Apr 28, 2024     R/H Wing Recognition Light and Nav/Strobe Light - (3.4 hours)       Category: Lighting

Used a unibit and drilled a 5/16" hole in the R/H wing leading edge for the recognition light. Installed a MS35489-4 grommets. Made two standoffs out of .032 6061-T6 to hold the recognition lights and nav/strobe lights from the bottom skin. One is for the left wing. Drilled two #40 holes for #3 rivets for attaching the standoff to the bottom skin L angle. Attached with #3 AD rivets. Drilled a 1/2" hole through the front spar and rear spar for where those wires will go through. Installed 3 SA-655 snap bushings that are from Stein Air. These bushings have a 3/8" inside diameter. Laid out where the wire standoffs from Zenith will go on the rear spar, P/N 11-03987. Spaced them one foot apart from each other. For the nav/strobe wires I'm using 20 AWG 4 conductor shielded wire. The recognition lights I'm using 18 AWG 4 conductor shielded wire.

  Apr 06, 2024     R/H Recognition Light - (.6 hour)       Category: Lighting

Put the R/H outboard slat on to mark where the recognition light wiring will go into the leading edge of the wing and marked it.

  Mar 24, 2024     R/H and L/H Position Lights - (2.3 hours)       Category: Lighting

Made two backing plates from .032 aluminum for attaching the R/H and L/H wing position lights. The position lights get attached with 3 screws. Drilled the holes in the plate for the screws and wires. The wire hole I'm using a 1/2” snap in grommet. Dimpled the fastener holes for the nutplates.

  Feb 13, 2023     R/H Taxi/Recognition Light - (1.1 hours)       Category: Lighting

Drilled the 6 holes in the R/H taxi/recognition light bracket and slat skin to a #18. Dimpled the 6 holes in the slat skin for #8 screws. Used a #8 nut plate jig to drill the nut plate holes in the mounting bracket. Dimpled the 6 mounting bracket holes for the #8 screws. Dimpled the #40 rivet holes for MS20426-3-3 rivets. Also dimpled the nut plate mounting holes. Rivet the 6 nut plates to the mounting bracket. I'm as far as I can go on the slats for now. I'm going to wait for the wings to get done so I can see how they fit and attach them together. I want to paint the slats before I install the taxi/recognition lights.

  Feb 11, 2023     R/H Taxi/ Recognition Light - (1.5 hours)       Category: Lighting

Cut 22 mm off the bottom of the light lens with a small diamond cutoff wheel on a dremel. Drilled 4 holes to hold the lens tight against the skin. Drilled 6 pilot holes to hold the light bracket. Still need to upsize the holes for the #8 screws.

  Feb 01, 2023     R/H Taxi/Recognition Light - (1.0 hour)       Category: Lighting

Drilled out the rivets for the R/H outboard slat end rib to gain access for installing the R/H taxi/recognition light. Cut out the area on the slat for the light. Used 320 sandpaper for the finish.

  Jan 29, 2023     R/H Taxi/Recognition Light - (.8 hour)       Category: Lighting

Layed out where the R/H outboard slat taxi/recognition light cutout and fasteners will be on the slat skin.

  Jan 21, 2023     Purchased #8 dimpled nut plates       Category: Lighting

Purchased MS21049L08 (SGP13449-x50) nut plates from SkyGeek. Came in a package of 50. I needed 2 more for the taxi/recognition lights.

  Jan 20, 2023     L/H Taxi/Recognition Light - (1.5 hours)       Category: Lighting

Drilled the 6 holes that will hold the L/H outboard slat taxi/recognition light mounting bracket to a #18 for #8 screws. Dimpled and drilled the slat skin and mounting bracket for nut plates (P/N MS21049L08). Dimpled the nut plate mounting holes. Rivet the nut plates to the mounting bracket.

  Jan 15, 2023     L/H Taxi/Recognition Light - (5.4 hours)       Category: Lighting

I worked for awhile today on the L/H outboard slat taxi/recognition light but didn't get much done. Spent time determining the hole size and how I would attach everything. I didn't want a large hole for the light, just large enough but still look good. Cut a little more off the top side of the hole I already had started. The lens was too long so I cut 22mm off the bottom edge. Used a cutoff wheel on a dremel tool and sandpaper on a block of wood to smooth the edge. This also made the lens fit better. For ease of installation and to secure the lens to the leading edge skin tighter I decided to use A3 rivets. Used a plexiglass drill bit to prevent it from cracking. For now I drilled 4 holes in the corners. I may add 2 more rivets on the top and bottom side of the cutout. Drilled the 6 holes that hold the light bracket assembly with a #30 drill bit. I'm not going to use the 6 sheetmetal screws that came with the kit so I think I'll make those 6 holes in the bracket #8 screws. I think I'll also dimple those holes for flush screws. Also decided that I'm going to paint the bracket the same color as what I paint the slat. I still have more work to do on this light but won't do the final install until I paint the bracket. I'll also need to keep the end rib and end fairing off until then.

