Mar 23, 2024     Pitot/ VPX/ Wires       Category: Avionics

Not a lot of pictures this time as they all look very similar. So this past week I have programmed the VPX, installed the GMC 507 and G5 and their corresponding connectors. I also ran the wires for the panel lights to the respective dimmers. Oh I also ordered my prop and controller from RS flight systems and I also ordered the boost pump system from midwest panel builders. I also hooked up the pitot and static lines to the G5. Thats all for this update.

  Mar 15, 2024     Doors, Hot air tube, wires       Category: Avionics

I did a little more work on the doors getting the interior handles that help pull the door down when it is fully open. It was straight forward.

Next, I worked on getting some 1" CEET tubing installed in the wing spar that will bring hot air from the center channel to the back seat floor vents. I also cut the holes and mounted the repurposed vents that were on the dash to the rear seat floors. My only concern was making sure the tubing didnt interfere with flight controls. I used some foam blocking and a friction fit to hold the tubing up above the flight control tubes. Also along with the tubing I installed the bowden cable that controls the heat valve. I found the provided cable to be way (about a foot and a half) too long. I cut the tubing and redid the Z bend and hooked it all back up. With the shorted cable and some lithium grease the valve is moved much easier now.

I also decided to remove the heat shield for the firewall. The reason is the factory stuff burns rather easily and i question if it will do anything in a fire. I have decided to used Contego Intumescent paint (https://contegointernational.com/contego-original/). I think this will greatly improve my chances in case of a fire.

I worked a little on the upper avionics fiberglass cover. It didnt have a straight reveal so I marked my line and did an initial cut to make the panel have a more even reveal.

The SteinAir vents that I purchased are just a tad too small for the vent holes that were already cut into the dash. The holes were also just a bit too big for the factory installed vents. I contemplated requesting a new dash but I instead opted to make some aluminum rings what go around the vents and cover the fact that the dash holes are just a bit too big. For making the rings completely by hand I am pretty happy with how they came out.

This week I also tested the dimmers that I received from Midwest Panel Builders. The 10K analog dimmers are nothing special but what I didnt like was that about 90% of the knob movement only dims the lights about 10%. But then the remaining 10% movement dims the lights the last 90%. Not the end of the world but its an easy fix. I bough some mini PWM dimmers that are made for the job. The dimming is now linear and another plus is that the dimmers click in the off position and 100% turn off the lights. The analog dimmers still had the lights on, albeit the were very dim.

I also reworked the fuel X-fer pump switches. The parts that midwest sent didnt work for how I intended to wire things up. While I am sure Midwest's way works fine I felt it was needlessly complicated (circuit boards, WiFi enabled timers, no instructions) and I therefore made it much more simple but I did have to get some different latching push button switches. My process involves an 'Arm' switch that provides ground the the push button switches. Those push button switches provide ground to the VPX. One the VPX provides power to the pumps, it also provides power the the LED indicator light within the push button switch. That light in the switch will be on when the pump is getting power regardless of anything else.

With all that fun out of the way, on to the main even, while it may not look like much wire work has been done I got a lot more wiring done and have worked on the IBBS battery backup, some RS-232 connections and the main connector on the Garmin display unit. This has been more time consuming as I have to go thru more details but its also good because I have been learning about features that I didnt know Garmin had and als how to wire them up. I am about ready to start powering things on and testing but I had to buy a Windows laptop to program the VPX. The computer is currently in the mail so hopefully I can start powering things on next week.

  Feb 19, 2024     VPX wiring       Category: Avionics

I have been continuing wiring up the VPX and the avionics but mostly the VPX. In an effort to help with wire lengths and routing of wire I mocked up where the panel was going to sit and I made some mounts for it out of 4x4 so I could hang the panel without the dash to give me extra working room. With that done I have been pulling more and more wiring and I have now finished pulling all of the wire for the VPX. A lot of the wires are hooked up on both ends but I have a few more to be fully done connecting the power wires from the VPX. I also need to go back and lace all the wires where I am confident I am done pulling wire.

Another milestone is I finally decided where and how I am going to have all of my ground wires terminate. I haven't seen much on this topic on the forums and I even posted some questions with no answers. I went with a forest of tabs from Stein Air and mounted it in a mostly central location on the inside of the firewall. My son also help with mounting it by helping me remove the primer on the firewall where the tabs were going to be. After we cleaned the exposed steel I applied some No-Ox electrically conductive grease and bolted and riveted the tab plate in place. Now I can start terminating all those grounds.

I figured out where the 1.5K and 600k resistors go that I received from Midwest Panel Builders. They go to the Rotax lane lights. I soldiered them together as indicated by the Sling electrical manual. I dont know why I put two resistors per light the way that I did but I am just trusting in the instructions. I did test the lights with a 9 volt battery and they do still work.

I also went to mount my autopilot panel and was a little surprised when it went right thru the panel. It turns out I need the optional mounting bracket. I would have assumed the panel would have been cut to just mount the A/P right to the panel as it was designed. I can only guess Midwest was trying to keep the cut out in the panel uniform for aesthetics. Its not a big deal just another "oh I need to buy something else" moment.

lastly, I am trying to decide on a propeller, I was going to go with MT and the RS flight system but #1 they are expensive and #2 I have been hearing that they MT prop used with RS and the Sling has been having some problems. I have reached out to DUC propellers and am going to explore possibly using on of their props.

