Mar 19, 2023     Flap Position Sensor       Category: Flight Controls

I wanted to assemble the Ray Allen POS-12 Flap Position Sensor. I cut a small section of piano hinge and riveted the Position Sensor to one wing of the hinge. The parts I used were a bent piece of aluminum, a 1" Cushion Clamp, AN526C632R8 pan head screw, and a MS21042-06 tiny lock nut. To allow a slight offset between the bent aluminum and the sensor arm, I 3D printed a small bushing. I still need to find the correct position to rivet the upper portion of the hinge to the rear spar bulkhead, but I think I am close. I'll need to connect a Molex connector or perhaps a small terminal block to the 3 wires on the sensor.

  Oct 18, 2022     Brake Return Springs       Category: Flight Controls

Both Joe and Rich advised me to install return springs on the brake master cylinders. This will help prevent the possibility of dragging brakes. It consists of parts from McMaster-Carr:
Set Screw Shaft Collar - 9946K13
3/8" nylon sleeve - 6389K625
3" spring - 9657K435
3/4" nylon sleeve - 6294K441
nylon plastic washer - 90295A470

  May 17, 2022     A/C Continuted...       Category: Flight Controls

Installed the A/C Drain Tubes. But prior to that I realized that I needed to connect the Autopilot Yaw Servo Cables to the Rudder Cables. This was more of a chore that I expected, since I had put the Center Aft Bulkhead Channel in yesterday and it kind of restricted my access to the Tail Cone. First I clamped the rudder in the neutral position, then pulled the rudder cables taught. I do wish I had three hands sometimes. Holding the servo cable clamps in position while tightening the nuts was the issue. The lightbulb went off and I used Cleco Clamps on the Cable Clamps to hold them in position while I adjusted them and tightened the nuts. The A/C Drain was simple and the Blower Box Drain lined up nicely with the fuselage drain. I may have to make a slight adjustment when I get the Battery Vent Drain in position. So, great... I get to crawl back up inside there to install that drain.

  May 12, 2022     Sec. 40 Flap System       Category: Flight Controls

Got the Flap Motor installed today, finishing up Sec. 40. Really not much to it. Making the small bushings was straight forward. I cut them on the band saw and deburred them. I checked the motor for operation with a 9V battery and it worked as advertised. Next thing in this area is mounting the Ray Allen POS-12 Flap Position Sensor. I plan on using an Adel Clamp on the Flap Torque Tube. It seems the easiest for future accessibility and keeps it out of the Tunnel.

  May 09, 2022     Sec. 40 Flap System       Category: Flight Controls

Got all the F-1030 UHMW Bushings in place. The inboard ones weren't too much problem. The outboard ones were a bit more difficult. Per a suggestion, I used a Scotch-Brite pad to reduce the O.D. and some Boelube and pushed it through and into position. Very tight fit but it worked. Then found that I was one short of AN3-12A bolts used to bolt the Bushings into place. Arrggghhh... Scrounged one from a fellow builder and will pay him back when my order comes in from ACS. Next will be the Flap Motor installation. Will also need to plan on my POS-12 Flap Position Sensor installation.

  May 01, 2022     Section 40 - Flaps       Category: Flight Controls

Started Sec. 40 today. Had to match and final drill holes in the Flap Crank, Flap Horns and Torque Tubes. There is a Bellcrank Jig with a part number of W-730. For the life of me, I couldn't find it. So, I fabricated one. Using this jig sets the angle of the Flap Horns, relative to the Flap Crank. With a vice grip, clamp the Crank to the table and with the jig installed, measure the length of the tube and set the angle. Then drill holes for the Horns and Torque Tubes and Prime the Tubes. Next was trimming the UHMW Bushings. The required cut is to provide space for the torque tube cover in the floor area of the rear seats. The other trimming is optional. I printed 4 templates and used double sided tape to stick them to each block. It made the cuts very simple. I then bolted the 4 blocks together and sanded them to the same size. Pg 40-4 Step 5 has you slide a bushing down the torque tube over the powder coated area. I used some Scotchbrite to reduce the outside diameter of the powder coat, lubed with Boelube and slid a PVC pipe over the tube and hammered it down the tube. Okay so far but I can see this is going to be an issue getting both bushings into the correct position. Especially the ones on the outboard sides.

