Date |
Work |
22nd February 2006 |
Brian Turner came to carry out the pre-covering inspection. All went well. |
25th February 2006 |
Started disassembly of all the major components. |
27th February 2006 |
Fitting of control cable guides for elevators and rudder etc. |
1st March 2006 |
Fitted a couple of new pulleys in the top elevator control cable to keep the exit cable static and stop it rubbing on the elevator woodwork when relaxed. |
3rd March 2006 |
Finished glueing the rest of the control cable guides. Started looking at a trim lever. |
5th March 2006 |
Tried one idea for a trim lever, not so good. I will think of something else. |
10th March 2006 |
Finally have a trim lever I like. Just have to hope the springs are going to the correct tension. |
20th March 2006 |
Have now finished unbolting everything from the fuselage. Only the undercarriage mounting brackets to remove. I’ll make up the nut plates first. |
24th March 2006 |
Finished making the nut plates. Removed the undercarriage mounting brackets. |
25th March 2006 |
Put everything in separate plastic bags. Need to glue the cowling/cockpit ally fittings to the fuse. |
4th April 2006 |
Glue the fittings for the ally cockpit cover and front cowling. I can now use SS screws to screw the ally to the fuse. |
8th April 2006 |
Spent a couple of days just sanding everything ready for a final varnish coat. |
28th April 2006 |
Gave the whole fuse (outside) two more coats of varnish. This was sprayed on with the new spray equipment. Will turn over and do the inside. |
30th April 2006 |
Sprayed one coat of varnish on the inside before the spray gun blocked up. |
2nd May 2006 |
Brush varnished the inside. I decided not to paint the inside, just leave the wood clear varnished. |
4th May 2006 |
Took the undercarriage and tailwheel to be powder coated. Started painting the control columns etc. |
6th May 2006 |
Started the re-installation of the electrics with a revarnished and finished instrument panel. |
7th May 2006 |
Continued re-installing the instrument panel. |
8th May 2006 |
Finished painting the control columns etc. Re-installed the engine control levers. |
12th May 2006 |
Started re-installing the control columns and rudder/pedals. |
15th May 2006 |
Fitted some checker plate aluminum to the floor and under the rudder bar and pedals. This will act as a kick plate. |
18th May 2006 |
Finished fitting the controls, rudder, elevator bell crank, rear fuse fittings. Electrical all complete in fuse. Started fuel system re-installation. |
20th May 2006 |
Made up some stainless steel straps to hold front fuel header tank. Both fitted in place. |
21st May 2006 |
Fitted fuel tubing and tap/valve. |
22nd May 2006 |
Fitted seat belts, rudder cable guides etc. |
24th May 2006 |
Sanded and prepared tail feathers for covering. Waiting for a thermometer to calibrate iron. Glued in ply gussets around the control horns. Provides something to glue fabric to. |
27th May 2006 |
Made and fitted radio bracket. Needs some varnish. |
29th May 2006 |
Started making the firewall. Re-faced the cockpit side of the firewall with 1/16th ply. |
30th May 2006 |
Re-Drilled all the firewall through points and mounting holes. Bought some stainless steel for the firewall. |
3rd June 2006 |
Cut and shaped the stainless for the firewall. |
5th June 2006 |
Coated the horizontal and vertical stab with two coats of poly-brush. |
7th June 2006 |
Poly-tak’ed the fabric to the horizontal stab both sides. Ironed to shrink. |
10th June 2006 |
Tried rib stitching for the first time. Completed the horizontal stab stiching. |
11th June 2006 |
Added the chord wise tapes to the horizontal stab. |
14th June 2006 |
Completed the vertical stab covering (except LE/TE tapes). Started the rudder, fabric covered one side. |
15th June 2006 |
Fabriced the second side of the rudder. Poly brushed one coat. |
16th June 2006 |
Rib stitched the rudder. Poly brushed the tapes (except the L/E and T/E tapes). |
18th June 2006 |
Glued firewall ply to front of fuse. Now already to cover the fuse. |
20th June 2006 |
Fabric on both sides of one elevator. |
21st June 2006 |
Rib stitched one elevator. |
22nd June 2006 |
Tapes poly brushed to one elevator. Fabric on one side of the other elevator. |
23rd June 2006 |
Fabric on other side of elevator. |
24th June 2006 |
Poly brush one coat on elevator. |
26th June 2006 |
Rib stitched the last elevator. |
27th June 2006 |
