Apr 02, 2022     Fuel system testing - (10 hours) Category: Engine

Tubing filter valves priming pump hoses tested. An6

  Apr 02, 2022     Welding exhaust manifolds - (15 hours)       Category: Engine

Welding exhaust manifolds

  Apr 02, 2022     Engine trailer and test stand - (40 hours)       Category: Engine

Engine trailer and test stand

  Apr 02, 2022     Bendix mag rebuild and timing - (30 hours)       Category: Engine

Bendix mag rebuild and timing

  May 01, 2021     Re work nose gear mount to align. - (80 hours)       Category: Fuselage

  Sep 05, 2021     Magneto Testing and Overhauling - (50 hours)       Category: Fuselage

  Sep 05, 2021     Nose Gear Support Structure - (35 hours) Category: Landing Gear

  Feb 08, 2021     Engine Mount Extension Design - (8 hours)       Category: Engine

Designed Engine Mount Extension. This is meant to give more flexibility in CG moment arm adjustments for tandem operation.

  Jan 31, 2021     Carburetor Rebuild Stromberg NA-S3 B - (8 hours)       Category: Engine

Rebuild carburetor and update throttle arm to modern component with ball joint connection to throttle cable. New gasket kit and new brass screws where possible.

  Jan 31, 2021     Engine assembly - (16 hours)       Category: Engine

Assembled the engine case and cylinders per Continental overhaul manual. Torque seals applied.

  Jan 19, 2021     Balance pistons and rods - (2 hours)       Category: Landing Gear

Weigh and balance piston and rod sets

  Jan 19, 2021     Prepare engine for assembly - (8 hours)       Category: Landing Gear

Finish polishing cam and crankshaft to 1500 grit and buff. Prepare case surfaces and thoroughly clean. Inspect and check threads on through bolts. Perform 3 step dye penetrant inspection

  Feb 16, 2020     Inspect Prep and Prime Nose Gear - (10 hours)       Category: Landing Gear

Stripped and sand blasted to bare steel. Used disc sander to prep surface, cleaned and primed-then shrink wrapped to prevent corrosion to un-oiled exposed steel prior to final painting and assembly into forward fuselage frame.

  Dec 13, 2020     Fabricated bushing removal tool - (8 hours)       Category: Engine

I fabricated a tool to remove the stubborn piston rod bushings. The new pistons and pins take a larger bushing.

  Mar 24, 2020     Sand blast fuselage and struts - (30 hours)       Category: Engine

Sand blasted parts to remove old paint and surface corrosion. These photos show weld and tubing quality for structural assessments.

  Mar 24, 2020     Sand blast fuselage and struts - (22 hours) Category: Engine

Sand blasted parts to remove old paint and surface corrosion. These photos show weld and tubing quality for structural assessments.

  Apr 05, 2020     Prep engine parts - (8 hours)       Category: Engine

Prep engine parts

  Nov 01, 2020     Low end fit up. - (6 hours) Category: Engine

Need new conn rod bushing for late model a-65. The next step after today's fit up is to evaluate the camshaft, cam followers, hydraulic lifters, and crank for clearances. I need to purchase some parts prior to engine assembly.

  Dec 12, 2020     Work on refinishing propllers - (10 hours)       Category: Engine

Stripped aluminum prop to polish and paint tips. Did cosmetic work on wood prop and test fit to a-65 taper shaft hub.

  Dec 12, 2020     Making progress on engine rebuild. - (65 hours)       Category: Engine

I ground and lapped valves and painted jugs and block. Inspected and reassembled the valve springs rockers. Inspected Polished (and ground) crank and cam. Test fit. Waiting for new (used ) lifters to arrive fir bottom end assembly. New certified hydraulic lifters arrived.

  Jul 15, 2020     Began rebuild of canopy with new plexiglass. - (8 hours)       Category: Fuselage

I began the rebuild of the canopy.

  Apr 11, 2020     High temp paint - (7 hours) Category: Engine

Painted engine parts with high temp engine paint.

  Mar 15, 2020     Took 4 cylinders to One Stop Aviation bore 0.015 - (2 hours)       Category: Engine

Dropped off cylinders with rick at One Stop to bore all 4 cylinders to plus 0.015

  Mar 15, 2020     VSI, turn coordinator, Parts Transponder, Parts Transceiver - (3 hours) Category: Avionics

Acquired more used instruments.

  Mar 15, 2020     Welding Practice. Making progress. - (5 hours)       Category: Tools

Practicing mig welding 4140 tubing.

  Mar 01, 2020     Backup engine disassembly and cleanup - (25 hours) Category: Engine

The engine was disassembled and cleaned up. New pistons and rods were purchased.

