Feb 13, 2021     Right wing completion - (6 hours)       Category: Wings

Finished bottom skin installation and completed nutplates and access cover for the right wingtip. The Aveo ZipTips are very bright. Stowed the wing on the cradle.

  Feb 10, 2021     Right wingtip - (1.5 hours)       Category: Wings

Fitted up the right wingtip and drilled pilot holes at #40. Trimmed the tip and started on installing nutplates. I'm happy to note that the trailing edge is in-line with controls rigging without the same adjustment the left wing needed.

  Feb 06, 2021     Right wing bottom skin - (5 hours)       Category: Wings

Slogged through the "deburr, match drill, dimple, cleco and rivet" routine to get the bottom skin in place.

I regret that I didn't spend more time getting my helper up refreshed on riveting. It's important to just hold the gun firmly in place and let the tool do the job. He was trying to force the gun downward, got off perpendicular and the tip slipped, even with a rubber booted flush set. So now, I have to admit, my airplane won't end up being perfect...ha.

  Jan 31, 2021     Wiring and fairings - (2 hours)       Category: Wings

Installed inboard connector, tested trim servo and worked on gap fairings. Boy, do I hate those "blind bucking" solid rivets. I call it "riveting by braille".

  Jan 30, 2021     Wiring and servo - (2 hours)       Category: Wings

Installed outboard CPC plug, roll servo connector and tie-down tap. I installed the GSA 28 roll servo installed with right angle lug connector that I made up from parts I either had on hand or bought online. The cost to make up connectors is about 10% compared to the high end Garmin kit, which is essentially same pins and connector, but with a fancy schmancy back shell that you can connect shield grounds to; instead, made a separate ground lead.

  Jan 27, 2021     Constructed and setup the aileron trim servo - (2 hours)       Category: Wings

I made a servo mount. I had a Ray Allen trim servo left from a previous project, so bought needed parts from Van's per the drawing and built it without buying the complete kit.

Using a motorcycle exhaust spring hook is the perfect tool for reaching inside and connecting the actuator springs.

I used a 9V battery at the wing root connector to verify proper trim servo operation.

  Jan 23, 2021     Gap fairings, wiring, fuel tank installation - (8 hours) Category: Wings

Items completed:
• Installed the fuel tank
• Prepped skin, gap fairings and J stringer. I cleaned the blue off the bottom skin and deburred it.
• Started mouting gap fairings.
• I mounted the roll servo
• Ran all wires in the wing.
• Installed the aileron bell crank.
• Sanded smooth the left wingtip and stowed for future use.

  Jan 22, 2021     Right wing fuel tank and QB inspection - (5 hours)       Category: Wings

Filled stall holes in the leading edge of the right wing (thought only left, was surprised to find these holes in the right wing too) with micro. I also found that the VA-146 bearing and inboard nutplates were not done, although the sections are marked as completed by the Quick builders.

Removed and inspected the fuel tank. Installed the fuel return fitting and level sender and leak checked. I snooped the snot out of the tanks and didn't see any bubbles and the balloon held for a few hours without issue.

Ready to reinstall the tank. The rest of the wing looks good and ready for wire, controls and skin.

  Jan 18, 2021     Finsished up inboard connector and flox'd the TE - (1.5 hours)       Category: Wings

I inserted the provided rib and epoxied in place with micro, let it dry and sanded it smooth.

The left wing is completed and stowed on the cradle.

  Jan 16, 2021     Wingtip wiring and access - (4 hours)       Category: Wings

I completed the wingtip connector and started on the root connector. I did a loop check off the outboard connector before I did heat shrink. I also installed access cover with #6 nutplates. I stuck to my rule of no more than 4" without a fastener.

  Jan 15, 2021     Wingtip split TE and aligned with aileron - (1.5 hours)       Category: Wings

I split the wing tip trailing edge with a hacksaw blade. I then used wingtip clecos with backing plates to slightly bend the tip into alignment with the aileron. Very little flex was needed and It looks good.