Finished the tail feather covering (apart from edge tapes). |
28th June 2006 |
Covered both sides of the fuse. |
29th July 2006 |
Covered bottom of fuse. |
30th July 2006 |
Covered turtle deck. Poly brush first coat over the whole fuse. |
2nd July 2006 |
Poly Brushed the side, bottom and end tapes on the fuse. |
4th July 2006 |
Re-fitted the U/C and engine mount fittings. Will mask when painting. The fitting of the pieces holds the fabric in place when I spray the next two coats of poly brush. |
5th July 2006 |
Marked out the exit points for the control cables. Will do a temp fit of the tail feathers to confirm exits. |
9th July 2006 |
Covered the top of the center section. |
10th July 2006 |
Covered the bottom of the center section. First coat of poly brush. Still needs the tapes. |
20th July 2006 |
Finally finished all the edge tapes. Glued the control cable fairings to the fuse. Now ready to paint. |
25th July 2006 |
Bought some clear poly sheeting and made up a temp spray booth. |
26th July 2006 |
First coat of poly brush on the horizontal stab and fin. Too much! |
27th July 2006 |
Tried Poly Brush with the rudder and elevators. Much better. |
4th August 2006 |
Spent a few days spraying poly brush on the tail feathers and centre section. Still first coat. |
7th August 2006 |
Spent a few more days spraying poly brush on the tail feathers and centre section. This is the second and third coats. |
8th August 2006 |
Decided the horizontal stab looked rubbish so recovered and resprayed. Much better. Amazing how much quicker things are the second time round! |
10th August 2006 |
First coat of poly spray applied to tail feathers and center section. |
13th August 2006 |
Second coat of poly spray applied to center section and fin. |
19th August 2006 |
Finished the colour coats on the center section and tail feathers. Looks good. A few masking problems with some cheap tape and paper. Will need a little cleaning up. |
22nd August 2006 |
Cleaned out the workshop. Made up a fuse turning rig and masked up the fuse. Better quality masking paper and tape. |
26th August 2006 |
Finally finished with the paint on the fuse. A few more bleed throughs but fixable. Obviously didn’t get the correct masking tape. |
27th August 2006 |
Re-fitted under carriage and tail wheel. |
28th August 2006 |
Re-fitted all the tail feathers and bracing wires. |
29th August 2006 |
Re-fitted the center section, strut bracing wires and aileron control wires. |
30th August 2006 |
Fitted all items to firewall including engine mount. |
31st August 2006 |
Fitted engine. |
1st September 2006 |
Re-fitted inlet manifold, exhaust manifold, starter motor etc. |
2nd September 2006 |
Reconnected all fuel lines, electrics and welded oil/air seperator lines. |
4th September 2006 |
Made up a carb heat box attached to the exhaust manifold. Fitted hose to the oil/air seperator. |
6th September 2006 |
Fitted SCAT tube for carb heat and carb to gasloator hose. Started cutting the cockpit covering from aluminium. |
8th September 2006 |
Re-fitted prop. Finished cutting the aluminium for the cockpit cowling. Needs finishing and fitting. |
10th September 2006 |
Fitted the aluminium cockpit cowling. Needs some trimming and painting. Will leave until weight and balance is done. I may need to shift the wing. |
11th September 2006 |
Moved one wing to the work bench. Cleaned it all up and tightened the turnbuckles so that the wing is square. |
12th September 2006 |
Lock wired all the turn buckles. Applied the first coat of poly brush ready to cover. |
13th Septermber 2006 |
Covered the first side of the wing. |
14th September 2006 |
Covered the second side of the wing. |
15th September 2006 |
Spent the day with Mai rib stiching. Finished the wing. |
16th September 2006 |
Heat shrunk at 350 degrees all over and applied one coat of poly brush to the bottom of the wing. Covered and poly brushed the aileron. |
17th September 2006 |
Poly brushed the top of the wing. Turned over when dry and finished all the bottom tapes. |
18th September 2006 |
Finished the tapes on the top of the wing. Wing ready for paint. |
19th September 2006 |
Finished taping the aileron. Preped the last wing for covering. |
20th September 2006 |
Covered the top of the wing. |
21st September 2006 |
Covered the bottom of the wing. |
22nd September 2006 |
Covered the starboard aileron, ready for rib stitching. |
23rd September 2006 |
Rib stitched half the wing. |
