Apr 27, 2024     Week 45 - (15 hours)       Category: Controls

This week began with reinstalling the yoke chain and tensioning it properly. The newly painted instrument panel was then installed, making further work on the yoke more difficult. Still we managed to get cotter pins installed on the turnbuckle clevis bolts. However, they still need to be safety wired. Further work had to be put on hold as the fuselage was loaded onto a trailer for transport to Laurel Avionics in Johnstown Pennsylvania. Arrangements have been made with them to install our transponder, radio, and two AV30c instruments along with some other electrical work. The same day our newly overhauled O-200 engine arrived from the shop. Things are moving along.

  Apr 13, 2024     Week 44 - (15 hours)       Category: Controls

This week we installed more trim pulleys and worked on the control yoke chain and related parts. Working aft, we installed the two pairs of trim pulleys that run just under the cabin floor. The parts manual calls for another pair at the aft end of the baggage compartment. The maintenance manual does not call for this set and there is no bracket for it. That, plus the fact that we only have 12 pulleys rather than the 14 shown in the parts manual, has led us to conclude the parts manual is wrong or might be referencing an earlier model. We looked at hooking up the new trim chain to the new cables, but it seems we may need a special tool to do that, so we set it aside for now. We then got into the complex control yoke chain and sprocket system. It needed cleaning and upon inspection by one of our A&Ps a couple of issues were found. The safety wires on both turnbuckles were the wrong size and two of the clevis bolts with castle nuts lacked cotter pins. So we ended up taking a lot of it apart and cleaning everything. Complete reassembly will happen next time.

  Apr 08, 2024     Week 43 - (20 hours)       Category: Controls

The trim system was the main focus this week. Four trim pulleys are mounted against the firewall and so need to go in before installing the rudder pedals. In order to install the pulleys we had to also install the new forward trim cables. We first employed one of our younger members to crawl into the rear fuselage. While he was in there we had him vacuum out some debris in the tail cone. His main mission, however, was to retrieve the forward trim cables that were under the floorboards. Once that was done we attached the end of each old cable to the forward end of each new cable and then threaded them through. Next, one of our members crawled under the panel to install the sets of pulleys with their respective cables. Not an easy task. The next job will be to complete the installation by installing the sets of pulleys that bring the new forward cables under the floorboards back to where they will eventually be connected to the two rear trim cables.

  Apr 02, 2024     Week 42 - (20 hours)       Category: Controls

Figuring out puzzles continued this week. More work was done cleaning and laying out the complex rudder pedal assembly. Robert continued sorting out wires and connectors, some of which lack a clear indication of what they do. Work also continued on things on or near the interior firewall that need to go in before the rudder pedals can be installed. The parking brake was reconnected. Because four trim pulleys need to be mounted against the firewall, we started figuring out the trim system and its cables. We will be installing new cables.

  Dec 09, 2023     Week 31 - (15 hours)       Category: Controls

The main focus this week was on preparing parts that go inside the wings. This includes all of the bell cranks and the flap motor. We obtained all new hardware, lubed the bearings, and assembled everything ready to be installed. Meanwhile, the new (to us) windshield and back window were test fitted. Mark has been working on polishing out scratches in the windshield using a kit for that purpose. He decided, after looking at it in the light of the workshop, that it needs more polishing so he took it back home. We also brought in our A&P/IA to answer some questions. We were concerned about the condition of wiring. He said it looked okay to him and was not worth replacing. He strongly recommended getting rid of the vacuum system and going with electric instruments such as the Avionics AV-30. The problem there is the cost. We will discuss this more at our next business meeting.