Category Archives: Air Conditioning

Firewall forward finishing

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There is a lot of little projects yet to be completed on the firewall forward section, so I set about tackling them. First off was safety wiring the prop bolts. I thought torquing them were hard. Well safety wiring them is even worse. Because of the limited space, you actually have to loosen them a bit, thread the wire through the hole, then re-torque them. Ugh. Anyway, it’s not pretty but it’s done. I’m convinced this flange design negates the need to safety wire since they’d all have to unscrew in perfect unison for the damn thing to fall off anyway.

Here is a picture of the custom wrenches I had made up using Joe Key’s templates.

Since I was at the front end, I went ahead and finished up the spinner installation. The back plate takes some time to bolt on as well with 1300 bolts used to hold it to the prop hub. The spinner has three plates behind the blades to fill the gaps and it took a bit of dry fitting to figure out where each one goes. WW had labeled them by number and I was wrongly lining them up with blade numbers not just the reference number on the spinner and back plate. The front of the prop hub fits into a bulkhead in the spinner and it took a few iterations of Teflon tape and sanding to get a nice snug fit with no wobble of the spinner.

The air filters were the last step for the intakes and I had been waiting on a different filter with a tilted base, allowing clearance of the tube to the filter assembly itself. This was required because of the blister I had to glass in for the air conditioning compressor. Fortunately a 10* tilt made just enough clearance and it all fit together nicely. I oiled the filters and got them put on for good or at least until the first annual.

The right intake tube is close to the exhaust, so I used some heat shielding that has an adhesive back to protect the tube. I went back and covered this with 3M foil tape and then applied RTV around the edges to secure it. I’ll monitor this during ground runs to ensure enough protection from the exhaust header.

Since I had RTV all over me anyway, I took the opportunity to finish seal up a few spots around the engine and firewall. I have spent a TON of time trying to find any little spot air could leak out of the baffles that it shouldn’t be leaking. Since the hangar is dark with the lights off, I again used a flashlight on top of the engine to highlight any little spots. It worked great and I’m hoping it pays off with adequate cooling once flying. It’s impossible to be super clean and fancy with this stuff, but I kept most of the mess on me instead of on the engine.

So many of my electrical connections are oddly shaped so getting a boot to fit hasn’t been easy or even possible. I used a 3M product to paint electrical tape onto the hot studs just to keep a surprise shock chance low. Not quite as good as boots, but better than nothing.

Lots of zipties up front still being added as I just see spots here or there that could use some extra security. I may add wire wrap that is rated for high heat to clean it up, but not sure if I care or want to spend the time on that quite yet.

Multi-tasking is key at this point so I setup the vacuum pump on the aircon system while RTV was setting up. All of the lines and connections are secured so I could finally vacuum the system to perform a leak test and evacuate moisture from the system. The ports are just behind the baggage bulkhead and pretty easy to get to. I set up the pump and let it run for about an hour and a half to get moisture out then closed the pump off and let the gauges sit all night long. The next day I returned to see a perfect vacuum still holding, so that is a huge win!

The last two projects up front were some additional glass work on the plenum and a ramp for the aircon compressor. The plenum was designed to be sealed to the cowl around the oil dipstick, but I didn’t like the idea of air potentially leaking out of the plenum through the oil door or into the engine area. I cut up a sports drink bottle as a mold and roughed up a little funnel to fit over the dipstick. The dipstick will have some foam tape sealing the bottom of the funnel. It didn’t come out as pretty as I wanted, but it’s functional and I can always clean that up a little down the road.

The air ramp was a little easier than I expected. On the left side intake, the aircon compressor causes the cooling ramp and induction intake to need a cutout and I wanted to create a little blister to help direct all the air possible into the cooling and intake ducts. I shaped a foam block and used packing tape to secure it to the cowl. I used some carbon fiber to lay up a rough fairing then cleaned up the edges after it set up. This is attached via two screws and should provide a nice air flow deflection that is simple to use. I plan to create a final piece of bulb seal to fully seal the cowl to the engine portion helping minimize air pressure loss while providing flexibility for engine movement.

Back to my roots

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The wings are initially fitted to get the wing root covers installed and hook up fuel lines, vent lines, while getting the flight controls initially rigged.  The wing root cover brackets went on quickly and I fabricated the two fuel vent lines that exit the bottom of the wing root cover.

