| Fuselage: August 18, 2007 - Present |
8/14/07 It's here!!!!! Going to begin inventorying tomorrow.
8/18/07 Completed the firewall this weekend. Stainless steel is a pain in the butt to drill!
8/25/07 Complete the center section bulk head today. Also did the initial fit up and installation of the control stick
system.
10/16/07 I really haven't had much time to update everything lately, as you can see from the gap in log entries. Since
my last log entry, I have completed all of the bulkhead prep and have began the initial construction phase of
the aft fuselage section. The aft section has been fitted, leveled and is now ready to begin drilling the
stiffeners to the lower skins. Thanks to Greg Vouga, the longerons are correctly bent and ready for
installation. Greg and I spent an afternoon bending the longerons in his hanger. Greg's 7A is nearing the
final building stages with the engine and baffles in place, and instruments nearly installed. Below are photos
of the aft fuselage section resting upside down and level in preparation for match drilling the side stiffeners.
12/25/07 Sorry for the long delay updating my site! Haven't had much time to work on the plane until recently. But...
since I have gotten back to work on it, with some help from my son Brandon, I was able to rivet the bottom
skin on the center section and do the initial installation of the front and middle sections of the fuselage.
The longerons matched the curvature of the air frame perfectly! Didn't need to adjust them at all to make
them line up with the pre-punched holes on the side skins. The longerons have both been match drilled
and I am now ready for the initial installation the firewall and forward bottom skin. Both stabilizers are just
resting in position for show : )
12/29/07 Firewall and bottom skin installation went like a charm. Didn't need any trimming of the longerons at all. I am
now preparing the lower longerons for installation They both require a lot of twisting and notching in order
to fit properly.
1/6/08 Did the initial installation of the forward fuselage this weekend. Fitted the rudder and brake pedals along with
some optional adjustment holes in case someone needs to adjust the length of the pedals in the future.
Installed all the floor stiffeners and bottom skin. It's almost ready to take apart and prep for riveting.
1/20/08 Well... I hated to do it, but I took it all apart and began the tedious task of cleaning up all the parts, deburring
them and making all the final preparations prior to riveting them together for the last time. Took out the
longerons, deburred them and did the required countersinking. Lots more to do....
3/10/08 Sorry for the long delay updating the site! Over the past month or so I have nearly completed riveting on the
side skins and installed a hoist in the shop enabeling me to raise and lower the fuselage to a good working
height, also making it easy to spin the fuselage on it's center axis allowing me easy access to the inside of
the fuselage without crawling around inside of it! Riveted on the aft deck so the fuselage is completely rigid
now with no flex at all. I am nearly at the "quick build" stage... after 2 years, and looking forward to the next 2
years or so before completion... at least that's the plan... : )
7/20/08 Well... in the beginning it was fun updating the website. Maybe because every time I made some progress it
was noticeable! As most of the airframe is completed, at the progress is barely noticeable at all. I have spent
the weekends over the last 4 months running conduit through the back of the airframe, preparing all of the
baggage compartment panels for final installation, both front and rear floorboards are ready for final
installation and I just completed both seat backs this afternoon. I have been holding off riveting the
floorboards and baggage compartment floors on permanently until I get all of my wiring run through the tail
section. There are a few components that I will need wiring access back there. I am going to install a rear
strobe light in the bottom of the rudder, I have already installed an electric trim tab servo that will need wiring
run to it, I am planning to install the ELT behind the baggage compartment and an auto pilot servo that will
need to be mounted in the tail as well. The photo on the left below is of the nearly completed passenger and
baggage compartments. The photo on the right is how I have the airframe supported by an electric hoist in
the ceiling making it EASY to work on the floors and side panels without having to even bend over. What a
time and BACK saver! Well.... that's all for now. I will be leaving for OSHKOSH next week and staying there
for a week. Hope to see you there!
9/7/08 Oshkosh was GREAT! What a motivator to get this bird in the air! Well, the last few weekends have been
extremely productive. The wings are on for the 1st time, I have run all of my fuel lines and vent lines, installed
the rudder pedals with the master cylinders for the dual brake system, attached the empennage
PERMANENTLY, installed the elevators and rudders so all of the control surfaces are now functioning properly
from inside the cabin. It looks like I am running out of things to do before my finish kit comes so I will probably
begin the nasty job of finishing the control surface tips with fibreglass. I will also be installing the wing tip
landing lights and nav lights as well as running the required wiring. I really need to get my panel laid out so I
can begin working on the front top skins preparing for the tip up canopy installation.
8/18/07 Completed the firewall this weekend. Stainless steel is a pain in the butt to drill!
