May 08, 2024     Airworthiness Inspection - (3 hours)       Category: Inspection

The airplane passed the FAA Airworthiness Inspection today- it's officially an airplane. Our local DAR, Matt Tomsheck conducted the inspection. It was a great learning experience. Now it's time to prepare for Phase 1 testing. I will use the EAA Flight Test Manual and conduct the task-based Phase 1 flight testing.

  May 07, 2024     Prep for Airworthiness Inspection - (2 hours)       Category: Reassembly

Mounted Halon fire extinguisher under the instrument panel, below the engine controls. Went over aircraft a final time to insure all fittings and bolts/nuts/wires are secured. Aircraft is ready for inspection tomorrow at 0900 by our local DAR and his POC at the Cleveland FSDO office.

  May 06, 2024     Cowling - (2 hours) Category: Reassembly

Filled header tank with approx. 5 gal of 100LL today in prep for my FAA Airworthiness Inspection. Finished verifying what cowling fasteners go in each hole of the engine cowling. Next, I'll install the fasteners with the split rings. A Chapter member stopped by and inspected all the airframe and engine hardware for security. You can never have enough eyes look at the plane! I appreciate it very much.

  May 05, 2024     Details - (1 hour)       Category: Reassembly

Applied 'Outbound' vinyl decal to upper cowling. Affixed a couple control labels and placards in cockpit. Removed interior trim panels temp installed for W & B yesterday.

  May 04, 2024     W & B - (2 hours)       Category: Reassembly

Weighed aircraft today using our EAA Chapter scales. EW is 1039. Applied N Numbers and data plate.

  May 02, 2024     Fuel Flow test and wing cuffs - (2 hours) Category: Reassembly

Aircraft @ 10 deg nose up: Disconnected output fuel line at gascolator and ran line into graduated gas can. Turned pump on; pumped fuel until can had 1 gallon. Time was 62 seconds. This calculates to 58.06 GPH. Did final trimming and fitting of wing leading edge cuffs. Drilled for 12 attachment screws and applied VHB tape. Fastened cuffs in place and held down with sandbags for pressure on the VHB tape. EAA FTM Test Card 0 is complete.

  May 03, 2024     Prep for W & B - (2 hours)       Category: Reassembly

Drained header tank. All fuel is now drained out for W & B tomorrow. Temp installed upper and lower cowling, and spinner. Trimmed silicone baffle in front area for clearance. Tied up a few wire bundles in cockpit that needed additional securing. Laid out N numbers and RANS logo to prep for installation.

  May 01, 2024     Upper Cowling work; Garmin configuration; brake conditioning - (3 hours)       Category: Reassembly

Sealed leading edges of inlet ramps on upper cowling. Located and drilled right wing root cuff for top attachment screw. Will now drill left hand cuff and install both with VHB tape and the upper and lower screws. Leveled airplane in hangar and performed Garmin GSU 25C ADHARS configuration for alignment. Pushed plane out to taxiway and ran engine for vibe test. Ran momentarily to full power for first time as required by the test. Achieved 2210 RPM at full power- exactly what I planned for with 18 Deg. of pitch on prop. All ADHARS tests passed. Then moved plane to end of hangars in open ramp area for GMU 11 Magnatometer calibration. Performed interference tests. Passed. Then aligned with Mag North to start and progressed through compass calibration test as guided on G3X. All tests passed and magnetometer is now calibrated. Started up and taxied airplane to runway and performed Matco brake conditioning runs on runway. Did 3 accelerate/stop runs per the Matco manual. Brakes now hold normally.

  Apr 30, 2024     Rear Windows and engine cables - (2 hours) Category: Reassembly

Sealed and installed rear windows. Worked on punch list from yesterday's Tech Counselor visit. Secured cables and wires in engine compartment. Added washer to right door hinge to lock into place, front to back.

  Apr 29, 2024     Tech Counselor Visit - (3 hours) Category: Inspection

Gary Baker, the most experienced of our EAA Chapter 846 Tech Counselors, visited today and inspected the RANS. He spent 3 hours going over the entire airplane. No unairworthy items were found, just a bunch of small stuff like missing torque seal, wires needing more security, etc. We also discussed the Task-Based Phase 1 flight testing and the Additional Pilot Program outlined in AC 90-116. I really appreciate Gary's time and thoroughness. I'll now be more prepared for my 8 May FAA Airworthiness Inspection.

  Apr 28, 2024     Doors - (2 hours)       Category: Reassembly

Final fitting of doors. Adjusted latches for snug fit and final drilled for handle hardware install. Used new style handles. Installed lift struts and clear plastic bumpers on bottom of wing for open door buffer. Door fit is very good.

  Apr 27, 2024     Air Intake Seal and doors - (3 hours)       Category: Reassembly

Final trim and installation of the Aerosport Products airbox input sleeve. Used #6 SS screws with brass washers on carbon side and hold-down strip on outside against rubber sleeve. Makes a nice tight seal and super easy to install lower cowling. Hung doors temporarily to align door latches and rear striker plate. Riveted rear striker plate in place with VHB tape on door sill. Tomorrow I'll install forward striker plate and door handle assembly.

