Great time building with Dad

Dad came up from Tennessee to work on the plane last weekend. We did a decent amount of work even though it didn’t look like it.

  • inspected the recently arrived wing kit and associated gear
  • We trimmed and cleaned up the shorter elevator rib in front of the trim tab.
  • Test fit trim actuator
  • cut access for the trim actuator to connect the elevator to the trim tab.
  • Riveted the bottom of the elevator together leaving the center uncompleted per directions.
  • Test fit the elevator to the horizontal stabilizer. Elevator operated smoothly.
  • Layed out hinge and drilled holes in the elevator to attach the elevator to the horizontal stabilizer.
  • Pops deburred the newly drilled holes and is ready for the next step

Thanks for the help pops!

 

Here are some pictures

Pops showing off his his riveting skills on the bottom of the elevator

Pops showing off his his riveting skills on the bottom of the elevator

 

Pops demonstrating the how the elevator works.

Pops demonstrating the how the elevator works.

Pops deburring a rib for the elevator.

Pops deburring a rib for the elevator.

 

Test fit

Test fit

Wings have been Delivered

9/17/2014  Delivery of the wing kit

9/17/2014
Delivery of the wing kit

On 9/17/2014 we received our wing kit for the plane. Cheryl and I inventoried the entire box, with only one minor part missing. A quick call to Zenith had the part in the mail and we received the part a few days later. I am excited to get started on the wings.

Elevator Center Rib Assembly

Again things have been running a bit slow, but progress has been made. I created ‘L’ pieces to attach 65T3-2 to 65T3-1 L&R. I miss measured the first time and had to remake them. 2nd time worked great. I set the center rib assembly into the skin and cleco’d assembly in place. looks like a good fit. Next will be disassembling the unit and deburring the skin and all of the ribs. I will reassemble it after that with cleco’s. Then on to the horn assembly.

Alignment marks for drilling.
Alignment marks for drilling.

Center Rib Test install

Center Rib Test install

Started the elevator today

I cleaned up the shop today and stored the horizontal stabilizer until is needed. That cleared a lot of room on the work surface. I started the elevator today,

elevator inboard ribs

elevator inboard ribs

though I didn’t get a lot done on it I did get a pair of ribs deburred and marked the location of a couple of ‘L’ angels that will be attached soon. Keep tuned and you see the elevator take shape over the next 3 weeks or so.

Horizontal Stab Wrap Up

Work continues… Slowly. I am wrapping up the Horizontal stabilizer… for now. I can’t do anymore more to the stabilizer until it is time to install it on the fuselage….. that will be a while. I know it looks like it might be missing something…. and you would be correct. It is missing the elevator which connects to the hinge on the back of the stabilizer. The elevator is next on the build schedule.

Here are a couple of pics of the stabilizer

6-19-2014a 6-19-2014c

Finishing up the Horizontal Stabalizer

My Wife Cheryl, My Dad and I have been slowly but surely working on completing the horizontal stabilizer. There are a few things I can’t do until later in the construction process by suggestion from the construction manual. I believe that building should accelerate now that school is done for a little while… and it’s above -10 deg outside. I should be riveting most of the top of the tab soon. Then its on to the elevator.Hstab

Closing the Horizontal Stabilizer

 

Yea, I know it’s been a while since I have last posted. The good news is that progress has been made… though slowly. The horizontal Stabilizer Skeleton has been completed. and the skin has been attached and riveted on the bottom. Yesterday dad and I closed the top and cleco’d it to the skeleton. I am pretty excited about how this is turning out. It looks to be strait and true and now resembles the final shape. Some pics are below.

 

Fall Update

I have, as usual, been slow to update this site. Life is ever changing and in my case that means I have gone back to school for flight tech at Eastern Michigan University (EMU). I have not stopped this project, but has slowed it down some.

This last weekend we finished the skeleton of the horizontal stabilizer (pictures below). after much deburring, cutting, and some drilling the skeleton has come together nicely. It feels very solid now with all the rivets in it. Time to start on the skin.

I have been really impressed with how this is going together and the instructions. Cleaning and deburring get a little tedious, but is not difficult and the predrilled / matched drilled holes align well.

 

Rudder Building

Here are some pictures of Dad, Cheryl & myself building the rudder for our airplane at the factory in Mexico, MO. The Rudder was completed on 6/21/2013. The rest of the tail kit was ordered the same day. We expect it to be delivered around the middle of July 2013.