You also drill the bolt hole in the rear spar and work out a few other fasteners.  I installed the flight controls and worked out the stick to the plans while adjusting the rigging and pushrods.  It wasn’t too bad of a process with a little patience and double thinking before adjusting a rod end the wrong way!  In an afternoon, I had all the controls lined up nicely with the wingtips and fuselage just as described in the plans.

I also finished up the fluid lines up front.  TS Flightlines really came through again on an awesome product.  I had one line that didn’t quite fit to standards and the return lines for the fuel tanks from the tunnel had the wrong fitting (my fault) on them, so those went back for modification.  If you don’t know, TS will rebuild the lines for free until they are correct.  You get what you pay for and I’m glad I spent the money knowing I’ll have lifetime quality hoses.

On a side note, my engraved parts came back looking fan freaking tastic.  The door handles are an extra set that I had and will go on after paint.  The data plate turned out perfect, as did the fuel caps..

Speaking of fuel, a while back I misdrilled the holes in the tunnel on the right side for the fuel line.  I decided at that time to just use a 90* elbow but that made torquing and replacing the incorrect fuel line difficult to say the least.  So I broke down and ordered 90* bulkhead fittings to do it correctly.  I had to dig into the tunnel to put the proper spacers (covering up the now too large hole) and secure the lines from the fitting to the fuel valve.  Boy am I glad I did this, because while looking around since I was in there, I discovered a cross threaded line on the fuel valve that would have made a mess come testing time.  I was able to clean the threads on the fitting and got it on correctly.  I took my time to reinspect all other fittings and lines.

With the airworthiness inspection scheduled for early November, I am shifting into inspection mode so try to check everything I can while working in an area.  It just so happens that the 137 articles Vic Syracuse has written for KitPlanes all mention loose jam nuts!  I want to break that chain but came close to being a statistic in your next bathroom reading material.  The left aileron jam nut had just enough space that it caught my eye while working the fuel lines.  Ha!  Not today, Vic, not today!

Another little side job that had been lingering was wrapping the aircon line with insulated tape to ensure the thermostat coil was in good contact with the line.  I had ordered this sticky tape months ago and finally crawled into the baggage area to finish that up.

Finally, Laura came over to help me pull the wings off so we could prep and install the wing root brackets and finish up the few tasks before permanent install.  This coming weekend will be critical for staying on track towards inspection, as I need to get the entire tail surface wrapped up and the fairings done.  Fingers crossed!

I give you wings, Red Bull gives you diabetes

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Before the wings go on, I finished up a few odd jobs since the parts came in from various suppliers.  I ordered enough hose to route from the air oil separator to the cowl exit and secured it in place.

I also finished securing the air con hoses from the firewall to the compressor.  I made a bracket to hold hose clamps on the bottom of the valve cover and it keeps the hoses from flopping around the side of the engine.

I also did something on the right side of the engine.  I don’t know what I did, but I took this picture which meant I did something over there.  I know I secured a few wires, added a ground from the engine to the mount (which I may have mentioned before, I don’t know), or maybe I just felt it looked pretty.  Either way, here’s the right side of the engine and the mass of wires; enjoy.

Tapping into my network of gulible aviators, I ropped two guys into helping me install the wings for the initial fit.  I must admit, I typically don’t read ahead more than a few steps in the plans so I was pretty dissapointed to find out the wings go on then have to come back off before getting bolted on for good.  It figures, though, you wind up doing everything twice on this airplane so why would the wings be any different?  We got a few sawhorses and a plan together and according to the time lapse video shown below, we installed the wings in about 27 seconds!

Really, they went on a lot easier and smoother than I expected.  I ordered new nuts for the wing attach bolts but will reuse the original bolts used during construction of the fuselage.  I did get the suggested hardware store bolts to align the wings initially and they worked very well.  I also felt better seeing the good fit between spar components, as I had a scary moment a few years ago when I realized my spacers weren’t the proper combination even though the dimensions worked out in the end.  Either way, everything fit snug and as it should, so all is good.  Great job Steve, smile for the camera.  Or not.

