube for the AN3 bolt. Then put everything together.

Machine countersunk the doublers and top skin for AN426AD2 rivets using a #34 drill bit. These suckers are teeny tiny. Double flush riveted the doublers to the forward top skin with the squeezer.

Today’s Time (hours):	2.0
Fuselage Time (hours):	193.0
Total Time (hours):	647.5

Installed Canopy Decks and Panel Frame

Laid a bead of tank sealant to fill the gap between the side skin, longeron, and canopy deck. Then I clecoed and riveted the canopy decks in place.

Riveted the wire supports to the bottoms of the panel standoffs.

Clecoed the panel in place. I couldn’t rivet it because I ran out of K1000-06 nut plates. Ordered from Spruce.

Today’s Time (hours):	2.0
Fuselage Time (hours):	191.0
Total Time (hours):	645.5

Continued assembly and did a bit of painting

Clecoed then riveted the sub-panel assembly to the fuselage.

Riveted nut plates into the wiring channel. Painted the assembly and later installed it into the fuselage after the paint dried.

Match drilled the forward and aft canopy decks to the left and right longerons. Then dimpled the holes in the canopy decks and machine countersunk the holes in the longerons. Painted the canopy decks as well as the panel brackets and wiring supports.

Machine countersunk all the holes in the instrument panel frame. Riveted the instrument panel angles, nut plates, and flange doubler to the frame. Painted the assembly.