  Apr 29, 2022     Section 39       Category: Flight Controls

Finished Section 39 today. Squared up the Control Sticks and installed the Elevator Pushrod Assembly. Had to make a small jig to set the correct length of the forward Pushrod while in the neutral position and also using the Elevator Bellcrank jig. Also had to make sure the loop in the safety wire goes aroung the bearing, passing between the rod end housing and the WD-1010 Control Column clevis and is captured by the AN4 bolt

  Apr 27, 2022     Stick Grip Unboxing!       Category: Flight Controls

Received the Infinity Stick Grips today! A very nice product that I'm looking forward to installing. When speaking to JD he convinced me to add the Stick Grip Pivoting Spacer ( SGPS ) to the order. It allows the Stick Grip to pivot +/- 45 degrees from center for better forearm to wrist ergonomics. The Infinity Grips are very popular and according to JD have even been used in movie props. I'll have to keep an eye out for them.

  Apr 27, 2022     Control Column       Category: Flight Controls

39-7 step 1 has you match drill the Control Sticks and the Control Stick Bases which was a little tricky. One of the Control Sticks wasn't exactly square so getting it to line up wasn't as easy as planned. The outside of the stick and the inside of the base had to be cleaned as it was a tight fit. Then installation of the WD-1010 Control Column. Had to remove the seat pan covers which wasn't too difficult. Just a few screws on each side. Then the control column slides into a slot on the tunnel sides. Then attach the column to the Control Column Mounts. Again with fitting washers on the inside edges of the bases. This time access was much better and it didn't take too long to accomplish.

  Apr 26, 2022     Push Rods (Continued...)       Category: Flight Controls

Day 2 of trying to install the elevator push rods on to the idler arm. I was able to install the bolt on the top but the two on the bottom turned out to be a real challenge. For the top bolt there are 3 washers on either side of the rod end. On the bottom there is one washer on either side of the rod end. I got Tomoko out to help as her hands are much smaller and she was able to maneuver better around the arm inside the tunnel area. It was very frustrating but we got it done! Thank goodness for the washer wrench! Without it, I don't know how we could have managed.

  Apr 21, 2022     Push Rods       Category: Flight Controls

Started on Section 39 Control System... First steps are to measure and cut the Pushrod Tubes, installation the Threaded Rod End. I measured the Pushrod Tubes and cut them to length then drilled the Threaded Rod Ends for Safety Wire and Riveting. Drilling the Threaded Rod End for the Safety Wire holes was a little tricky, as I had to drill on a slanted surface. I found that if I just went very slow to start the hole, it worked well. After that it was no issue. I primed the exterior of the pushrods prior to final installation mainly for cosmetics. The plans have you remove the F-1035 Battery/ Bellcrank Mount to install the F-1090 Elevator Pushrod Assembly by feeding it forward through the aft side of the F-1006 Fuselage Bulkhead and into the position. Arrgggh... I had already mounted the Pitch and Yaw servos with the aft F-1091Elevator Pushrod. Got that done now assembling the F-1063 Elevator Idler Arm Assembly.

  Aug 12, 2021     Rudder Pedals and Brake Lines       Category: Flight Controls

Installed the Control Approach custom rudder pedals by Paul Grimstad. They are joined in the middle with two interlocking tubes and bolted together. They drop in the Van's Delrin blocks on the sides but the center block and AN4H-4A bolts are supplied by Paul. These bolts have a hole drilled in the bolt head to allow for safety wiring. I chose a middle position for the pedals. If needed I can adjust later. Then I connected the brake lines. They run from a reservoir on the firewall, through the firewall with an AN826-4D tee fitting, into the right seat master cylinders. Then over the top to the left seat pedals and into the parking brake valve. From the parking brake valve they run down the tunnel to the left and right side brake lines. I'm trying to make the brake line runs a neat as possible using the TSFlightlines fluidlines. So far, I think it's working out.

  Jan 08, 2020     Rudder Pedals - Section 38       Category: Flight Controls

Control Approach custom rudder pedals arrived. Very nice product. Excellent packaging. Paul Grimstad is very good to work with. Looking forward to installing this quality product. I ordered MATCO master cylinders and sent them to Paul for him to install. I also bought some springs from McMaster-Carr that is supposed to act as return springs to help hold the pedals in position.