It’s pretty bad ass to see wings on the plane after 6 years of telling everyone you’re building a plane but it actually looks like an enclosed canoe.  So I decided to have a bit of fun and hook up the ZipTip lights.  Combined with the gull door lights, it looks like a space ship!

The evening was getting late, but the big triangle box was too tempting for me so I pressed on with hanging the prop.  Following the manual, I inspected and oiled the critical o-ring on the hub and ensured no damage as it slid on the prop flange.  Again the engine hoist came in handy as I secured the prop to the hoist and used it to lift in place without asking for a third back surgery.

The bolts for the propeller are rediculously stupid and hard to get to.  Once I got each one threaded, a challenge in itself, they can each be turned about one revolution at a time before all the others have to be tightened in sequence.  There just isn’t much room and you want the prop to go on evenly.  An hour later, I had the bolts hand tight and the prop was on.

I realized quickly by my goose bumps and those on the propeller blades that it was chilly, so I went and got some socks for her.  David makes these as a business (search BladeSox on Facebook) and they are just the bee’s knees.  I don’t care if they make me a super dork.  I had him do the tail number, Van’s new logo, and the best – our RV10 logo created by Sam at Plane Schemers.

It’s really starting to look like a plane now!

Wipe the cowl off your face, we’re moving!

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Thanks to a great guy on base that has a side business of welding, I had my AFR (O2) sensor bung welded on the exhaust per Ross’s recommendation on location.  I chose the #6 cylinder, but he said it doesn’t really matter.  I chose that one since it fit well there.  The sensor has a controller that I attached to the engine mount just above the battery box.

I never have been able to wrap my head around the nose gear fairing made by Show Planes until I physically put it all together.  The idea is to not only support the lower cowl around the exhaust openings (and air exit) but also smooth the exiting air flow around a turbulent area.  I started by attaching the front and rear fairing together and then positioning it roughly on the lower cowl.

The rear piece has a few lips that fit over the bottom skin to help locate it correctly, so I did an initial fit before starting to trim the nose gear slot.  Bryan shows a very tight opening for the gear leg, but I’m not sure how much it actually moves, especially on a grass or dirt strip, so I’ll leave a bit more room.

Once initially trimmed, I drilled into the bottom fuse and used nut inserts vs. sheet metal screws.  I figured it’d give a better grip long term and less chance of stripping holes.  Once the fairing is on, it reminds me of a duck billed platypus.  Ha!

I chose to use more SkyBolts to secure the fairings to the cowl.  I am also following Joe Keys’s lead on making a cover plate to cover an extended nose gear leg slot.  This will allow the cowl to fit a bit better going on and coming off since I have the dreaded three blade propeller.

I finished up by extending the cowl slot as far as possible while still covered by the fairing and epoxied the front fairing onto the bottom of the lower cowl.  Getting the lower cowl on and off is a bit of a challenge, but it does just fit and the blade sox I have really pay off here to avoid nasty scratches on the prop blades.  

Since the cowling was the last big project left to complete at home, the fuselage is ready to join the wings at the airport!  I was able to complete all of the interior, electrical, avionics, and engine including cowling at home which saved a lot of time and money in the long run.  Now I need to fit the wings and tail surfaces to finish up the build and need the hangar space to do so.

On a sunny afternoon, we rolled the fuselage out and did a good blow job (hahahaha, grow up) to get most of the dust off of everything.  I found a roll back wrecker driver that made me feel comfortable and who wasn’t in a hurry to move it the few miles to the airport.  He did a fantastic job, talking through each step and making sure I was happy with how we winched it and tied it down.  He took his time on the curvy bumpy back roads after managing down our driveway of doom and destruction with ease.  I think I breathed twice during the 45 minutes it took to move it and I only panicked once when I thought tree limbs were going to scratch the windscreen but were actually three feet clear.

We rolled it off the wrecker onto the ramp and quickly had it tucked away in her forever home at IPJ.  Laura helped me roll the wings still in the wing rack down from the other end of the field (a 20 minute walk with those puppies).  Two guys who I know flying the Diamond were kind enough to let me store the wings for almost a year in their hangar free of charge.  Truly great people makes things like this happen, can’t say enough.

About five trips later, we had all of the tools, parts, pieces, dust, and components all in the hangar.  For the first time, everything is together in one space that will be a flying airplane very shortly!

