Finished up the canopy, debugged wiring and configured avionics, started on wing attach.

Been working diligently over the last couple of weekends to complete as much as possible before moving to the airport. I’ve secured a spot in a community hangar at KRYY. I’ve also completed my application for airworthiness certificate and scheduled the inspection with Vic Syracuse, our local DAR.

Installed the rear window. Trimmed and fit the aft edge of the canopy and installed the canopy.

Attached the yaw damper bridle cables to the rudder cables.

Brought the wings up to the garage from the basement. Installed the wiring for the GMU 11 and the GTP temperature probe. Created test harnesses to attach the wings to the fuselage in order to test the wiring and avionics.

Spent a fair amount of time debugging wiring and configuring the G3X touch system. I had a couple of CAN bus wiring issues that were pretty easily diagnosed and resolved. I had trouble getting the transponder to power up. This one took a while to figure out but I finally got there. I had mis-pinned the power control line in the high density connector. It was off by one pin. I REALLY wish Garmin had put an LED on the GTX 45R. There was no way to determine wither the box was even powering up or whether there was a data issue. Clearly this box was not designed with installation/maintenance in mind. Inconsiderate engineering!

Fabricated the wing to fuselage fuel lines and fuel vent lines. Made up and installed the aileron and flap push rods.

Today’s Time (hours):	32.00
Finish kit (hours):	425.0
Total Time (hours):	1159.0

More engine stuff

I wired up the ammeter. I picked up a couple of inline fuses that had mounting holes. I attached them to the engine mount with an adel clamp.

I fabricated a mount for the Garmin GA 27 GPS antenna by modifying the suction cup mount that came with the antenna. I cut it to match the profile of the antenna, bent the mounting tab to a right angle and cut it shorter. I drilled a hole for the mounting screw and viola.

I wired up the left magneto.

I installed the fuel line form the firewall to the fuel pump.

I cut the right angle hose segment and installed the breather tube.

I installed the line to the oil pressure sensor.

I began terminating the oil, fuel, and manifold pressure sensor wires but realized that I didn’t have any fully insulate quick disconnect terminals. So put in my daily Aircraft Spruce order.

I wired up the right PMag.

Attached the upper and lower oil cooler lines.

Today’s Time (hours):	7.0
Finish kit (hours):	204.0
Total Time (hours):	938.0

Engine install continues

Eeked out a few hours of building this week.

Installed the fuel overflow tube.

Installed the dipstick tube and lock wired it in place.

I ordered a tach cover from Vans and this is what showed up. It has no means to lock wire it. I’m going to replace it with one from Spruce.

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Installed the oil temperature sensor.

Installed the alternator.

Installed the cylinder head temperature sensors.

Today’s Time (hours):	4.0
Finish kit (hours):	197.0
Total Time (hours):	931.0

Began TricycleLanding Gear & Engine Mount (Section 40A)

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Separated the gear attachment angles on the band saw. This is a hefty chunk of aluminum angle. It took a good 15 minutes to get through it on my puny band saw.

I decided that a new tool was in order to make the diagonal cuts. So I picked up a DeWalt Angle grinder and some cutoff wheels. It cut like butter. It took all of five minutes to get both angles cut.

Scuffed the angles as well as the other parts. Ready for priming tomorrow.

Today’s Time (hours):	2.0
Finish kit (hours):	167.0
Total Time (hours):	901.0

Work resumes on the canopy

Put the canopy back on the frame and clecoed in place. Peeled back the protective plastic on the forward edge of the canopy. Used a caliper to scribe a line for the aft of the fairing. Laid two layers of electrical tape along the line and put some masking tap above it to make sure the canopy is protected as I work on the fairing. I filed the outboard edge of the canopy to reduce the profile and make for a thinner fairing.

Fabricated a little 2″ straight edge tool and used it to scribe the forward fairing line into the top skin of the canopy frame. I cut out the side templates and used a sharpie to trace the forward outboard fairing line. It didn’t quite match up with the forward line I had scribed. So I split the difference and made a nice curve when I masked off the line with the electrical tape.

Scuffed the scrap out of the masked off skin and canopy with 60 grit sand paper. Went back and did another pass after these pics. It’s scuffed!

Arts and crafts time! I cut out the paper templates for the fiberglass cloth.

Today’s Time (hours):	2.0
Finish Kit (hours):	62.0
Total Time (hours):	792.0

Finished Seat Backs (Section 39)

I bolted together the lower corners of the seat backs. I drilled holes in the top angles using the template provided by FlightLine interiors. I blind riveted the snaps to the angles using those holes. I attached the seat back cushions to the seat backs with the snaps and the velcro provided.

Love the way the seats came out.

I also repainted the aft canopy frame. I wasn’t happy with my first attempt. It was splotchy and had spots of pretty bad orange peel. I wet sanded it and reshot it. It still looked awful. So I ended up stripping it down using acetone and repainting the bare metal. It came out quite a bit better. I’m wondering if the problem is the P60G2 primer. I’m going to shoot the remaining interior parts over bare metal.

Today’s Time (hours):	3.0
Finish Kit (hours):	60.0
Total Time (hours):	790.0

Started the Seat Backs (Section 39)

Screen Shot 2020-02-09 at 5.14.16 PM

Picked and inspected all the parts. Peeled off all the blue vinyl and labels.

Cut the corners off the seat back angles.

Separated the parts that needed parting. Deburred everything.

Fabricated the seat back and seat brace hinges. Match drilled the hinges to their corresponding parts. Machine countersunk the brace stiffeners and braces. Riveted the brace assemblies together.

Riveted together the seat backs.

I’ll scuff and paint these along with the canopy.

Today’s Time (hours):	4.0
Finish Kit (hours):	51.0
Total Time (hours):	781.0

Autopilot Yaw Servo (Section 58)

Screen Shot 2020-01-11 at 10.33.51 PM

Removed the stock servo arm and attached the Garmin tiller arm to the servo. Installed the servo into the fuselage. Still need to attach the bridle cables to the rudder cables but can’t do that Until the rudder is mounted. So I’ll wait and do this at the airport when I reassemble the tail.

Today’s Time (hours):	2.0
Options and Miscellanea Time (hours):	38.0
Total Time (hours):	727.0

Riveted the rest of the roll over structure

I got the rivets I was waiting for and that let me finish riveting the rollover structure. I got the countersunk rivets in the roll bar and then riveted the bushing doublers and covers in place.

Just need to mask everything off and shoot some paint to officially complete the fuselage.

Today’s Time (hours):	0.5
Fuselage Time (hours):	221.5
Total Time (hours):	701.0

Primed the roll over structure parts.

Primed all the roll over structure parts.

Today’s Time (hours):	1.0
Fuselage Time (hours):	208.0
Total Time (hours):	663.5