Apr 25, 2023     Panel Layout - (36 hours)       Category: Instrument Panel

The pictures gathered here show the end stage of the panel design development. It was driven by two primary factors: 1) Requirements of a minimal Corvair engine driven aircraft, 2) Engine control and instrumentation layout similar to C150/152 which I did my primary flight training in and will no doubt fly in from time to time. Development of this panel has gone through multiple iterations and the final version shown here as design drawing is based on analysis of circuit requirements for running the Corvair engine's critical electrical systems (ignition and power generation) and the non-critical electrical systems (lighting and avionics). I decided for traditional panel over software driven multi-display systems, though power and space is provided for COTS devices to run foreflight. I have spent at least 36 hours on the design and accumulation of tools and materials which converge on the panel itself. All electrical is being installed to standards defined in AC 43.13-B

  Apr 21, 2023     Forward Fuselage - (1.5 hours)       Category: Fuselage

Prepare forward fuselage floor for buildup and installation.

  Apr 05, 2023     Seat Pan Support Area - (2 hours)       Category: Fuselage

Marked (with a rivet spacer fan) and drilled holes in seat pan support panels / support brackets prior to install. Drilled out all holes to final size and then deburred all holes. Drilled extra attach holes in both vertical support channels on the rear fuselage because lower left / lower right holes have AN nuts so close behind the hole that rivet installation is not possible from outside, and inside the channel the rivet gun head will not fit. The extra hole is in middle of bottom row and make up for the missing outside lower rivet.

  Apr 04, 2023     Seat Pan Support - (2.5 hours)       Category: Fuselage

Outboard seat pan supports have to be drilled to fasten the seat pan down. A5 pitch 40 rivets are used. Pilot holes #40, then drilled out to A5 size. Not deburred yet.

Also drilled out the pilot holes for the lower seat belt harness attach point, starboard and port sides.

  Apr 01, 2023     Nut Repair - (5 hours)       Category: Fuselage

Minor travails and new access panels to very tight spaces:
When drilling a hole through the side channel upright on my fuselage, down by the landing gear fitment where the holes go to attach the seat pan, I noticed that the drill seemed to not want to go through the sheet-metal -- about like when metal is a bit thicker. So I used a little bit more force. But it turned out it wasn't sheet-metal. On inspection I saw that I had drilled into the nut of the top AN 4 bolt of the rear part of the starboard fitment that connects the front fuselage to the rear fuselage. I couldn't tell how deep I had drilled into the nut or maybe even the bolt. I was unwilling to ignore potential damage to part of the system that connects the rear fuselage to the front (everything might NOT be all right). So began an hours long endeavor to remove the bolt and nut to inspect and replace. It involved getting a 20 ton press, buying a wrench or other tool that I could bend in the press to a U-shape to be able to get back behind the side channel via the narrow area left between baggage floor and seat pan rear support. I knew that I could put an access panel instead and approach it that way. But I started with the "make your own tool way". I managed to remove the nut from the bolt, but had so much trouble getting a new one back on with a washer. Then my custom wrench head got stuck. I was forced to make an access panel. Once the access panel was open it took a whole 2 minutes to remove the stuck tool and reinstall the bolt and torque it correctly.

  Mar 01, 2023     Critical Electrical And Panel Area - (15 hours)       Category: Landing Gear

Bought 4x8 sheet of .025 from Airparts. Didn't have metal brake so used rubber mallet method of bending instrumentation wiring support pans between firewall and panel. Bent against grain by accident, however do not believe will be a problem given the non-structural nature and very low weight of service loops of wiring the pans will support. The battery, contactor, and distribution bus is mounted behind the passenger seat. Battery location reinforced with .092 extruded L and wrapped tight with sheet metal to resist high g loads in sudden stop situation. Fabrication and planning of these items took a long time. Acquired a small sheet metal bender for the smaller brackets that the bus and the contactor are mounted on. Used .016 L-angle as "finger" to get appropriate bend radius on those items. Used rubber mallet to create flange that cheap metal brake design doesn't support.

  Feb 11, 2023     Landing Gear / Wheels / Tires - (3.5 hours)       Category: Landing Gear

Assembled wheels into tires. Ran 1/16 in. bead of Permatex Ultra Grey (82194) high torque gasket maker around the face of one side of the wheel assembly to ensure no leakage between wheel halves. Placed lower wheel on 2x4 wood blocks under tire. Placed upper wheel half onto lower and bolted tight with all six bolts. Then placed the rubber o-ring at the wheel join. Used a lot of watery dish soap as lubricant during tire inflation, used ratchet strap to compress center of tire during inflation to seat bead onto rim.

Gear installation preceded tire / wheel assembly.

  Jul 21, 2022     Hangar Move In, Part One - (4 hours)       Category: Workshop

Build rack to hold completed airframe subcomponents. Move engines to hangar.

  Jul 15, 2022     Hangar Rented - (2 hours)       Category: Workshop

Found a commericial hangar at KRVS in Tulsa. Rented from Bill Denton, Denton and Associates LLC. Bill is a recipient of the Charles Taylor Mechanic Award.

  Jun 12, 2022     Rear Fuselage - (2.5 hours)       Category: Fuselage

Installing flaperon actuator mount plate (flap function) and control tubes for flaperons (aileron function).