Insert witty title here – baffles, oil door, random stuff

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The baffles are all trimmed up and ready for a coat of high temp engine paint.  Looking back, I wish I had them powdercoated, but too late now.  They’ll get scratched up and at least this way I can touch them up, similiar to my mentality for the interior.  The front ramp area was trimmed significantly for the air conditioning compressor and turned out pretty nice.  I removed the front fence on both sides, as others say there is no point in them.  I can always add a bit of tape later to warm CHTs up if needed.

The rods that hold the bottom of the baffles together were a bit of work, as you have to put some bends in the rods and then thread them.  I’m using these as mounts for the sensor wires as well as a few other wires including the starter wire and alternator b lead wire.  It really cleans up the wiring nicely and keeps everything tucked away.

With each connection at the engine, I get to verify functionality by turning on the avionics and looking for realistic numbers.  For instance, I now have 14 different temp sensors all telling me the garage is in the low 70’s!

I fabricated up a bracket to mount the throttle cable to for the throttle body.  It routes under the bottom of the engine and since it’s not exactly a stock setup, there is not stock cable mount.  It was a pretty simple fix with some angle channel and a few bolts.  I am thankful I ordered a lot of various 1/4-20 bolts for the engine case since they are not standard AN bolt threads.  The throttle cable is now attached and rigged with good travel on the throttle body and throttle lever, so I’m 50% complete with engine control cables.

The prop lever didn’t work out so quickly or successfully.  After I mounted the Show Planes bracket and hooked up the cable, I began to wonder why the governor is sprung to low rpm/high pitch.  Yeah, oops, no, that’s not right.  The governor can be configured a few different ways including rotational actuation and mine is backwards.  I called Whirl Wind and as always, they took great care of me.  I sent the governor into them and they shipped it back corrected the same day they received it.  Now it is sprung to high rpm/low pitch as it should be with proper activation with the cable.

In an effort to reduce the crap on my workbench, I decided to wire the spark plugs and coils to get rid of two big bags taking up room.  I ended up re-configuring the mount for the coil connections on the top case mounted coil and it made running the signal wires cleaner and easier.  The plug wires themselves were pretty easy and quick to run now that I have the MSD crimp tool.  The biggest challenge was deciding how to route and secure the wires.  I’m pretty happy with some Amazon plug wire organizers and a few adel clamps.

Since everything inside the baffle area and the baffles now on for good (thank goodnes, they are a pain to get on and off a bunch), I could test fit the plenum, ducts, and cowling for the first time.  Boom, it all fits!!!  The plenum is just clear and will allow a bit of shake room for the engine within the cowl.  The intakes and cooling ducts clear the inlets by about 3/8″ and I test fitted the bulb seal which I think will work nicely.  Everything lines up nicely and I think it’s going to work out to a clean and effective installation.

I will need to check the oil from time to time (it’s a joke folks) so the oil door needs to be fabricated.  I have the hidden hinge from Cleveland Tool and planned on using Cessna push button releases for the fasteners but decided against them once I got them in hand.  I just don’t like how they work or look.  I want it convenient to pop that door open and thus will sacrifice looks a bit for functionality.  I ended up ordering the winged Skybolts.  The releif area was cut out using the cutting wheel and I realized that I didn’t leave enough of a flange to mount those Skybolts.  I test fitted the top cowl with the plenum on and ensured there was plenty of clearance for access to the dipstick and then fiberglassed on more of the flange to correct the issue.

The door itself is a perfect mold and only required a bit of sanding.  The stiffner was epoxied on with West epoxy and a bit of flox to add rigidity.  Once it cured, man it is super stiff!  I let it cure on the cowl with clecos to get good form.  Installing the hinge was pretty simple, just a bit of adjustment to get the hinge point located properly and the spring will allow the door to stay open easing access to the dipstick.  I’ll lay up a funnel shape to enclose the dipstick tube and seal the opening in the plenum in a bit.

Finally, I knocked out a nagging job with the air conditioner.  The condensate drain wasn’t routed to the exterior since I redid the ducts in the tail so I had to come up with a way to allow that water to drain out.  I experimented with a fuel tank bung that I had surplus and a short piece of tubing.  It equaled a great fitting vinyl tube with aluminum tube insert threaded into the bung and riveted to the bottom tail skin.  I put an angle cut on it to help create a low pressure on the tub which will help suck the fluid into the airstream.  Elegant solution, if you ask me.  I know, I’m incredible aren’t I?  So humble too.

