Feb 08, 2024     Floorboards, brake lines, elevator trim, misc - (20 hours)       Category: Fuselage

Good 3 days with lots of odds and ends:

Floorboards nearly complete. Created poster board templates for all 5 boards and the back wall of the baggage compartment. Templates worked great for final fitment and marking screw location. Used #10 floating nutplates with stainless screws for all attachment points. Ordered aluminum sheets from Wicks: .032 to replace incorrectly cut board #2, and .025 for the baggage compartment rear wall and possibly for guards over the rudder and flap cables.

Elevator Trim: Finished adjusting the elevator trim mechanism. Need to research if turnbuckle(s) are needed for future tension adjustments then final Nico the cables.

Brake lines: ordered flexible hoses from Pegasus Racing for the final connection to the brake pedals. Last task will be to attach the parking brake actuator cable and decide where to mount in the cockpit.

Interior: Great call with Abby from Flight Line Interiors in WInd Lake, WI. Will plan to drop seat frames off and let them do the rest.

  Jul 13, 2023     Airframe Paint - (16 hours)       Category: Fuselage

Moved the airframe back out to the airport for painting on July 10th. Used an Avanti .3mm gravity feed airbrush from Harbor Freight with Rustoleum Tractor and Implement Glossy Black diluted with 35% addition of mineral spirits, 30 psi line pressure). Paint and thinner weighed in grams on a digital food scale. Wanted to cover the inside visible airframe, rudder/brake pedals and control sticks. Two coats. Happy with the results. The inflatable paint booth and rotisserie were key. Never sprayed any paint before, definite new skill set for me. Starting to feel like a builder. Great assistance/support from Matt Rybarczyk. Planning to bring the airframe back to the shop early next week.