Apr 03, 2024     Right Landing Light Leading Edge Skin - (1.2 hours)       Category: Fuselage

I riveted the Landing Light bracket and ribs together, and then riveted that assembly to the wing. I began clecoing the skin onto the wing, using some straps to help form it in place. I was concerned that it might be tough to get this skin under the fuel tank skin, but a few small taps with a rubber mallet 'persuaded' it to slide into place. I began using a combination of rivets and clecoes to secure the skin. At the start of the first half of the skin, the rivets were a loose fit, but as I went on, they became harder to fit. I'll play around with the clecoes a little and see if I can get the rivets to insert easier. I also began inserting 1/8" clecoes into the ribs on the underside of the wing. I thought that I would begin on the underside, and then move to the top side, since it's easier to work on the top than the bottom. I removed the wing and have it sitting on two bodywork stands, since the workbench has the rear fuselage sitting on it.

  Apr 02, 2024     Center Fuselage - (0.3 hour) Category: Fuselage

I removed the clecoes from the Bottom Skin and began clecoing the skin to the Main Spar Assembly, starting at the front row to see if the holes would align better. The forward holes line up, but the middle and rear rows are off. I'll have to wait for Sling Technical to get back to me.

  Apr 01, 2024     Center Fuselage - (0.7 hour)       Category: Fuselage

I've been busy with a house project, so I haven't had too much time lately to work on the plane. I went out and began clecoing the bottom skin to the Center Fuselage Main Assembly, using rivets in every second hole to help with alignment. Once I had the rearward and middle rows clecoed, the holes in the forward row(the leading edge of the main spar assembly) did not line up. To see if I can fix it, I'm going to try to start clecoing the row at the leading edge of the Main Spar assembly, and then clecoe the middle row, and finally the last row. Just to play it safe, I emailed Sling technical with some pictures to see what they thought.

  Mar 23, 2024     Right Landing Light Leading Edge Skin - (0.5 hour)       Category: Fuselage

I prepped and primed the WR-RIB-302. All of the internal landing light parts were painted white to help reflect the light and to hide the primer.

  Mar 18, 2024     Right Landing Light Leading Edge Skin - (0.1 hour) Category: Wings

I emailed Scott at Sling in Torrance, notifying him that I was missing the RIB-302-R, and he found one in stock and is sending it out to me today!

  Mar 16, 2024     Right Landing Light Leading Edge Skin - (1.5 hours)       Category: Wings

I went to install the Right landing Light Leading Edge skin, and found that I was missing the WR-RIB-302-R, short rib, so I can't move forward on installing the leading edge skin. I received the 3mm x 13mm rivets that Scott had sent me, so I drilled out the single rivet I had installed on the RF-BKT-001-R, and used the longer rivets to rivet the 001-L & R and 013-L & R brackets to the Rear Spar Assembly. The longer grip length is perfect. Once again, Scott came through in a pinch! I emailed him yesterday, and the rivets arrived today!

  Mar 14, 2024     Center Fuselage - (2.7 hours)       Category: Fuselage

I prepped the Right Leading Edge wing skin,, Landing Light brackets, and Landing Light rib for priming. All parts were then primed.

  Mar 12, 2024     Center Fuselage - (1.0 hour)       Category: Fuselage

Since the Main Spar Assembly was now riveted to the Mounting Box and Ribs Assembly, I installed the Autopilot bracket using the supplied screws and some red Loctite. Because of the angle of the top of the bracket, it was very difficult to get the screws started. What should have taken 10 minutes, wound up taking almost an hour. It's done, that's what matters.

  Mar 11, 2024     Center Fuselage - (0.7 hour)       Category: Fuselage

I punched holes in the antenna doubler and installed it using rivets and a some Pro Seal.

  Mar 10, 2024     Center Fuselage - (2.4 hours)       Category: Fuselage

I clecoed the CF-STR-001-L & R and CF-STR-002-L & R stringers to the Center Fuselage. I riveted the Main Spar Assembly to the Center Fuselage Assembly.

  Mar 09, 2024     Center Fuselage - (2.1 hours)       Category: Fuselage

I moved the Rear Fuselage to the workbench and then fabricated a doubler for the RAMI-74 antenna. Midwest panel Builders recommends placing the antenna under the passenger seat so that it is accessible, which is what I did. I prepped and primed the CF-STR-001-L & R and CF-STR-002-L & R stringers.

