I received my N-number decals today. These are self adhesive stickers I order through SportFlyingShop. I can hear it now... "November-one-four-whisky-echo you are cleared for take off!"
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Windshield Fitting - 10 hours (448 Total)
Over the course of two days I fitted, refitted, and fitted again, the windshield. Trying to get the windshield to line up on all sides was a challenge. The problem points were on the upper edge where the windshield will meet the door and where the windshield slips underneath the upper left sheet metal enclosure. I think it would have been easier if the windshield was slightly larger in one of these places. I could have then trimmed off the excess.
Once I positioned the windshield in the best position I could, I drilled the rivet holes and marked the areas I needed to trim. The edge near the door frame doesn't extend out as much as I would have liked but we'll see what it looks like when I get the door installed.
Over the course of two days I fitted, refitted, and fitted again, the windshield. Trying to get the windshield to line up on all sides was a challenge. The problem points were on the upper edge where the windshield will meet the door and where the windshield slips underneath the upper left sheet metal enclosure. I think it would have been easier if the windshield was slightly larger in one of these places. I could have then trimmed off the excess.
Once I positioned the windshield in the best position I could, I drilled the rivet holes and marked the areas I needed to trim. The edge near the door frame doesn't extend out as much as I would have liked but we'll see what it looks like when I get the door installed.
Friday, October 20, 2006
Oil Tank Vent - 1 hour (438 Total)
The last thing I did today was install a fitting that will be used for my oil tank vent.
I spent a lot of time looking for the right fitting that would allow me to port my oil tank vent to the exterior of the plane. I ended up using one of the extra fuel tank fittings that I had and a brass barbed hose bib. The fuel tank fitting was both light weight and small.
In the photos below, you can see where I drilled and mounted the fittings to the bottom of the plane near the left landing gear leg. Once I get the plane to the air field and install the wings, I will connect the oil vent hose. I need to secure the hose to the wing root to give the hose the proper height above the oil tank before dropping down and exiting the plane as per the HKS installation manual.
The last thing I did today was install a fitting that will be used for my oil tank vent.
I spent a lot of time looking for the right fitting that would allow me to port my oil tank vent to the exterior of the plane. I ended up using one of the extra fuel tank fittings that I had and a brass barbed hose bib. The fuel tank fitting was both light weight and small.
In the photos below, you can see where I drilled and mounted the fittings to the bottom of the plane near the left landing gear leg. Once I get the plane to the air field and install the wings, I will connect the oil vent hose. I need to secure the hose to the wing root to give the hose the proper height above the oil tank before dropping down and exiting the plane as per the HKS installation manual.
Instrument Panel - 2 hours (437 Total)
The next thing I did today was button up my instrument panel.
I started by marking and drilling holes in the top cover for my GPS antenna cable and the cable for my radio. The GPS antenna was attached to the top cover with double sided tape.
I then riveted the top cover into place. I had already drilled most of the rivet holes so the initial process went quickly. The edges were difficult to drill and rivet due to the top cover being slightly too large for the space between the aluminum tubes that the instrument pod mounts to. I was unable to get the forward right rivet (bottom rivet in first photo) to bite into front panel tab so the rivet you see is just for show.
The last photo shows the completed panel with the trim attached. Unfortunately, I started the trim on the wrong side. The seam should have been on the bottom of the right aluminum tube; it is currently on the left side. That would allow me to unscrew and partially remove the bottom cover (from the door side) for any maintenance on the instruments and switches. Since the instrument panel has a large cut out for the Enigma and the Enigma is easy to remove, I will probably use the Enigma as an access point instead of the bottom cover.
The next thing I did today was button up my instrument panel.
I started by marking and drilling holes in the top cover for my GPS antenna cable and the cable for my radio. The GPS antenna was attached to the top cover with double sided tape.
I then riveted the top cover into place. I had already drilled most of the rivet holes so the initial process went quickly. The edges were difficult to drill and rivet due to the top cover being slightly too large for the space between the aluminum tubes that the instrument pod mounts to. I was unable to get the forward right rivet (bottom rivet in first photo) to bite into front panel tab so the rivet you see is just for show.
The last photo shows the completed panel with the trim attached. Unfortunately, I started the trim on the wrong side. The seam should have been on the bottom of the right aluminum tube; it is currently on the left side. That would allow me to unscrew and partially remove the bottom cover (from the door side) for any maintenance on the instruments and switches. Since the instrument panel has a large cut out for the Enigma and the Enigma is easy to remove, I will probably use the Enigma as an access point instead of the bottom cover.