  Jan 09, 2021     Left wing tip - (4 hours)       Category: Wings

I followed the Section 24 instructions to install my Aveo ZipTip using the the KAI as described with #6 nutplates. It worked out fine, but one issue is that when fully pressed into the wing end, the tip trailing edge is slightly below the aileron, which is rigged to the flap at reflex (firmly against the spar), so the trailing edge of the wingtip needs to be redone to line up. I will split the trailing edge and then slightly flex the wingtip into rig, and epoxy it into place.

I bought another can of West System 206B slow hardener and 105B resin, along with new 300 series pumps. I now have more than sufficient epoxy to finish the airplane.

  Jan 08, 2021     Pitot leak test - (1 hour)       Category: Wings

The pitot tube push-on connector leaked at the push-on; I removed, recut and reinserted the hose with no more leak. The balloon was still inflated four hours later when I checked, so I called it good. The allowance is 100' per minute or 1inHg differential at 1000' AGL for one minute, so holding pressure for four hours was my acceptable test criteria. I tested the AOA and Pitot lines separately.

  Dec 29, 2020     Bottom skin and pitot installation - (6 hours)       Category: Wings

I worked from the aft spar forward and riveted the skin in place.

I glued FOUR AN960-8 washers together to make a single rivet to establish the pitot tube 90�o the spar. Adding glue makes it exactly 90�erpendicular to the spar, which is 0�ith the chord line. The allowed variance is 5�so it should work very well.

  Dec 28, 2020     pitot mount...and stuff - (1 hour)       Category: Wings

I made the rivets on the aileron control rods with the squeezer held in my bench vise. My Numatx squeezer is easily the best money I've spent on tooling; it's light, strong and love the foot pedal. It is the best tool for doing small part riveting tasks that are hand-held.

I put all of the pitot parts together to scribe the hole in the skin, and then cut it out using a drill and then die grinder. My right angle grinder with 1" disks is perfect for this.

  Dec 23, 2020     Pitot mount, hoses and bottom skin... - (6.5 hours)       Category: Wings

The pitot/AOA hoses have been routed along the bottom in snap bushings. This is a better, more repairable route than being fitted in the J-stiffener and less susceptible to vibration fatigue and wear.

After much ado, I finalized my pitot mount to the outboard rib in bay 3 (counting from the wingtip). It's the best compromise between ease of access, clearance from the control rods and also the tie-down ring. It's now about 20” outboard of the ring, which will allow clearance on the widest tie-down spots I've ever been to. Most are 25', but even at 30' between them, I'll have plenty of clearance.

I flared and prepared the pitot tube for installation. What remains is to cleco up the forward part of the lower skin in place and then drill from the inside to locate the #30 holes to the support bracket. After that, I'll pull the skin and match drill four holes along the bottom, sides and top on the backing plate.

I consider wings to be the hardest part of the airplane, simply because everything is repetitive, cramped and hard to reach.

  Dec 22, 2020     Pitot mount, hoses and bottom skin - (7 hours)       Category: Wings

Wired the fuel sender and installed a knife connector. I'll run the fuselage lead through a small snap bushing, with some sealant to hold the wire and seal the hole.

I settled on putting the pitot tube in the outboard bay adjacent to the aileron control brackets and then putting the heater control on the access door. The pitot tube is 6” tall and 10” outboard of the tie-down ring. This is a shallow angle of 30.6�Noting that the tie-down ring will be almost exactly 36” above the ground in normal conditions, the wing tie-down rings are 22 apart and the average airport tie-downs are 25' apart, the angle from the tie-down ring to the tie-down would be about 63�so well clear of the pitot tube. Even if the tie-downs were 30' apart, the angle would be about 37�so still clear. But even more importantly, the tie-downs would go forward, not straight out, so even more clear. The important thing is that the pitot tube and mast will be easier to maintain while being clear of the aileron controls.

  Dec 21, 2020     Wires, fairings and skin - (4 hours)       Category: Wings

Working inside the wing sucked. But with a little effort, I was able to squeeze my left arm in to hold the bucking bar and my friend Vlad bucked with the gun; it would be a difficult task solo. Most of the gap fairing is done.

