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 demonstrating the how the elevator works.

Pops deburring a rib for the elevator.

Test fit

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.