  Dec 26, 2022     Taxi/ Recognition Lights - (2.4 hours)       Category: Lighting

Sanded the edges and rounded the corners on the L/H and R/H taxi/ recognition light brackets. Drilled the three holes to a #10 and the other four holes to a #28 for the #6 screws. I used a #10 nut plate jig for the three larger holes and installed the nut plates with #3 solid rivets (20470-3-3). Those rivets didn't need to be flush because nothing will be screwed against it.

  Dec 17, 2022     Purchased Screws P/N AN509C8R7       Category: Lighting

Purchased Screws P/N AN509C8R7 from Aircraft Spruce (part number 04-01256-25). It was a pack of 25. Need 12 for attaching the taxi/recognition light bracket to the slat skin.

  Dec 17, 2022     L/H Taxi/ Recognition Light - (3.4 hours)       Category: Lighting

Layed out the hole for the L/H Microsun taxi/recognition light on the outboard slat. Drilled out the rivets for the outboard rib and removed it so I can get the light in the slat. Used a unibit to drill the four corners of the cutout. Used a cutoff wheel on a dremel to cut it out. Used a 1/2” grinding wheel and then sandpaper to smooth the edges. I made the hole smaller than what the drawing shows and will probably make it bigger once I see how the light centers in the cutout.

  Dec 11, 2022     Taxi/Recognition Lights - (1.5 hours)       Category: Lighting

Spent sometime figuring out how to install the MicroSun Taxi/Recognition lights in the slats. Need to drill out the end rib in order to install the light.

  Sep 16, 2022     Picked up LED NAV/STROBE kit       Category: Lighting

Picked up the AERO LED Pulsar NAV/STROBE kit (P/N 01-1100-12) at the Zenith open house.

  Aug 17, 2022     Purchased LED NAV/STROBE kit Category: Lighting

Purchased the LED NAV/STROBE kit from Zenith.

  May 12, 2021     Purchased 2 each landing light kits Category: Lighting

Purchased 2 landing light kits at $425 each.

  Oct 12, 2020     Purchased MS21049L08 Anchor Nuts       Category: Lighting

Purchased MS21049L08 anchor nuts from Aircraft Spruce, part number 04-01725-10. It came in a package of 10. Using these on the taxi/recognition lights.

  Jul 20, 2020     Rudder Tail Light Install - (2.5 hours)       Category: Lighting

Primed the trailing edge skin where the tail light bracket attaches with zinc phosphate primer.
Used butt splices p/n 320559 (Aircraft Spruce) to connect the tail light to 18 awg. wire. Also used heat shrink p/n HST-1/8 and HST-3/16 (Wicks) to hold the wires together.
Riveted the tail light bracket to the rudder with 10 ea. A4 rivets.
Screwed the tail light to the bracket with #6 screws and tested the light to make sure it works.

  May 10, 2020     Installed riv-nuts to tail light bracket - (.3 hour)       Category: Lighting

Installed #6 riv-nuts to the tail light bracket.

  Apr 15, 2020     Purchased Rivet Nuts Category: Lighting

Purchased a 10 package of 6-32 rivnuts from Aircraft Tool Supply Company.

  Apr 14, 2020     Drilled tail light bracket - (.8 hour)       Category: Lighting

Drilled the tail light bracket to the trailing edge skin for the A4 rivets.

  Apr 11, 2020     Tail light wiring - (1.1 hours)       Category: Lighting

Figured out how the tail light wire is going to run inside of the rudder. Installed grommet P/N MS35489-1. Drilled 2 #30 holes and riveted P/N ABM4 wire holder to the spar with #3 solid (AD) rivets.

  Apr 06, 2020     Tail light cut out - (1.4 hours)       Category: Lighting

Cut out the rudder trailing edge skin for the tail light.

  Apr 02, 2020     Purchased 4-way cable tie mount and cable ties Category: Lighting

Purchased 4-way cable tie mount (P/N ABM4) and 7" low profile cable ties (P/N C750LP9) from Wicks Aircraft.

  Apr 01, 2020     Tail light bracket - (2 hours)       Category: Lighting

Cleco the ribs and trailing edge skin to the spar so I could figure out where to mount the tail light. Drilled the bracket for the rivets and tail light assembly. I'll be installing riv-nuts to mount the light assembly to the bracket. Laid out where I need to cut the trailing edge skin.

  Mar 25, 2020     Purchased butt splices Category: Lighting

Purchased 2 each 320559 window type butt splice red from Aircraft Spruce & Specialty Co.

  Feb 08, 2020     Purchased 1/8" and 3/16" heat shrink tubing Category: Lighting

Purchased 2 feet each of HST-1/8 and HST-3/16 heat shrink tubing from Wicks Aircraft Supply.

  Feb 08, 2020     Purchased Rubber grommet Category: Lighting

Purchased rubber grommet (P/N MS35489-1) from Wicks Aircraft Supply. I'll use this grommet to run the tail light wires through one of the ribs.

  Feb 08, 2020     Purchased 12V LED tail light Category: Lighting

Purchased a PSA Enterprises 12V LED tail light (TL918) from Wick's Aircraft Supply.

  Dec 21, 2019     Purchased tail light bracket Category: Lighting

Purchased a tail light bracket from Zenith.

  Dec 21, 2019     Purchased wire for the tail light Category: Lighting

Purchased 100 feet of 18 gauge wire from Zenith Aircraft for the tail light.