  Apr 26, 2024     Punch list - (3 hours)       Category: Reassembly

Unmasked lower cowling after paint. Programmed G3X engine gauge parameters. Tied up a few more hoses and wires in engine compartment. Secured Alt Air cable at airbox. Started engine and taxied for about :05. Brakes and steering normal. Engine ran normally with new ignition coil. Ignition check showed no change in RPM from IGN 1 to IGN 2.

  Apr 25, 2024     Ignition Coil and paint - (3 hours)       Category: Reassembly

Installed replacement ignition coil in 1A position. Original coil was defective and Lightspeed replaced it under warranty. Tested spark per the manual and it fired normally. Will test run engine tomorrow. Masked, prepped and painted silver trim on lower cowling and 4 wing inspection covers. This completes the painting!

  Apr 24, 2024     Doors - (2 hours) Category: Reassembly

Removed all paint masking from doors. Test fit door handle hardware. Tied off a couple more wire bundles in cockpit.

  Apr 23, 2024     Paint, Windshield sealant - (3 hours)       Category: Reassembly

Masked and painted entry door upper trim to match interior color. Painted underside of wing root cuff flat black. Tape masked and applied clear silicone sealant to landing light lenses, windshield base fairing, rear hold down strip and skylight joint strip between windshield and skylight. Trimmed hose clamps at firewall wire bundle pass-through.

  Apr 22, 2024     Paint - (2 hours)       Category: Reassembly

Temp installed lower cowling and doors to align and mask for black trim paint. Prepped and painted same. Masked landing light lenses for silicone sealant. Tomorrow's project.

  Apr 21, 2024     Gap seals - (1 hour)       Category: Reassembly

Drilled andd mounted nut plate on eing gap seal for flap gap seals. Applied foam tape and mounted both flap gap seals. Taped 6 wing inspection plates for black trim paint tomorrow.

  Apr 20, 2024     Paint - (2 hours) Category: Reassembly

Masked, prepped and painted cowling and doors blue trim.

  Apr 19, 2024     Cowling - (2 hours)       Category: Reassembly

Temp installed cowling and doors for fit and paint trim color masking. Installed seat belts/shoulder harnesses.

  Apr 18, 2024     Wiring - (3 hours) Category: Reassembly

Finished securing cockpit wire bundles and rear door post bundles at Station 3. Secured some wires in engine compartment. Trimmed center console to clear wire bundle. Trimmed intake air box boot. Will rivet after bottom cowl is painted and fitted.

  Apr 17, 2024     Paint - (4 hours)       Category: Reassembly

Finished minor bodywork on lower cowling. Scuffed both cowling halves, door trim, spinner, and fairings. Cleaned with Prepsol and setup paint booth.
Sprayed epoxy primer and white on these parts.

  Apr 15, 2024     Paint Prep - (1 hour) Category: Reassembly

Finished masking other door for paint. Scuffed ABS trim. Scuffed spinner for paint.

  Apr 14, 2024     Doors - (2 hours)       Category: Reassembly

Mounted doors and trimmed upper leading edge for final fitting. Removed doors and began masking off for painting outer trim.

  Apr 13, 2024     Cowling and Ignition - (3 hours) Category: Reassembly

Finished bodywork on cowling. Finally ready to paint. Continued troubleshooting ignition problem. Found one of the coils is not firing. Swapped it to other ignition box and it still did not fire. OHM reading is 1/3 of other 3 coils. Will return it to Lightspeed for replacement.

  Apr 10, 2024     Ignition Troubleshooting and cowling - (2 hours)       Category: Reassembly

Still have the issue of #1 ignition not working. Ran through LSE troubleshooting guide but no resolution. Will contact LSE for suggestions on how to proceed. Finished bodywork on bottom cowling front section. Will scuff sand entire cowling next then prime and paint.

  Apr 08, 2024     Engine run #2 - (1 hour)       Category: Reassembly

Short run today. Only 3 min. #1 ignition box is inop. Engine dies when #2 ignition is turned off. Swapped RG400 leads on ignition #1 control box. A to B. Would not start. Misfires. Swapped leads back to original positions. Engine started and ran normally but IGN #1 is still inop. Tracked prop. Blades match exactly. Checked engine RPM with a TruTach II. RPM verified correct on G3X within 1 RPM.

  Apr 07, 2024     First Engine Run - (2 hours)       Category: Reassembly

Preflight engine and airframe. Filled header tank to 3 gal. Started engine for first time ( other than factory test cell time). All Temps normal. No leaks noted. Ran for approx 7 minutes. 1500 RPM max. Idle at 670. Idle mixture is lean. No rise in rpm at Idle cutoff. Will adjust. Checked ignition operations. Turned off IGN #2 and engine quit. Turned off IGN #1 and engine continued to run normally. Will troubleshoot.

  Apr 06, 2024     Cowling - (2 hours)       Category: Reassembly

Sanded and formed fiberglass build up on front of lower cowling. Filler next then paint.

  Apr 05, 2024     Cowling - (2 hours)       Category: Reassembly

Mixed West Systems epoxy (205 hardner) and applied fiberglass strips to build up right side of inlet area and behind the prop spinner. Will sand and fill when cured.