Start of center fuselage

Today we started work on the centre fuselage. The first step was cutting some spacers (sounds easy but takes time) and modifying some of the floor ribs to ensure that the controls have sufficient space. After that we did some prep for platenuts and some other general prep work (drilling out for electrical wires, etc). Finally we clecoed the entire assembly together and installed the bottom skin.

The parts laid out prior to starting work for the day.

Darren working on manufacturing one of the spacers. 

The ribs Scott was working on modifying.

Some more of the ribs Scott was working on.

The ribs modified as required, and ready to be cleco'd together.

The spacers Darren was working on.

Scott working on some assembly.

The centre fuselage cleco'd together, and flipped over so the bottom skin could be cleco'd into place.

Aft fuselage riveting finished

Today we finished riveting the aft fuselage. We can't do any further riveting on the aft fuselage until the longerons are installed and the rest of the fuselage is essentially done. This is starting to get big.

Sweltering Heat, And A Little More Work On The Fuselage

It got up into the thirties (Celsius), and the workshop currently has no cooling.  After an hour of replacing a couple of rivets we were not happy with, and adding a few new rivets, we had had enough for the night. 

Some progress was made.

Fuselage Assembly

We finally managed to start on some actual assembly on the fuselage. 

The first skin riveted onto the fuselage.

Starting from the bottom up.

Now we flipped it over, and noticed we didn't cut off quite enough of the plastic.

Ready for some more riveting.

It is a lot easier to rivet these pieces when the fuselage is flipped upside down.

Beginning aft fuselage assembly

We started working on assembling the aft fuselage.  The first step, and actually most difficult, was to get the very think (but small) piece of fuselage skin to bend and conform to the rear bulkhead.  After we got that done we began assembling the skins and bulkheads.  The bulkheads were assembled way back in the old workshop last year so this went fairly quickly.  The only item we had to do was ensure that the bulkhead flanges were bent to conform to the skin.  Next we cut and shaped the j-stringers to fit in the fuselage.  After that it was a matter of making sure that everything was straight and then match drilling all of the rivet holes.

March 12th

The longerons.

March 26th

The basic structure.

The rear bulkead.

With the side skins attached.

April 2nd

More work on the rear bulkhead.

Darren match drilling.

Match drilled, and ready for priming.

Fuel tanks are finished

Sorry for the lack of updates but we spent a few days sealing the last fuel tank.  There really aren't any good pictures as proseal is sticky and we didn't wnat to get it on the camera.  The good news is that the tanks are sealed and curing awaiting a pressure test.  I won't be sad to see the end of the proseal.

The completed second tank.

Multiple updates - vert stab, elevators, rudder and fuel tanks

Sorry for the lack of updates.  We've actually been working but I just haven't taken the time to update the site recently.

 After the inspection we worked on wrapping up any of the things that the inspector noted.  First up was re-doing the rolled leading edge on the rudder.  It was a fairly simple job.  What it did point out was the increased level of confidence in our abilities.

After that we moved onto working on the ailerons.  We did most of the work but we simply aren't happy with the results.  The skins is a little too wavy and that can induce drag and lower our speed.  We've decided to redo them now that we have more experience with metal.  It will equate to about 7 hours of work but it'll be worth it.

We then closed up the vertical stabilizer.  It's now completely finished and ready for installation on the fuselage (once that it ready).  

After that we got to work finishing up the trim tab (it's a part on one of the elevators that is kind of like cruise control in a car) and then the right and left elevators.

Finally we continued working on the fuel tanks and have sealed one of the tanks.  We need to let the sealant cure before we pressure test it.

What's left?  We have to rivet the trailing edges on the rudder and both flaps and seal the last fuel tank.

February 16th

The rudder's inspection sticker.

Scott squeezing a few rivets.

Darren Squeezing a few rivets.

A finished piece!

February 19th

Darren squeezing some rivets on the trim tab.

February 21st

Scott working on our ultimately unsuccessful attempt to fix up the ailerons to our satisfaction.

February 26th

The elevator prior to attaching the trim tab.

Scott working on attaching the trim tab.

Darring sqeezing some rivets.

Scott showing off the installed trim tab.

A finished piece! 

March 5th

A shot of the tack prior to riveting.

After riveting.

Inside.

 From the side.

Finished elevator (non trim tab side).