I really foamed that up

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Now the cowling is fit, some tricky bits come up on the to-do list including the engine intake ducts and cooling ducts.  All of these are complicated by my air conditioning and plenum choices.  If I get it right, it’ll be magic and a work of art.  I probably won’t get it right the first time, as some of you may have guessed.  I started with getting the engine intakes started.  These start at the cowling openings and form the bottom 1/4 of the opening.  they curve inward and join a Y that holds two K&N air filters before hitting the throttle body.  The ducts are well molded and nice light but strong fiberglass.  The problem is they don’t fit very well with the exhaust and other accessories on the engine.  The Show Planes instructions leave a lot to be desired, but once you piece the components together, it starts to make sense.

I first had to cut a relieve for the alternator.  Not sure if it’s just the Plane Power or if all alternators will require this, but mine was about a 1/2″ too low impacting the right duct.  Next, I had to trim quite a bit for the exhaust coming from #2 cylinder.  I tried to get a good 1/2″ to 3/4″ clearance and will using some heat shielding to protect it from the close proximity.  

On the left side, the air conditioning compressor dictates a much larger modification.  Gaylon wound up elimintating this duct all together but I want to at least try to keep it.  The problem is the compressor blocks some of the cowling opening and thus reduces not only intake air flow but cooling air flow.  I’m hoping since I have a plenum and will have the cooling intake completely sealed, that the minimum reduction won’t interfere with adequate cooling.  Time and testing will tell.  I also want to keep the left side induction to maximize manifold pressure thus power and performance of the engine as well as keep the redundant induction air supply (think alternate air on the stock setup).  

I had to notch out a few spots to create clearance around the compressor and mounting bracket.  Once I had the areas trimmed away and fit properly, I laid up fiberglass by hand to enclose the reliefs.  I debated on creating a mold or plug type thing but determined it’d be next to impossible for me since I’m not good at it anyway.  Plus I tried one of them and was pretty happy with the results, so why make it more complicated?  I did two layers of glass then a third on the inside.  I honestly don’t know what weight it was, but it’s very thin thus the three layers added up to about the same thickness as Show Planes had with the same rigidity.

A bit of sanding and trimming, and everything with the ducts were finished up.  I painted them black just to hide them inside the cowling a bit and because I wanted to.  The last two sensors to install for the engine are intake temperature sensors that I had mocked up and ran wire to but not yet permenantly installed.  I bolted those on and sealed them with RTV to avoid air pressure loss.  I also drilled the required water drain holes just below the air filters at the lowest part of the intakes.

It all sounds so simple now, but trust me, I spent many hours thinking, debating, looking, thinking some more, and finally working out the fit of the ducts and getting a solution that I am happy with.  These were just a warm up for the cooling ducts!  Show Planes have you modify the stock baffle ramps and provide upper cowling ramps to be epoxied to the cowl to help guide airflow into the engine baffles.  Since I am using the plenum, I need to keep air going from the openings to under the plenum.  I had originally invisioned carving foam and creating a mold, but once I got busy working, carving foam was going to be next to rediculously impossible.  It’d take me weeks just to do the molds.  So, I took another approach, use what I had on hand and don’t reinvent the wheel.

The upper ramps from Show Planes are the same size as the openings, so I started with those as a transition to the plenum.  Part of the kit is some thin flatstock fiberglass that I wound up using to create the cooling ducts.  I used some manilla folders to create templates and basically pieced it all together using the fiberglass and super glue.  Starting on the right side was simple, as there is no modifications needed and it’s a much simpler routing for air to enter the plenum covered area.

Again, I figured I’d use this rough build up as a mold to create a sleek curvy, sexy, duct that would look like it came from a Formula 1 team.  So I got a brilliant idea of filling it with blocks of foam and then using spray foam out of a can to fill in the gaps.  I’d then sand, trim, and shape before using it as a mold.  Well guess how that worked?  Not great, folks.  Not great.  I didn’t realize that spray foam has to be exposed to air to set up.  So me putting the duct in a plastic bag in a box resulted not in a nice firm square, but a grocery bag full of gooy sticky snot.