  Mar 06, 2024     Center Fuselage - (0.4 hour) Category: Fuselage

Realizing that the time to join the Center Fuselage to the Rear Fuselage was getting closer, I cleaned off the bench to get ready to place the Rear Fuselage on it.

  Mar 04, 2024     Center Fuselage - (1.1 hours)       Category: Fuselage

I riveted the CF-SKN-002 to the Mounting Box Assembly, and ribs assembly. I pulled on rivet on the BKT-001-L bracket, and noticed that the rivet grip length didn't seem to be long enough, so I stopped where I was and got an email off to Sling Technical asking about the rivet length.

  Mar 03, 2024     Center Fuselage - (2.6 hours)       Category: Fuselage

I clecoed the CF-SKN-002 to the Rear Spar and the BKT-001-R & L, BKT-013-R & L to the rear spar.

  Mar 03, 2024     Center Fuselage - (2.6 hours)       Category: Fuselage

The CF-SKN-002 skin was clecoed to the Rear Spar and Mounting Box and Ribs assembly. The RF-BKT-001-R and -L, RF-BKT-013-R and -L brackets were cleceoed to the Rear Spar.

  Mar 02, 2024     Center Fuselage - (3.3 hours)       Category: Fuselage

I removed the plastic and deburred the CF-SKN-002 skin, and then scuffed the Top Rail parts along with the SKN-002. All parts were then primed.

  Mar 01, 2024     Center Fuselage - (0.3 hour)       Category: Fuselage

The Right Wing leading edge skin and all parts required for installing the landing lights in the right wing arrived from Sling. Also inside the crate was the missing CF-SKN-002 skin! No more roadblock!

  Feb 28, 2024     Center Fuselage - (0.4 hour) Category: Fuselage

I disassembled the Top Side Rails in preparation for priming.

  Feb 26, 2024     Center Fuselage - (0.8 hour) Category: Fuselage

I received the missing AN3 nut plates and 2.5mm rivets for the Top Rails, as well as an updated Throttle Bracket and Throttle Cable from Sling. I drew up a template for the RAMI AV-74 antenna for mounting to the bottom of the fuselage.

  Feb 24, 2024     Center Fuselage - (3.4 hours)       Category: Fuselage

I removed the remaining plastic from the Front Inside Skins, and then scuffed the Inside Skins, Inside Skin Mounting Channels, and Throttle Quadrant parts in preparation for priming. All parts where then primed.

  Feb 21, 2024     Center Fuselage - (0.8 hour) Category: Fuselage

I deburred the Throttle Quadrant parts and removed half of the plastic and deburred the Front Inside Skins, and mounting channels.

  Feb 20, 2024     Center Fuselage - (0.8 hour)       Category: Fuselage

Scott in Torrance emailed me that he is sending the missing nut plates, rivets, and the updated MGU-11 bracket. In the meantime, I pulled together the parts for the throttle quadrant and trial-fit them. I didn't bother with the brake cylinder and a lot of washers, since it was just the initial assembly. Everything went together quickly and correctly. When I get several hours, I'll scuff these parts and the side rails and prime them.

  Feb 17, 2024     Center Fuselage - (3.0 hours)       Category: Fuselage

I heard back from Sling Technical, and I do, indeed have the old MGU mounting bracket. They also cleared up the CF-PLT-005 Side Rail Joining Plate confusion. The plate goes on the inside of the assembly, and the cut corner faces the rear. Three of the holes in the side rail were too small for the rivet size in the plate, but Technical said as long as there was 2x the edge distance, it would be fine to enlarge those three holes. I emailed Scott in Torrance asking for the missing AN3 Anchor Nut Plates, rivets for them, and a quote for the ELT bracket. I trial-fit the side rail assemblies, and now that the CF-PLT-005 confusion is cleared up, everything went together perfectly. The CF-PLT-005 Joining Plate needs to be bent ever so slightly to conform to the curve of the side rails, which was easily done. I touched up the missing primer on the floor skins.
When I was looking at Midwest's web site, I noticed one of the options they offer is a laser-etched and powder coated throttle quadrant. You send them your original, and they send you a very nice one in return! I'll be sending mine out in a few days so hat I'll have it when I need it.