The easier way to roll the blue off is to put a couple pieces of tape for the first couple inches of blue, and then just roll it off. Quite a bit easier than the pull method. I just used a razor to cut the blue off of the pipe.

I ran wire for the wingtips, two 3C20GA and then one 3C22GA, plus red and black 14GA for the pitot heat plus a white 22GA for the heater control discrete switch.

For the fuel sender, I realized there is no clear path aft to the wing CPC plug, so I'll have to make a separate hole and run that 20GA wire by itself to the panel starting in front of the spar; I'll use a 3/16 snap bushing and knife connectors in the wing attach area with clear heat shrink.

  Dec 19, 2020     Pitot mount and gap fairings - (2.5 hours)       Category: Wings

Bolted and set neutral for left wing aileron. Prepped air gap parts and pitot mount .

Instrument Air hose colors:
• Pitot - Red
• Static - White
• AOA - Blue

I worked section 20, but didn't get much done. I did start mounting the gap fairing and discovered I'm going to need someone with a thin arm to get in and hold a bucking bar for the gap fairing rivets - very hard to reach.

The left wing has a 16 pin connector: 2 will be 14GA for the pitot heat, 10 for the wing tip, fuel and pitot heat control for a total of 14.

The right wing has a 28 pin CPC connector, with 9 for the wingtip, 5 for trim servo, 4 for the roll servo, and fuel capacity for a total of 19.

  Dec 17, 2020     Actuator Controls - (2 hours)       Category: Wings

Installed VA-146 on the left wing. It should have been installed by the factory, but I found the bearings in the bag and easily installed them. The good news is that I have plenty of clearance for the fuel return and vent lines. Also started on the gap fairings.

  Dec 16, 2020     More actuator work. Finished tube fabrication - (2.5 hours)       Category: Wings

Installed the aileron bellcrank for the left wing. The long torque tube is initially 94 7/16” and the bellcrank to aileron is 25 1/4”, both C-C at the rod end bearings.

  Dec 15, 2020     Aileron Actuator - (3.6 hours)       Category: Wings

I cut, primed and installed ends on the pushrods and am about 1/2 through S23. I expect to finish it tomorrow and then get the pitot tube mounted. I'll also run the wires once I know if there is clearance for the pitot. I'm thinking to install it in the original Van's location. I would think inboard is better than outboard for tie down clearance and it's the design location, so I'd think aerodynamics are good for the pitot too. I see other folks mount outboard, but it looks like it would put the pitot in the way of the tie down. Of course, going inboard could cause conflict with the aileron actuator rods, but I'll figure it out. While I wait for the pitot tube to arrive, I will run wires and mount the wing tip. I'll need to cleco the skin in place for this, but will hold off on riveting it until I'm done with the wing.

I reinstalled the fuel tank after a successful leak test.

  Dec 12, 2020     Left wing and fuel tank - (2 hours)       Category: Wings

I finished Inspecting the left wing for proper construction sections 13-17. Installed a fuel return fitting for my fuel injection system and pressure tested the tank with good results using the balloon method. Snooped and found no leaks (bubbles) noted and it held pressure for over 30 minutes with no change in balloon size, so good to go. I also filled in the pilot holes for the stall warner. I decide to install an AOA and not use a stall warner vane on this airplane.

Using my borescope and rotating, I noted that my fuel level sensor is clear of the vent line, plus the float touches both the top and bottom of the tank with full stroke.

  Dec 08, 2020     QB Wing inspection - (2 hours)       Category: Wings

Performed inspection of the left wing and noted the tie-down was not tapped by the quick builders per section 13. Decided to fill the stall warming pilot holes as I'll be using a AOA and have found the stall warner unnecessary with a calibrated AOA.

  Feb 10, 2020     Aveo Engineering Wingtips arrive!       Category: Wings

I ordered these Zip Tip Premiere III wing tips in November 2018, but they were going through a revision and I agreed to wait on the version 3. With 175,000 Candella landing lights, they should do the job. I really like that they are an integrated lighting system including side and rear recognition (NAV) lights as well, plus taxi and strobe. And the new version has a little winglet thing going on. I think they look great.