A much easier process after learning the proper steps. The right weldment went in with only a couple hours of work. The only thing left here is some torque seal. With the right weldment came the final bolt for the right and the left–the one hidden by the flange on the forward rib/bulkhead seen center-bottom […]
Well, running out of things to do (there’s still plenty…) and thought I’d give the landing gear bracket a look. Pulled out the pieces at 7:00 am and one thing led to another… Next thing I know I’m knee deep in landing gear. First things first, getting the leg into the bracket for a test […]
Time for flaps. This step required fabrication a few little bits. Once the brackets were produced, things moved along fairly quickly. First was installing the flap weldment. This involved three bearing blocks, two which had already been predrilled to the 705 bulkhead, and the middle one that required holes and a cut down the middle. […]
Seats! Need somewhere to sit in this thing. I’ve been looking forward to seats for a while. They’d make visualizing flying this airplane that much easier. They’re a big step and look like a major accomplishment. I started with the four side supports. I rough, then final cut the .125″ angle stock, radiused one end […]
Continuing on, I “dry fit” the forward seat floors, checking that all the screws fit. They fit snug, with no adjustment necessary. All that’s really left for these pieces is to pull them, prep and prime, and add about 4 nutplates and then they’re ready. While they’re in I started on the center tunnel cover, […]
Seat floors were fabricated, including the seat back mounts (three hinge pieces riveted to bottom of seat). Fairly uneventful, and came out looking great. I also test fit the finished flap covers, which settle in place nicely. (One mounting hole required a small amount of filing. While adding the seat bottoms, I thought it would […]
Notice how I avoided calling these the “forward baggage walls,” which is more accurate, just to not have to go back and revisit calling the baggage area completed? Things have slowed a bit, but I did get these fit. Despite the instructions noting that these were difficult to fit, these were not difficult to fit. […]
Finish is such a strong word. I don’t feel like anything here is ever “finished,” always with things I have to come back and revisit. But much of the baggage pieces are installed. This is a bit of a “where’s the rest of the fucking owl,” (talk about a random reference–you’re going to need to […]