Tag: Fairings

Final assembly continued…

Pitot and AOA lines installed. Ready for flight.

Pitot and AOA lines installed. Ready for flight.

Left-side stick to torque tube pushrod connection finger tight for testing.

All right-side wing root connections torqued and sealed. Ready for flight.

All left-side wing root connections torqued and sealed. Ready for flight.

Right-side lower wing root fairing clecoed in place.

Right-side lower wing root fairing clecoed in place.

Left-side lower wing root fairing clecoed in place.

Left-side lower wing root fairing clecoed in place.

Right-side fuel tank vent in place

Left-side fuel tank vent in place.

Right-side engraved fuel tank cap installed and adjusted. Ready for flight.

Left-side engraved fuel tank cap installed and adjusted. Ready for flight.

Seat ramps, seat ramp cover, and aft tunnel cover clecoed back in place.

Baggage bulkhead corrugation removed for inspection. Various elevator bellcrank connections torque-sealed.

The neat pile of interior components that Jean is maintaining in the back of the hangar. Thanks, hon!!

Now that the ailerons are connected, the sticks no longer flop to one side or the other. They look ready to go!!

Left-side upper wing root fairing clecoed in place.

Right-side upper wing root fairing clecoed in place.

Overall view at the end of today’s session. It’s definitely looking purposeful and RV-like. Can’t wait to go flying in another few weeks.

Panel, finish, cowling continued…

My Stein Air panel in as-received condition – just removed from the crate for the first time since it arrived about four months ago. What a rat’s nest!!

A slightly wider view of the panel showing all of the radios and other miscellany. Lots to do.

Oil door drilled to the hinge gooseneck and the hinge door lugs drilled to the cowling.

Oil door and all components riveted and ready to fly.

A little gently relieving was necessary along the upper edge of the recess in order for the door to hinge properly.

Oil door and all components riveted and ready to fly.

A little gently relieving was necessary along the upper edge of the recess in order for the door to hinge properly.

One of my pending tasks finally checked off:

Empennage fairing and gap covers screwed down for keeps – or until the airworthiness inspection!

One of my pending tasks finally checked off:

Empennage fairing and gap covers screwed down for keeps – or until the airworthiness inspection!

Firewall forward, finish, cowling progress

Snorkel marked for initial trimming to air filter frame.

Snorkel marked for initial trimming to air filter frame.

Snorkel marked for initial trimming to fuel servo.

Snorkel being reformed (via heat gun and pressure (I used both the beer bottle and hammer handle)) to clear the Cylinder 2 intake tube.

Air filter frame and snorkel drilled together in final position.

Air filter frame and snorkel floxed together.

Upper cowling interior coated with epoxy resin.

Lower cowling interior coated with epoxy resin.

Empennage fairing interior coated with epoxy resin

Finish, cowling, empennage progress

Empennage fairing fit, post-initial trim.

Empennage fairing fit, post-initial trim.

Empennage fairing drilled to stabilizers and aft fuselage. The Van’s-suggested method of placing a light under the fairing and trying to spot the holes is a Rube Goldberg solution, at best. Use the right tool for any job, in this case a strap duplicator. Easy-peasy.

Empennage fairing drilled to stabilizers and aft fuselage. The Van’s-suggested method of placing a light under the fairing and trying to spot the holes is a Rube Goldberg solution, at best. Use the right tool for any job, in this case a strap duplicator. Easy-peasy.

Empennage fairing countersunk and nutplate installation underway. Many of the nutplates will be VERY challenging to solid rivet without removing the vertical stabilizer as suggested by the manual. In my case, that’s simply not going to happen. I’m using MK-319-BS pop rivets to attach the nutplates.

Empennage fairing countersunk and nutplate installation underway. Many of the nutplates will be VERY challenging to solid rivet without removing the vertical stabilizer as suggested by the manual. In my case, that’s simply not going to happen. I’m using MK-319-BS pop rivets to attach the nutplates.

Cowl attach hinges and pins underway.

Cowl attach hinges and pins underway.

Cowl attach hinges and pins underway.

This is how far I got when attempting to insert the left-side upper pin. Yes, it was pre-curved and lubricated. Yes, I filed the hinge eyes, though more is probably necessary. The aluminum pin, though, has the integrity of overcooked spaghetti. It may very well get easier as time goes by, but the initial fit – and the pin’s unavoidable tendency to bend – is entirely unacceptable.

I initially intended to use Skybolt Camlocs (as I did with great satisfaction on my first RV), but they were out of stock when I riveted my fuselage-to-firewall skins way back when and I figured I’d try the stock hinges this time around. Yeah, the hinges are a no-go.

I’ll be ordering the Camlocs this week and drilling out the firewall-mounted hinges. I suppose it could be worse, but I’m definitely annoyed. Ugh.

Spaghetti pin…