24th September 2006 |
Completed the rib stitching of the wing. |
25th September 2006 |
Finished 350 degree heat shrinking and first coat of Poly Brush. Poly brushed the tapes on the top of the wing. |
26th September 2006 |
Poly brushed the tapes on the bottom of the wing. Rib stitched and then Poly Brushed the tapes on the aileron. |
27th September 2006 |
Completed the wing. Added cable fairings and drain grommets. Both wings now ready for paint. |
28th Spetember 2006 |
Cleaned up the flying struts. Welded the washer or the rear struts. |
30th September 2006 |
Fitted the wings again so as to check the flying struts. All worked out well. |
1st October 2006 |
Finished the flying struts and took the to be powder coated. Took the seat cushions for covering. |
2nd October 2006 |
Cut and shaped the lexan for the windscreens. |
3rd October 2006 |
Fitted the windscreens and the cowling mounting brackets. Painted the cockpit covers. |
4th October 2006 |
Fitted the painted cockpit covers and installed the screens and seats. Poly-brushed one side of the ailerons. |
7th October 2006 |
Took the fuse to the airport. Nice to have it in the right place! Poly Brushed and poly sprayed the ailerons. |
8th October 2006 |
Poly brush and one coat of poly spray on one side of one wing. |
9th October 2006 |
Poly brush and one coat of poly spray on the other side of one wing. First coat of colour on one side. |
10th October 2006 |
Fitted aileron and finished the other side of the wing with colour. |
11th October 2006 |
Poly brush and one coat of poly spray on one side of the last wing. |
12th October 2006 |
Poly brush and one coat of poly spray on the other side of the last wing. |
13th October 2006 |
Fitted aileron and added the second coat of Poly Spray and two coats of Poly Tone. |
14th October 2006 |
Turned over wing and added one coat poly spray and two poly tone. |
15th October 2006 |
Masked up one wing and added the colour highlight. One wing now complete. |
16th October 2006 |
Masked up the second wing and added the colour highlight. Both wings now complete. |
17th October 2006 |
Took both wings out to the airport. |
18th October 2006 |
Fitted both wings, struts and bracing wires. Connected ailerons. All working OK. |
19th October 2006 |
Made up a tow hook for the hangar. |
20th October 2006 |
Took the cowl mould to the workshop for checking. Still needs a little work. |
21st October 2006 |
At the hangar, fiddling……. |
22nd October 2006 |
Finished the cowl mould. Carried out a radio check. Looks like a little feedback though the PTT cable. |
26th – 29th October 2006 |
Wings Over Wagga Fly in. |
3rd November 2006 |
Spent a few days fiddling in the hangar again. Picked up the cowl bowl and measured up (again) for the cowling ally. |
13th Novermber 2006 |
Spent a few days remaking the cowling bowl and fitting the cowl. All it needs now is a coat of paint. I have also fitted the wing join covers although they need a coat of paint as well. |
14th November 2006 |
Picked up Darrens prop so as to do some engine tests and slow taxi testing. Mine is being balanced. |
15th November 2006 |
Fitted the temporary prop and ran the engine again. Felt good but the throttle is a bit spongy when pulled to idle. |
17th November 2006 |
Finished the cowling air intake and front cooling vents. |
18th November 2006 |
Fitted the new prop. Much better. Realy looks the part. I will remove the cowling tomorrow for painting. |
19th November 2006 |
Removed and painted the cowling. |
21st November 2006 |
One more coat to the cowling. |
22nd November 2006 |
Carried out the first weight and balance. Came out tail heavy so will need to move the wing back. |
23rd – 26th November 2006 |
Moved the wing back three inches. Mean new holes for the bracing wires, aileron control cable etc, etc, etc……. Change one thing: change a bundle.. |
27th November 2006 |
Weight and balance carried out again. This time OK. |
28th – 29th November 2006 |
Getting ready for the C of A. Had to make up some baffling for the engine. |
30th November 2006 |
I do belive its finished!!!!!!! |
2nd December 2006 |
Had the Certificate of Airworthiness issued today. So now we can go and fly!!!! |
12th December 2006 |
Spent some days taxi-ing and getting the feel of the plane. Still with my old prop. Had some temp issues and increased the baffling around the engine. Feels good….. |
17th December 2006 |
First Flight…………. |