Ambient Temp Sensor - 1 hour (435 Total)
Below are some photos of the ambient temperature sensor I installed. I used black RTV to secure the sensor into the hole I drilled through the belly pan. The hole is aligned with a mounting point on the plane's frame to give the sensor a secure mounting point.
Below are some photos of the ambient temperature sensor I installed. I used black RTV to secure the sensor into the hole I drilled through the belly pan. The hole is aligned with a mounting point on the plane's frame to give the sensor a secure mounting point.
Compass - 3 hours (434 Total)
The first thing I did today was I wire and install my compass.
MGL came out with a new version of their SP-2 compass. Sport Flying Shop was willing to swap out my old compass for a newer version. The new compass doesn't have any new features but it is much smaller. The old version was approximately 3"x5"x2" in size. The new version is approximately 3"x1.5"x1" in size.
Before I mounted or built a cable for the compass, I needed to find a location that didn't have any magnetic distortion. I used a magnetic compass to measure any magnetic distortion at potential mounting points on the plane. Unfortunately, the locations I had in mind near the floorboard and instrument panel were too close to the steel frame of the plane. The closest location I could find to the instrument pod (to minimize cable length) was above and behind my head, on the Keel Tube.
Once my location was picked out, I used a four conductor wire to make a cable to connect the SP-2 to the Enigma. The cable is hardwired to the Enigma and instrument panel but uses a DB-9 to connect to the SP-2.
Below are some photos of the installed SP-2 and the original cable MGL provided.
The first thing I did today was I wire and install my compass.
MGL came out with a new version of their SP-2 compass. Sport Flying Shop was willing to swap out my old compass for a newer version. The new compass doesn't have any new features but it is much smaller. The old version was approximately 3"x5"x2" in size. The new version is approximately 3"x1.5"x1" in size.
Before I mounted or built a cable for the compass, I needed to find a location that didn't have any magnetic distortion. I used a magnetic compass to measure any magnetic distortion at potential mounting points on the plane. Unfortunately, the locations I had in mind near the floorboard and instrument panel were too close to the steel frame of the plane. The closest location I could find to the instrument pod (to minimize cable length) was above and behind my head, on the Keel Tube.
Once my location was picked out, I used a four conductor wire to make a cable to connect the SP-2 to the Enigma. The cable is hardwired to the Enigma and instrument panel but uses a DB-9 to connect to the SP-2.
Below are some photos of the installed SP-2 and the original cable MGL provided.
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Instrument Panel - 2 hours (431 Total)
Today I finished wiring my instrument panel. The last bit of wiring I needed to do was add a stereo jack for the push to talk (PTT) cable and button I will install later. I bought a coiled cable similar to a telephone hand set cable but with 2.5mm stereo connectors. I installed a stereo jack in the back side of the panel. You can see the jack and wiring in the three following photos.
Below are two photos of the completed wiring... What a mess! I considered using wire ties to secure some of the wires and neaten thing up but I figured that would only cause me problems if I needed to do any future work or repairs on the wiring. One thing that I did do was coat the hot end of the cigarette lighter plug with some liquid electrical tape. This will hopefully prevent it from shorting out to the non-shielded ground wires.
Today I finished wiring my instrument panel. The last bit of wiring I needed to do was add a stereo jack for the push to talk (PTT) cable and button I will install later. I bought a coiled cable similar to a telephone hand set cable but with 2.5mm stereo connectors. I installed a stereo jack in the back side of the panel. You can see the jack and wiring in the three following photos.
Below are two photos of the completed wiring... What a mess! I considered using wire ties to secure some of the wires and neaten thing up but I figured that would only cause me problems if I needed to do any future work or repairs on the wiring. One thing that I did do was coat the hot end of the cigarette lighter plug with some liquid electrical tape. This will hopefully prevent it from shorting out to the non-shielded ground wires.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Enigma is here! - 3 hours (429 Total)
My Enigma finally arrived. The Enigma is the color upgrade to my Stratomaster instrument display. Other than having a color display, the other neat feature is the built in GPS.
Below is a photo of my installed Enigma. The second photo shows the rivnuts I used to mount the Enigma.
Below is a photo of my slip indicator. I mounted it with the rivnuts also.
My Stratomaster suffered from resets occasionally when I attempt to start my engine. The starter would suck so much current that the voltage would drop to levels below what the Stratomaster required to operate. I installed the 3000uF, 30V capacitor into my instrument pod to try to alleviate this problem. I chose this cap because of the large solder lugs it has.
