Completed Right Wingtip

Laid out the cut the left and right wing tips. I made over-ran on of the cuts by an inch or so on the left wing. So I did a little patch and fill with some fiberglass and micro and set it aside to cure. Then continued work on the right wingtip.

Cut and installed the nav light lens.

Installed the nav/strobe light. Used the template from the plans to drill the wingtip. Terminated the wires with Molex .062 pins. Unfortunately Vans provided a 4-pin molex housing instead of the 5-pin one that matches the wiring harness in the wing. <sigh> Now I get to pay $10 in shipping for two $1 moles housings. Mounted the bracket and installed the light. Tested it out with a 9-volt. That sucker is bright!

Fit the wingtip to the wing and set it in place with a ratchet strap. Match drilled the holes from the wing skins to the wingtip. Final drilled and dimpled the holes in the wing for #6 screws. Final drilled the screw holes in the wing tip and then used a nut plate, a screw, and a cleco as a drill jig to drill the nut plate attach holes. Machine countersunk the screw and rivet holes and riveted the nut plates in place.

Fit the wing tip rib to the wingtip. Laid out and match drilled rivet holes. Riveted the rib in place.

Bam! Right wingtip done.

Today’s Time (hours):	8.0
Wing Time (hours):	293.0
Total Time (hours):	445.0

Finished riveting the bottom right skin

Finished riveting the bottom right skin.

Today’s Time (hours):	3.0
Wing Time (hours):	283.0
Total Time (hours):	435.0

Finished riveting the bottom left skins

Finished riveting the forward half of the outboard left skin.

Riveted the nut plates to the inboard bottom skin and the inspection ports.

Installed the pitot mast, pitot tube, and pitot heat control box.

Two of the crimp-on quick disconnect terminals on the pitot tube were not properly crimped by Garmin and pulled off when I went to connect them. Disappointing! Unfortunately I had already put in an Aircraft Spruce order this weekend. I’ll wait until I have more stuff to order and get some new connectors.

Reinstalled the aileron push tube and torqued the fasteners.

Reinstalled the flaps.

Today’s Time (hours):	5.0
Wing Time (hours):	280.0
Total Time (hours):	432.0

Continued riveting the bottom skins

Jared came over helped me to rivet the bottom skins. We got the aft half of the outboard skins done.

Finished riveting the left inboard skin.

Today’s Time (hours):	5.0
Wing Time (hours):	275.0
Total Time (hours):	427.0

Started riveting the bottom skins

The rest of my avionics order showed up this morning. I also received the GMU 22 mounting kit from Van’s. Apparently they don’t make one for the GMU 11 (which is what I bought). So I took a chance and ordered the one for the GMU 22 thinking I could cannibalize it and create something for the GMU 11. As it turns out, all I needed to do was to match drill four holes to the base of the GMU 11. So I drilled the holes, cut the top half of the mount per the plans, deburred and primed everything, riveted it together, and screwed on the GMU 11. Bayum!

Remy helped me rivet the inboard bottom skin to the right wing. It was challenging to reach the rivets along the aft spar. Remy and I took turns bucking and shooting. Nonetheless, tomorrow will definitely be an Advil day. I clecoed the outboard skin in place. That can be tomorrow’s challenge.

Today’s Time (hours):	3.0
Wing Time (hours):	270.0
Total Time (hours):	422.0

Completed aileron actuation

Assembled the aileron trim.

Assembled the aileron pushrods, torque tubes, and bell cranks.

Installed all the parts into the wings and aligned everything.

Today’s Time (hours):	7.0
Wing Time (hours):	256.0
Total Time (hours):	408.0

Primed all the remaining wing parts

Drilled holes for and installed angle of attack sensor tubing. Also ran wires for pitot heat.

Drilled the rivet holes for all the aileron push tube ends and prepared all the parts for priming.

Primed all the remaining wing parts.

Installed the aileron and flap gap fairings.

Assembled the ADAHRS mounting bracket.

Today’s Time (hours):	7.0
Wing Time (hours):	249.0
Total Time (hours):	401.0

Completed assembling left tank

Same drill as the right tank yesterday…

Both tanks are now fully assembled. I’ll give them a few days and then pressure test them to find and seal any leaks. Then I can attach them to the wings and move on to the bottom wing skins and aileron actuation.

Today’s Time (hours):	3.0
Wing Time (hours):	229.0
Total Time (hours):	381.0

Finished assembling right tank.

Added a bead of tank sealant for the baffle. Clecoed the baffle in place. Riveted the baffle to the ribs and then riveted the z-brackets in place. Then riveted the baffle to the skin.

Installed the fuel drain, the fuel sender, AN fittings, and the fuel cap.

Machine countersunk the holes in the tank attach bracket for #8 screws.

The right tank is now complete and once the sealant has cured, I can pressure test it. Hoping to get the left tank to the same state tomorrow.

Today’s Time (hours):	3.0
Wing Time (hours):	226.0
Total Time (hours):	378.0

Recommenced fuel tank assembly

Jared came by again today to help out. Thanks, man. You’re the best!

We got the fuel drains, fuel filer and stiffeners re-installed.

Installed the ribs in the right tank.

Made up installed the vent line for the right tank. Added installed the right tank attach bracket and aft inboard rib and filleted everything with sealer. Both tanks are now ready to be closed out with the rear baffle.

I cannot over state what a sticky, smelly, messy process this is. My shop looks like a sealant bomb went off. Every tool I own has some sealant on it now.

Today’s Time (hours):	10.0
Wing Time (hours):	222.0
Total Time (hours):	374.0