May 09, 2024     Reinstalling Wings - (10 hours)       Category: Wings

Positioning the fuselage and making room in my hangar to reinstall the wings. Next will be installation of the windshield.

  Apr 23, 2024     Emergency Locator Transmitter Installation - (3 hours)       Category: Avionics

Construction to mount an ACK Technologies E-04 406 MHZ ELT in the compartment directly below the engine. This location is the most rearward on the centerline of the fuselage, as recommended by the installation instructions. The hatch cover for this compartment will provide quick access to the ELT for inspection.

  Apr 07, 2024     Strobe Wiring - (2 hours)       Category: Lighting

Drilled 3/16 holes in the left wing root flange; installed (3) Adell cushion clamps for the left strobe flash tube. Left Wing Root is preped for installation; need lift strut brackets final installation.

  Apr 07, 2024     Attaching Lift Strut Brackets - (3 hours)       Category: Wings

Made a tool to locate the slot for the fwd Bracket at the Left Wing Aft Lift Strut. Marked the cut line using a Sharpie Ball Point Pen. Cut the slot using a hot wood-burning iron to melt the Dacron fabric.

  Apr 02, 2024     Attaching Lift Strut Brackets - (3 hours)       Category: Wings

Cut Inspection Holes in underside of both wings for Lift Strut Bracket bolt access. This cutting action is, in fact, melting the Dacron fabric, paint and glue, using a hot soldering iron fitted with a pointed wood-burning tip. Temporarily attached the forward bracket to serve as a guide to locate the slot location for the aft bracket. Taped a steel piece to the Fabric to serve as a cutting guide for the hot iron tip. Width of the slot is determined by the penetration of the tapered tip. Melting the Dacron fabric, instead of cutting with a knife, leaves a fused edge to keep the fabric from fraying.

  Apr 01, 2024     Installed N26383 and EXPERIMENTAL Decals - (4 hours)       Category: Paint / Decals

Installed N26383 decals at vertical tail, and EXPERIMENTAL decals at outside cockpit entrances. I found these decals difficult to keep straight and uniformly attached on the flexible Dacron fabric while pealing from the paper carrier. Results were somewhat less than perfect.

  Feb 25, 2024     Reinstalled Nose Wheel - (3 hours)       Category: Landing Gear

Reinstalled the Nose Wheel. Adjusted tire inflation to 22 psi.

  Feb 12, 2024     Floor Board - (2 hours)       Category: Cockpit

Installed Forward Cockpit Floor Boards made from 7/16-inch fiber board and fastened with MS24694C58 ss CSK Machine Screws. Boards are painted black to match the color scheme and reduce reflected glare on the windows.

  Feb 02, 2024     Nose Wheel Steering Bearings - (3 hours)       Category: Landing Gear

Replaced the ball bearings in the Nose Wheel Steering Post. Checked the lubrication in the steering post. When I disassembled the steering post, some of the ball bearings in the top race fell out. Impossible to re-assemble the balls in the steering assembly. Purchased 2 replacement bearings from Mike's Bikes in Great Mills, MD, for $5.00 for the set of two. Re-packed the bearings with White Lithium grease.

  Dec 31, 2023     Nose Cone Base Attachment - (4 hours)       Category: Fuselage

Match Drilled 3/16 holes through the fiberglass nose cone shell and instrument panel bow tube. The plans call for the top of the Nose Cone to be attached with (3) 3/16-inch aluminum rivets. An option is to use 3/16-inch bolts so that the Nose Cone could be easily removed. Since the fuselage fabric is not glued to the Nose Cone, the bolt-on option was chosen.
The top center bolt, as set by the first owner, would interfere with the Instrument Panel mounting bolt. So, (4) top bolts were used; these were evenly spaced along the top of the Nose Cone Base.