The cap seemed to help some but I still got some resets when I continued to crank the engine to the point where the battery drained down and was having difficulty turning the engine over. The resets would be expected at this point since the starter is drawing a huge amount of current when stuck.
My Enigma finally arrived. The Enigma is the color upgrade to my Stratomaster instrument display. Other than having a color display, the other neat feature is the built in GPS.
Below is a photo of my installed Enigma. The second photo shows the rivnuts I used to mount the Enigma.
Below is a photo of my slip indicator. I mounted it with the rivnuts also.
My Stratomaster suffered from resets occasionally when I attempt to start my engine. The starter would suck so much current that the voltage would drop to levels below what the Stratomaster required to operate. I installed the 3000uF, 30V capacitor into my instrument pod to try to alleviate this problem. I chose this cap because of the large solder lugs it has.
The cap seemed to help some but I still got some resets when I continued to crank the engine to the point where the battery drained down and was having difficulty turning the engine over. The resets would be expected at this point since the starter is drawing a huge amount of current when stuck.
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Electrical Panel Changes - 1 hour (426 Total)
The instructions for the strobe that I installed recommend a diode to be installed to protect the electrical system from negative voltage spikes. Below are some pictures of the diode I installed.
I also purchased a battery charger/tender. The unit came with a cable designed to be wired into your electrical system for easy connecting to the charger. The cable came with a built in fuse holder which I cut off. I wired the cable in to one of my empty fuses; see the pictures below.
The instructions for the strobe that I installed recommend a diode to be installed to protect the electrical system from negative voltage spikes. Below are some pictures of the diode I installed.
I also purchased a battery charger/tender. The unit came with a cable designed to be wired into your electrical system for easy connecting to the charger. The cable came with a built in fuse holder which I cut off. I wired the cable in to one of my empty fuses; see the pictures below.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Arm Rest - 1 hour (424 Total)
The last thing I did today was build and install my arm rest. Rans provided a pre-shaped piece of plywood, a rough cut piece of foam, and an oversized piece of fabric. I cut the foam to match the shape of the plywood and stapled the fabric over the top.
The hard part was screwing the completed arm rest to the plane. In the picture below you can see the flexible shaft screwdriver I used to screw the arm rest into place.
The last thing I did today was build and install my arm rest. Rans provided a pre-shaped piece of plywood, a rough cut piece of foam, and an oversized piece of fabric. I cut the foam to match the shape of the plywood and stapled the fabric over the top.
The hard part was screwing the completed arm rest to the plane. In the picture below you can see the flexible shaft screwdriver I used to screw the arm rest into place.
Elevator Trim - 5 hours (423 Total)
Today I installed the elevator trim tab.
The hinges for the trim tab went together pretty easily. They use an aluminum tube cut to 1/16" long as a bushing to reduce the friction in the hinge. There is still a significant amount of friction but the tab does move. If this doesn't loosen up over time I may need to replace the 1/16" bushings with slightly larger ones.
The actuator cable for the trim is routed out the tailboom, through a cable clamp, to a stopper that is riveted to the trailing edge of the elevator.
The cable clamp is attached to the leading edge of the elevator with a bolt and a rivnut. I purchased a tool specifically designed to install rivnuts. Unfortunately, it worked too easily. I over tightened the rivnut and stripped out the threads. I needed to drill out the rivnut and install a second one. The manual only calls for one rivnut and cable clamp but the kit came with two. Rans may have intended for the second one to be used on the trailing edge of the horizontal stabilizer to prevent the cable from rubbing on the fabric.
To cut the cable and housing to the proper length, I needed to unbolted the trim wheel from the flap lever mechanism. This allowed me to disassemble the trim wheel and pull the cable out of the housing. Otherwise, there wouldn't have been a way for me to cut the housing shorter than the cable.
I cut the cable so that I have an inch or so of extra length in case I need to make any adjustments. I set the trim tab to be in line with the elevator while the trim wheel was centered. I crimped a cap onto the end of the cable to keep the sharp cable end away from my skin.
Since I had to remove the trim wheel from the flap lever mechanism, I went ahead and installed the fabric covering over the flap lever mechanism. I needed to cut the fabric with my soldering iron so it would fit over the trim wheel bracket.
I used Locktite to secure all the bolts and screws.
Today I installed the elevator trim tab.
