November 18, 2006

I think I’m in pretty good shape for the inspection. I still have to do the hinge retainers on the cowling, but that shouldn’t be too bad.

I started by wrapping the rest of the left gear leg with fibreglass. This will be complete then too, once I peel off the peel ply layer. I tried to get a hold of Bob at Fairings Etc. to place an order for the gear leg intersection fairings, but got an answer machine. Maybe on Monday I’ll try again, or call his cell.

Back to the crappy empennage fairing. I’ve decided to just make the best of this I can just for flight, and then when Fairing Bob’s arrives, I’ll replace it. I removed the old glass I laid up, and laid down some new glass. Then I used a flox mix (this time) and stuck the fairing down to it. This seems like it’s going to work much better. Then I laid some glass to cover the big holes I’d cut in it previously. I also reinforced the front hook parts with carbon for extra stiffness. It only took a couple of small bits for that. Hopefully this will all work out a lot better than the previous attempt!

Here’s the other side. I laid up glass over the slits that I’d made too.

Once I’d done messing with all that, I put these new clips on the ignition harness. They are the correct ones made by Champion. I’ve been looking all over for these things for a while, and was expecting to get them when I ordered our ignition harness, but they never materialised. I stumbled across the place to buy them on Dan Checkoway’s site. Sacremento Sky Ranch!

This was one of the items on Mike’s list. The oil line might rub on the crankcase breather line. I couldn’t do the other wiring ones because my spiral wrap that I had was too small in diameter. I need to get a quick order in to McMaster-Carr. If I order it on Monday, it’ll be at my door by Tuesday, they’re pretty quick.

I learned this trick with a piece of platic tubing and a tie wrap from Keith a few hangars down. He’s been very helpful lately, and it’s been much appreciated. Thanks Keith!

As this aircraft is ‘Experimental’, I stuck some weatherstripping around the roll over bar. I’m not sure how well it’ll work, but it sure looks like it seals nicely. Again, I got this from McMaster-Carr. Those guys are great!

I sat and figured out my fuse block layout, and wrote it down for the POH, and wiring manual. I have some scrappy notes from earlier when I was actually wiring, but I wanted to double check I’d not changed anything along the way. Sure enough, I had. Glad I checked! We need a spare fuse for every one in the plane, so I need to order some more 2A and 5A fuses. The rest we have a ton of. I also need to make a couple of labels for two of the wires! Oops!

I removed some more blue plastic from the right aileron. I still need to get underneath and remove the rest of it. Clayton had started this task the other day, but I had to remove the aileron to get at the plastic near the wing.

I walked around the plane what seemed like a thousand times today checking everything was how it should be. So far it’s looking quite good. I think tomorrow I’ll wrap up the empennage fairing, get the hinge retainers started and start cleaning up some more at the hangar. I need to spend more time at home making sure all our ducks are in a row for our paperwork. Most of it is done and submitted, so we only owe the inspector our weight and balnce, and maybe the program letter needs an update. Other than that, I think we’re good. I need to get all the construction logs sorted and some pages printed to show we (I) built the plane, and we should be good to go. I might even take the computer to the hangar to show it all in real time.

I’m estimating that the first flight of ‘Little Fatty’ will be sometime over the thanksgiving weekend. Hopefully the weather will be cooperative. Still not sure yet which day.