  Feb 14, 2024     Center Fuselage - (0.4 hour)       Category: Fuselage

I cleaned up the excess ProSeal on the floor skin patches, and cut a small piece of sound deadener to fit the area where it was removed for the patch. I'll touch up the primer after I give the ProSeal a few more days to cure. I had a question regarding the CF-PLT-005 Side Rail Joining Plate, as I wasn't sure which side of the side rail it went on. I also found that I was missing the 12 AN3 Anchor nuts and rivets for the side rails. I had another question concerning the MGU-11 mounting bracket and the ELT mounting bracket. When I ordered my kit, I didn't know that the ELT mounting was an option, so I'll ask about that.

  Feb 13, 2024     Center Fuselage - (1.3 hours)       Category: Fuselage

The next antenna hole to close up was the one in the outer skin. Once again, I fabricated a small, circular patch and a rectangular backing plate. Using Pro Seal, I adhered them to the skin and placed weight on them. Next up I drilled the RF-BKT-015(Rudder Autopilot) bracket for M4 rivnuts and installed them. I then installed the bracket in the fuselage. Since the missing CF-SKN-002 hasn't shown up yet, I'm trying to continue as far as I can. I began gathering the parts for the side rails so that I could prepare them for fitting.

  Feb 12, 2024     Center Fuselage - (1.5 hours)       Category: Fuselage

Midwest recommended moving the antenna mounting point, so this meant that I had to plug the original hole in the floor skin. They said that with the connection under the console, access is extremely limited, so they move it one bay to the right. Using a scrap piece of aluminum, I made a plug the same size as the hole. To back up the plug, I fabricated a small aluminum plate two and a half times wider than the plug. The edges of the backing plate were rounded, all edges were deburred, and it and the surrounding area were degreased. I mixed up a small amount of Pro Seal and applied it to the backing plate. Once that was located, I inserted the round plug into the hole in the skin. The plug area was then lightly clamped.

  Feb 11, 2024     Rear Fuselage - (2.4 hours)       Category: Fuselage

My new rivnut tool arrived lat yesterday, so I put it to use by installing the 4 10-24 rivnuts in the seat bases. Much better than my ancient, cheapo Harbor Freight rivnut tool! After that I installed the plastic conduit clamps that act as finger pulls. I had some of the clamps, but they were larger and I wanted to get as much swing as possible from the actuating lever, so I bought some smaller clamps that are sized for 3/4" plastic conduit. The next step was to rivet the hinge on the seat backs to the seat bases. Some clecoes and rivets, and this was done.
Next I installed the sound deadening material on the rearward baggage floor. I made a light cardboard template for the end pieces, and cut the material from them. Flipping the template worked for both left and right sides. I installed those pieces, and then moved to the center portion of the floor. Trimming the length of the template provided a perfect fit. I cut the pieces for the center and installed them.
Finally, I installed the M4 rivnuts in the baggage floors for the inspection panels.

  Feb 10, 2024     Rear Fuselage - (5.7 hours)       Category: Fuselage

I installed the RF-BKT-001(2 left & 2 right) and RF-BKT-013(1 left & 1 right) angles in preparation for mounting the rear spar assembly. I trial fit both the rearward and forward baggage floors, as well as their respective channels. I cut an inspection hole in the middle of the forward baggage floor, the same as Pascal has done. I figured for a minimal effort, that this was definitely going to make life easier in the future. Thanks, Pascal! Once that was complete, I began preparing all parts for priming, by sanding/scuffing the parts. All parts were then primed. I need to call MIdwest Panel Builders and see if I there is anything that needs to be done to the rear fuselage before I move ahead installing the baggage floors. I've seen in some builder's logs, that they installed the torque tubes, but see no mention of it in the manual. If I have to, I'll email Sling Technical, but a call to Midwest is faster.

  Feb 09, 2024     Seats - Base Structure - (0.8 hour) Category: Fuselage

I drilled holes for the rivnuts in the seat channel for the finger pulls. When I went to install the 10-24 rivnuts, I discovered that my rivnut tool did not have a 10-24 mandrell. So, off to McMast-Carr to order a new rivnut tool.

  Feb 07, 2024     Seats - Base Structure - (1.5 hours)       Category: Fuselage

I disassembled the adjustment mechanism and added a drop of blue Loctite to all of the screws, to prevent them from loosening. I then assembled the mechanism and riveted the lever adjustment bracket to the seat channel. I also corrected the cotter pin/washer arrangement by moving the washer between the spring and cotter pin. Once that was done, I grabbed the top skin, some rivets and clecoes, and began fitting the top skins. The skins fit very well and riveting them was without problems.