The hinges for the trim tab went together pretty easily. They use an aluminum tube cut to 1/16" long as a bushing to reduce the friction in the hinge. There is still a significant amount of friction but the tab does move. If this doesn't loosen up over time I may need to replace the 1/16" bushings with slightly larger ones.
The actuator cable for the trim is routed out the tailboom, through a cable clamp, to a stopper that is riveted to the trailing edge of the elevator.
The cable clamp is attached to the leading edge of the elevator with a bolt and a rivnut. I purchased a tool specifically designed to install rivnuts. Unfortunately, it worked too easily. I over tightened the rivnut and stripped out the threads. I needed to drill out the rivnut and install a second one. The manual only calls for one rivnut and cable clamp but the kit came with two. Rans may have intended for the second one to be used on the trailing edge of the horizontal stabilizer to prevent the cable from rubbing on the fabric.
To cut the cable and housing to the proper length, I needed to unbolted the trim wheel from the flap lever mechanism. This allowed me to disassemble the trim wheel and pull the cable out of the housing. Otherwise, there wouldn't have been a way for me to cut the housing shorter than the cable.
I cut the cable so that I have an inch or so of extra length in case I need to make any adjustments. I set the trim tab to be in line with the elevator while the trim wheel was centered. I crimped a cap onto the end of the cable to keep the sharp cable end away from my skin.
Since I had to remove the trim wheel from the flap lever mechanism, I went ahead and installed the fabric covering over the flap lever mechanism. I needed to cut the fabric with my soldering iron so it would fit over the trim wheel bracket.
I used Locktite to secure all the bolts and screws.
Saturday, October 07, 2006
Elevators - 2 hours (418 Total)
After I finished with the rudder, I installed the elevators.
These went on without much difficulty. Each elevator has two hinges and a elevator horn for actuation. I needed to rotate one of the elevator horns because I had installed it backwards.
Once I installed the hinge and horn bolts, I installed the necessary lock rings and cotter pins. I also lubricated the hinges with a spray on teflon lubricant.
I also installed the black plastic caps on the outside ends of the elevator's aluminum tubes. The assembly manual calls for the caps on the inside ends of the tubes but I didn't see the need.
After I finished with the rudder, I installed the elevators.
These went on without much difficulty. Each elevator has two hinges and a elevator horn for actuation. I needed to rotate one of the elevator horns because I had installed it backwards.
Once I installed the hinge and horn bolts, I installed the necessary lock rings and cotter pins. I also lubricated the hinges with a spray on teflon lubricant.
I also installed the black plastic caps on the outside ends of the elevator's aluminum tubes. The assembly manual calls for the caps on the inside ends of the tubes but I didn't see the need.
Rudder - 3 hours (416 Total)
Once the stabilizers were in place, I installed my rudder.
The rudder has two hinges that connect it to the tail. One hinge bracket is bolted to the top of the aluminum tube of the vertical stabilizer and the other is welded to the tailboom extension. The distance between the hinges will vary depending on how far down the vertical stabilizer is placed on the tailboom extension. I should have checked the hinge spacing prior to drilling the hole in the tailboom extension to ensure the rudder would match up but I didn't think of it at the time. Luckily, the rudder hinges mated up without any problem.
Once the hinge bolts were installed, I connected the rudder control cables. I needed to change the connection point of the cables where they connect to the rudder pedals to allow for the proper length. I did not put too much effort into tensioning the cables; I only made sure the majority of the slack was eliminated.
After testing the movement of the rudder system, I installed cotter pins in to the pulleys and hinge bolts. I also sprayed all of the moving parts, except the pulleys, with a teflon lubricant.
Once the stabilizers were in place, I installed my rudder.
The rudder has two hinges that connect it to the tail. One hinge bracket is bolted to the top of the aluminum tube of the vertical stabilizer and the other is welded to the tailboom extension. The distance between the hinges will vary depending on how far down the vertical stabilizer is placed on the tailboom extension. I should have checked the hinge spacing prior to drilling the hole in the tailboom extension to ensure the rudder would match up but I didn't think of it at the time. Luckily, the rudder hinges mated up without any problem.
Once the hinge bolts were installed, I connected the rudder control cables. I needed to change the connection point of the cables where they connect to the rudder pedals to allow for the proper length. I did not put too much effort into tensioning the cables; I only made sure the majority of the slack was eliminated.
After testing the movement of the rudder system, I installed cotter pins in to the pulleys and hinge bolts. I also sprayed all of the moving parts, except the pulleys, with a teflon lubricant.
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