  Mar 01, 2020     Backup engine disassembly and cleanup - (25 hours) Category: Engine

The engine was disassembled and cleaned up. New pistons and rods were purchased.

  Mar 01, 2020     Strip Inspect Prime H Stabs - (8 hours)       Category: Empennage

Strip old primer, remove surface corrosion, inspect and prime horizontal stabilizers and one elevator.

  Feb 26, 2020     Second engine disassembled and ready for assessment - (25 hours)       Category: Engine

The second Continental A-65 engine has been fully disassembled down to splitting the crank case and all the parts have been cleaned. Any surface corrosion on parts has been removed. The crankshaft and cam shaft may need to be inspected. The new pistons are plus .015 in. The cylinders may need to be bored. A honing tool was bought and delivered.

  Feb 27, 2020     Gyro Centuri Arrived Category: Avionics

Gyro Venturi arrived.

  Feb 27, 2020     Gyro Centuri Arrived       Category: Avionics

Gyro Venturi arrived.

  Feb 27, 2020     Tires Arrived       Category: Landing Gear

The ��ew��Condor 5.00-5 retread tires arrived

  Feb 27, 2020     Paint Landing Gear White - (3 hours) Category: Landing Gear

Painted the previously primed nose and main gear white (Krylon Pure White).

  Feb 27, 2020     Paint Landing Gear White - (3 hours)       Category: Landing Gear

Painted the previously primed nose and main gear white (Krylon Pure White).

  Feb 26, 2020     See empannage. Category: Tail Feathers

See empannage

  Feb 26, 2020     Tail prep - (7 hours)       Category: Empennage

Removed paint and corrosion. There's still more surface corrosion removal to be done.

  Feb 26, 2020     Aileron link lever to external aileron control - (6 hours)       Category: Controls

The link was stripped to bare metal, corrosion was removed, and it was cleaned prior to priming and painting.

  Feb 26, 2020     Fuel tank restoration - (8 hours)       Category: Fuel System

The tank was treated internally with corrosion inhibitor, it was lrepped and primed, and the cap was fully restored. The copper tube was removed straightened and re brazed.

  Feb 16, 2020     Acquired gauges - (10 hours) Category: Avionics

Instruments acquired: tachometer, airspeed, pitot tubes, altimeter, engine oil pressure, engine oil temperature, whiskey compass, fuel. Since there is no electrical system, additional gauges will need to be battery powered. A Venturi vacuum gyro system is being considered.

  Feb 16, 2020     Setup Fuselage stand       Category: Workshop

An fuselage stand was improvised with two inexpensive engine stands. It allows rotating the fuselage while working for ease of access.

  Feb 16, 2020     Acquired more tools - (10 hours) Category: Fuselage

220v mig welder, engine stands (x3 also used to lift and rotate fuselage) clekos riveters pneumatic drill tubing notcher precision calipers inside and outside for pistons and cylinders tap and die set steel blade for niter saw wire brushes grinder high speed rotary grinder

  Feb 16, 2020     Fuselage stripping and sanding. - (4 hours) Category: Fuselage

Continued fuselage stripping for corrosion and weld inspections.

  Feb 08, 2020     Main gear stripped - (6 hours)       Category: Landing Gear

The main gear were stripped and inspected. There are some regions where plastic deformation is seen. It is not likely a structural concern but it is unsightly. I wonder if welding in half cylinder doublers is a good option?

  Jan 18, 2020     Initial Entry - (80 hours)       Category: Research

Initial entry: Stits Flutterbug Project.

1. Starting with Plans built, never completed, project. Never registered.
2. Teardown to bare metal, spars, and ribs nearly complete
3. Controls Removed (all parts labeled and mapped).
4. Fuel tank removed (all parts labeled and mapped).
5. Gear removed Striped and sand blasted.
6. Wheels removed and overhaul in progress. Nose axel replaced. all bearings replaced. (all parts labeled and mapped).
7. Second (Backup) A-65 engine overhaul and rebuild in progress. New pistons, rods, and 3 new cylinders acquired.
8. Plans restored and transcribing to CAD begun.

Next steps: Complete Teardown paint stripping; perform structural inspection; perform design analysis.

Design considerations:
��Install alternative wing and brace mounting hard points and wing-root lugs two inches aft for improved weight and balance envelope
��Install optional tail-dragged hardpoints
��Lighten overdesigned wing by omitting or making aluminum internal shear struts which are heavy steel as designed.
��Wing tanks
��Improve trim controls for safety in event of ingle point structural or fastener failure. Improve failure configuration for control surface stability
��Lighten heavy steel wing struts using lighter steel and braced for buckling stability
��Rebuild main gear for 8��wider stance?