8/25/07 Complete the center section bulk head today. Also did the initial fit up and installation of the control stick
system.
10/16/07 I really haven't had much time to update everything lately, as you can see from the gap in log entries. Since
my last log entry, I have completed all of the bulkhead prep and have began the initial construction phase of
the aft fuselage section. The aft section has been fitted, leveled and is now ready to begin drilling the
stiffeners to the lower skins. Thanks to Greg Vouga, the longerons are correctly bent and ready for
installation. Greg and I spent an afternoon bending the longerons in his hanger. Greg's 7A is nearing the
final building stages with the engine and baffles in place, and instruments nearly installed. Below are photos
of the aft fuselage section resting upside down and level in preparation for match drilling the side stiffeners.
12/25/07 Sorry for the long delay updating my site! Haven't had much time to work on the plane until recently. But...
since I have gotten back to work on it, with some help from my son Brandon, I was able to rivet the bottom
skin on the center section and do the initial installation of the front and middle sections of the fuselage.
The longerons matched the curvature of the air frame perfectly! Didn't need to adjust them at all to make
them line up with the pre-punched holes on the side skins. The longerons have both been match drilled
and I am now ready for the initial installation the firewall and forward bottom skin. Both stabilizers are just
resting in position for show : )
12/29/07 Firewall and bottom skin installation went like a charm. Didn't need any trimming of the longerons at all. I am
now preparing the lower longerons for installation They both require a lot of twisting and notching in order
to fit properly.
1/6/08 Did the initial installation of the forward fuselage this weekend. Fitted the rudder and brake pedals along with
some optional adjustment holes in case someone needs to adjust the length of the pedals in the future.
Installed all the floor stiffeners and bottom skin. It's almost ready to take apart and prep for riveting.
1/20/08 Well... I hated to do it, but I took it all apart and began the tedious task of cleaning up all the parts, deburring
them and making all the final preparations prior to riveting them together for the last time. Took out the
longerons, deburred them and did the required countersinking. Lots more to do....
3/10/08 Sorry for the long delay updating the site! Over the past month or so I have nearly completed riveting on the
side skins and installed a hoist in the shop enabeling me to raise and lower the fuselage to a good working
height, also making it easy to spin the fuselage on it's center axis allowing me easy access to the inside of
the fuselage without crawling around inside of it! Riveted on the aft deck so the fuselage is completely rigid
now with no flex at all. I am nearly at the "quick build" stage... after 2 years, and looking forward to the next 2
years or so before completion... at least that's the plan... : )
7/20/08 Well... in the beginning it was fun updating the website. Maybe because every time I made some progress it
was noticeable! As most of the airframe is completed, at the progress is barely noticeable at all. I have spent
the weekends over the last 4 months running conduit through the back of the airframe, preparing all of the
baggage compartment panels for final installation, both front and rear floorboards are ready for final
installation and I just completed both seat backs this afternoon. I have been holding off riveting the
floorboards and baggage compartment floors on permanently until I get all of my wiring run through the tail
section. There are a few components that I will need wiring access back there. I am going to install a rear
strobe light in the bottom of the rudder, I have already installed an electric trim tab servo that will need wiring
run to it, I am planning to install the ELT behind the baggage compartment and an auto pilot servo that will
need to be mounted in the tail as well. The photo on the left below is of the nearly completed passenger and
baggage compartments. The photo on the right is how I have the airframe supported by an electric hoist in
the ceiling making it EASY to work on the floors and side panels without having to even bend over. What a
time and BACK saver! Well.... that's all for now. I will be leaving for OSHKOSH next week and staying there
for a week. Hope to see you there!
9/7/08 Oshkosh was GREAT! What a motivator to get this bird in the air! Well, the last few weekends have been
extremely productive. The wings are on for the 1st time, I have run all of my fuel lines and vent lines, installed
the rudder pedals with the master cylinders for the dual brake system, attached the empennage
PERMANENTLY, installed the elevators and rudders so all of the control surfaces are now functioning properly
from inside the cabin. It looks like I am running out of things to do before my finish kit comes so I will probably
begin the nasty job of finishing the control surface tips with fibreglass. I will also be installing the wing tip
landing lights and nav lights as well as running the required wiring. I really need to get my panel laid out so I
can begin working on the front top skins preparing for the tip up canopy installation.
My daughter
Kristin can't wait
to get this bird
in the air either!
She was only 1
year old when I
began this
project! Now
she's 4!
Kristin can't wait
to get this bird
in the air either!
She was only 1
year old when I
began this
project! Now
she's 4!