  Feb 11, 2024     Cleaning up some wires and the dash       Category: Avionics

This week I spent most of my time tidying up and bundling wires and installing more adel clamps. The main wire bundle going aft along with coax and pitot and brake tubes are secured all the way up the the instrument panel. It still looks like a hot mess but it is better. I also started wiring up some more avionics. The only avionics im doing so far are the ones that i know there final location. To help with that I am going to temp install the instrument panel but with out the dashboard so its easier to work. With just the instrument panel hanging in position ill be able to work the G3x display and the G5 as well.

I also heard back from sling technical about the closeout skins not being 100% correct. There answer unfortunately didnt make anysense. In short they said the panel is short to account for the thickness of the finish carpeting. But if the carpeting pushes the panel over as they suggest then the side holes might fit but the bottom holes will then be off. Its a problem ill deal with down the road.

As I get further along in the avionics I have to make some final decisions and also figure out how im going to do some things. For example the pieces I received from Midwest Panel Builders for the long range fuel tank pumps uses times and extra circuit boards. While I'm sure it works fine I am planning to go with a simpler option where the pilot just turns on and off those pumps as appropriate. What this means is not everything i bought from them im going to use and not everything I need.

Lastly I started trimming the dashboard to fit the instrument panel and its probably about 90% done. One of the other decisions I was trying to figure out was how to secure nuts on the backside of the dash so I can just screw in the instrument panel. After awhile I realized I dont need to secure nuts, nut clips or install rivnuts. With the displays out of the instrument panel there is plenty of room to just install regular nuts and tighten them with a wrench. There is no need to make this more complicated. Once again I am telling myself, 'keep it simple stupid'.

  Sep 15, 2023     Audio all wired up       Category: Avionics

Not much to show this week, it was mostly all wire related. I have the GMA245R and the both GTR20s wired up. After some research I also decided to hook PFD 1 up to Audio 2 and the Fail safe Audio and MFD1 to alert 1 in the GMA 245. I haven't seen others do this so I hope I am not shooting myself in the foot. Also after hooking up the COAX from comm 1 the pin was grounding out to the shielding. Having thought I messed up the connection I cut it off and was going to redo it. But after taking the connector off the coax was still grounded to shield. I know I tested it before I connected up Comm 1 antenna. But oh well time to disconnect comm 1 antenna and ohms check it. The problem being when I installed it the rear skin was partially off and I no longer have access to that antenna. So, I made an access hole, picture below, in the top of the baggage extension. It came out looking pretty good. I stole the design from the bottom of the plane by the GMU 11. I still need to make the access cover and will rivet in some nut plates. With comm 1 coax disconnected from the antenna I discovered that the coax pin connects to ground or shield thru the antenna. I didn't realize that before and everything is fine. So turns out I didn't mess up the connector, didn't need to cut off the connector, and I didn't need to make the access hole.

Lastly, I have been looking for an affordable dome light for the rear cabin. I think I found what I am going to stick with (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B012ZOI3ZW?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1) but I am still not 100% sure what I will use for a switch.

  Sep 08, 2023     Total Temp probe, panel wiring started, GA-57 installed       Category: Avionics

A majority of other builders have put their total temp probe in the NACA duct and then later reported inaccurate reading. In an effort for accurate readings I installed my temp probe in the right wing root. The wire supplied with the probe is long enough to reach the dash but I did cut the wire for the wing root connection.

I also started pinning out the wires for the audio panel, its slow going but I do enjoy the process. I also installed the GA-57 GPS/XM antenna and installed coax for both. I wasnt planning on it originally but I figured its now or never and it gives me options in the future.

The other quick task I finally got around to was installing some drilled head bolts and safety wiring them for the nose gear. I didnt like how the stock factory option has you just torque the bolts. If those bolts come out and the nose gear drops that would be a bad day.

  Sep 01, 2023     Wing root CPC connectors, brake lines, panel rendering       Category: Avionics

Exciting news this week. Midwest Panel Builders has got back to me with the rendering for my future panel. We made a few tweaks but i went with very close to their stock design. The panel will also will be backlit which should be a huge plus for any night flying.

