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!
The first item from the Stein panel crate installed!
Transponder antenna (obviously) now wired to the aft end of the cable installed in the tailcone way back last summer.
A little better view of the panel awaiting its date with the fuselage. The bubble wrap is covering an absolute rat’s nest of wiring and remote boxes, though not nearly all of them.
Getting this all connected – and all of the boxes mounted – is NOT going to be fun.
Fun times crawling into the baggage area today to complete running coiled lines forward from the tailcone. In this case, the forward end of the transponder cable on the right side and the static line on the left side.
I also took a moment to tighten the headset & mic jacks, drill, install, & tighten the LEMO jacks, and connect the 12V power port ground wire. Hey, why not, I was there.
All sorts of stuff has now been run forward and up behind the subpanel. This area is about to look a whole lot worse before it begins to look any better.
I’m going to need to come up with a better stick wiring solution. Stein’s neat little connector backshells won’t pass through the snap bushing holes. I may just connect all the D-sub pins directly and heat shrink them together. We shall see.
The panel has arrived! I thought they were kidding about laser engraving the crate lid, but apparently not. Very cool. I’m going to have that wall mounted, as-is.
A better photo…
In as-received condition. Everything appears to have come through in great shape.
Everything on the tabletop from the rolled wiring schematic left (plus the GTN manual immediately to the right of the roll) was all in the crate, including some nice swag.
Inventory will commence tomorrow morning, but it’s a more than a little overwhelming.
Just a peek at the panel, itself. N-number correct, check.
The interior has arrived!! It’ll be months before all these bits are installed, but there may be a sneak peak at one of the seats shortly…
The panel is done and ready to ship!
Main landing gear legs awaiting their date with the fuselage. That’ll be 6/4, hopefully…
The interior components arrived yesterday, so I popped the pilot’s seat back in place, set the floor panel loosely in place, and…
…Voila!
It’ll be a few months before all the bits are permanently installed, but there’ll be matching carpet, side panels, armrests, stick boots, etc. I think it turned out great; it’s easy to see why Abby at Flightline has her sterling reputation!
My sweaty mug aside, the real point of my sitting in there this morning was to check the position of the rudder pedals. I was concerned that, with my selected middle position for the pedals (possible to change now, but it would be a titanic PITA), none of the possible seat back positions would be a fit.
I’ve been hoping that the middle seat back position would be just right and, in fact, that’s exactly how it turned out. For other -14A builders keeping score, I’m 6′ tall with a 33/34″ inseam.
Glad to be this far along, but not thrilled with having to face the remaining 6-8 months of the project. Oh, well – there’s nothing to do but soldier on!
OK, closing the canopy for the first time with the actual seat installed was cool, even for me.
Yet another shot of yours truly. Thanks, Jean!
Canopy now removed for installation of remaining seals. Also, I needed it out of the way of upcoming fuselage work. Wiring, etc. It’ll be going into the house in the next few days.
The whole garage will have to be reconfigured – probably with the fuselage on the diagonal – to make room for all the FWF work. Before that, though, each wing will have to be mounted (temporarily, of course) to facilitate a few remaining tasks. Plus the tail, too.
Yep, that’s the canopy again.
Forward top skin finally going on for good. It’s attached with Proseal and rivets for the complete, belt & braces anti-leak solution. It’s done in three stages and today’s sealing session was the first. Tomorrow morning we’ll complete the riveting, followed by the second sealing stage. Fun times…
The forward top skin’s other side…
Getting ready for the gear mounting party next Tuesday by locating all of the necessary hardware. I’m dreading having to remove all of those labels, but that’s probably another project for tomorrow.
Van’s Aircraft Inc. – Why, oh why, do you persist in using those horrific white stickers on powdercoated parts?!? They’re a freaking nightmare to remove. If part numbers are really necessary (not too many of the powdercoated parts could possibly be mistaken for anything else), write them on with Sharpie. At least that would come off with a swipe of acetone.