The other big work push this week was to get both wing root CPC connectors installed on the fuselage side. The problem I was having was to find a connector that would accommodate varying wire size from 22AWG to 14AWG. Looking at Aircraft Spruce and Steinair websites I couldnt find 100% what I was looking for. I found out the TE electronics is where they got their connectors so I went to TEs website and found what I needed. After that I just needed to make sure the wire routing wouldnt interfere with other moving parts inside the fuselage and I started pinning it out. This is what I used:

RECEPT,SZ 17-16 CPC 206036-1
CPC PLUG ASSEMBLY SIZE 17-16 206037-1
CABLE CLAMP KIT #17 206070-8
III+ PIN,24-20,15AU/FL,STRIP 66102-8
III+ SKT,24-20,15AU/FL,STRIP 66104-8
III+ PIN,18-14,30AU/FL,STRIP 1-66359-6
III+ SKT,18-14,30AU/FL,STRIP 1-66358-9

After the CPC I started and am still working on routing the brake lines from the master cylinders on the brake pedals down the center channel to the parking brake and then to the wing root. The stock TSI comes with a hand brake so routing the lines for toe brakes has been a little harder than expected because I need the lines to move with the pedals but to not contact surrounding structure or the other pedals to prevent chaffing. Im making progress but its not as straight forward as I thought. Once those brake lines are run then I can finalize the wire clamps and then I will start pinning out some of the avionics such as the radios, comm panel etc.

  Aug 26, 2023     Wiring, Brake lines       Category: Avionics

I have been running the rest of the wires that run aft from the dashboard and trying to secure that wire to prevent future problems. The aft seat headset jacks are soldered and secured. The front seat jack wires are run but I have to wait for the front console to be installed before I can install the jacks. It has been oddly satisfying clamping and lacing the wires together. I am almost ready so start crimping some pins and making the Dsub plugs in the dash area.

I also received my SS flexible brakes lines from TS flightlines and got those installed right away. I personally think it was a good decision so that I dont have to worry about heat or sun melting or making the plastic tubing brittle over time. I am only putting the SS line in the gear legs up to the fuselage. Once inside the fuselage I will transfer over to the plastic tubing. Also my plan for the firewall forward is to make hard line that connects to a bulkhead connector and then I will once again transition to plastic tubing inside the aircraft. I was just worried about the heat and the plastic tubing degrading over time.

Lastly I have been looking for a solution to bring fresh air from the NACA duct, and split it to go to the rear cabin and also the front dash. I was able to find a silicone 3" WYE adapter that transitions to 2" which is perfect for what I need. The biggest drawback is that its a little heavy so I may just trim it down.

  Aug 16, 2023     Avionics tray, Pitot static, GPS       Category: Avionics

I received the avionics tray from Midwest Panel Builders, it took me a little bit just trying to figure out what goes where. After that I disassembled the rack and even drilled a few rivets to get it fully apart to deburr. I was a little surprised that there were some large sharp burs all over the rack. I also had to manufactur a forward leg that went from the forward part of the rack down to the floor to add a little rigidity. Its a nice solution that Midwest came out with and I am glad I purchased it.

Next I worked on the GPS antenna some more. I installed some nut plates and drilled the holes for the screws. With the antenna mounted it was time to install the coax. I was a little concerned as as I needed to soldier the 90 connector and I have never done it before and the connector is not that large. But it went rather quick and I had no problems. I did a continuity check and check for shorts and everything was as it should be. I also feel like I got lucky becasue with the location that I choose and the 90 connector I will be able to cover where the antenna is on the interior of the aircraft without and kind of bulge, the cover will sit flush, just barely but ill take it.

Lastly, I installed some pitot and static line connectors mid fuselage. I was thinking about using a bulkhead connector but ended up running the lines from the wing into the fuselage and then connecting them in the center channel. This was I avoid one more connection and potential leak. When that was done I installed the static ports. The location was changed by the factory a little while back and there is ongoing discussion if it is accurate or not. I elected to mount them in the new location 40mm forward of the NACA ducts. I am trusting in the system here and hope I dont regret it later. It is also an easier location to install.

  Jun 01, 2023     ELT, Pitch servo, more wires       Category: Avionics

With the help of some videos from Stein Air, I mad my first BNC connector for the Comm1 antenna. Also because I went with a different Comm 1 antenna the factory reinforcement plate wouldn't work so I created my own. Because I have a lot of extra parts from Sling it gives me a lot of stock material.

I also cleaned up some of the pitch servo wiring and ran some more wires in the fusalage for the aft passengers comm connections. Lastly, I installed the ELT buzzer and had put that task to bed. However a couple of hours later i looked and the buzzer had broken in two. Artex customer service has been great and they sent me a new buzzer under warrenty.

  May 12, 2023     Started wiring up aft fuselage       Category: Avionics

Before I close up the aft fuselage I need to finish the wiring back there. So far I have the GMU 11, the ELT with buzzer, trim, and the GSA 28 AP servos wired up. So far so good. The only thing of note is that I used the wiring provided with my kit for the aft fuselage trim. Its not aircraft wire and its been bugging me so I am going to swap it with aircraft grade wire.

  Oct 23, 2022     Pitot install       Category: Avionics

I installed the GAP 26 heated and regulated pitot probe. I had to install some nut plates to mount the regulator, bend the tubes from the pitot and flare the ends for the AN fittings. After that I had to figure out what kind of electrical connectors. I ended up using seal all weather tight connectors. I didnt realize at first that I could use different size wire with the outer shells of the connectors, I just had to use different size pins and sockets. My only concern is how close the probe and wires are to where the aileron push pull tube will go. I am giving sling the shadow of a doubt that it will clear. I dont have the aileron push tube, its in the finishing kit so I will have to deal with that later if it is a problem. Fingers crossed.