I then decided I’m making it difficult and should just keep it simple, stupid.  So I decided to stick with the original prototypes and just reinforce the joints and smoth as much as possible.  While I waited for the disaster to finish curing so I could clean all the foam back off, I started on the left duct.  This was much more complicated with the compressor in the way.  Not only do I need to get around the compressor, but also the tensioning arm and v-belt.  Finally, the prop governor is there too and oh, wait, I forgot, the refrigerant line from the compressor.  Again, I used manilla folders cut up as templates and just pieced it all together, maximizing the amount of space and using the upper ramp from Show Planes as the starting point.

The end result is not too shabby, even if it’s not beautiful.  I hope it’s functional.  I finished cleaning the foam and set about reinforcing all of the joints with glass tape left over from tip fairings.  Once cured, I did a final fit and trim to provide about 3/8″ clearance from the cowl openings and evened them up with the induction ducts below.  This clearance allows the engine to vibrate and twist a bit within the cowl without cracking the ducts, as you don’t want the two rigidly attached to each other.  I really debated on how to close that gap, thinking about creating flexible ducts from the start or taking what I have at this point and using a rubber strip to seal it.  In the end, I copied an idea from the DA-40 I fly and ordered some bulb seal from McMaster Carr.  I’m hoping this will keep the air from leaking around the duct but allow the engine to move within the cowling.  Again, some testing during first few flights will tell.

I may go back and cosmetically clean these ducts up before paint just to make them look good, but for now, I shot a coat of black paint on them to mask imperfections.  I still need to fabricate up a small ramp that will cover the exposed face of the compressor and help direct smooth air into the ducts.  If I find high temps on 1 3 5 clyinders during flight tests, I’ll copy Gaylon and pull the left induction intake to open that entire side to cooling.  I’ll be honest, this has really weighed on my mind how to create these ducts.  I’m sure there’s a better or fancier way of doing them, but for me, this is a good start.  If they work that’s great and if not, I at least have a good starting point.  These were the last items needed before cleaning the engine off and sealing the baffles using 3M firestop.

Put some pants on

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The last big delivery of the project arrived containing our engine in a pickled state from Aero Sport Power.  A huge thanks to the guys on base who have helped me get the deliveries and saved so much headache by avoiding home deliveries!  I loaded it on the trailer with a forklift and then got it off at home by disassembling the crate and using my engine hoist to lift it.  It worked out quite nicely and I used a few cinder blocks to rest the pallet on so I could put the hoist away.

The engine was preserved (pickled) by Aero Sport since it will be a few months before first flight.  This prevents rust and corrosion from setting in and keeps everything coated with a special rust inhibiting oil until I’m ready to fire it up.  I couldn’t help but bolt the prop governor on and start working on the aircon compressor install, as I’ve been concerned with that for some time.  We’re off to a lack luster start.  The studs for the prop governor were about 1/2″ short and had to be replaced.  My steep learning curve with threaded studs in a Lycoming equaled a four day project to remove them, but thanks to Amazon aircraft tool supply, a little heat, and a smack with a hammer (great tip Darren at Aero Sport, thanks) the studs finally backed right out.  I replaced them with longer studs which are ludicrously expensive for what they are and a week after I started, torqued the nuts on the prop governor.

The aircon compressor was another swing and miss, not surprisingly I must admit.  I knew I had an original design bracket from Flightline and wasn’t sure if everything was going to work out.  My setup moves the alternator to the port side and puts the compressor on the starboard side.  Well, the brackets don’t allow the current compressor model to line up with the flywheel grooves.  The alternator also didn’t fit at all since the Plane Power alternators have a slightly smaller case than the antient models this was designed around.  Basically, nothing worked.

Of course, I had already taken everything apart and mixed hardware which was a huge mistake.  It took me an hour to sort things out and figure out where crap went back on the engine to be in original configuration.  Another call to John and Robert Skinner to brainstorm, I decided to push the easy button and buy the newest compressor and mount from Flightline.  That cost a lot, but I just don’t have the time, resources, or skills to engineer a new bracket and have it manufactured one off.  I know his newest setup works, so I sucked it up and paid the bill.

Meanwhile, the last project to do before hanging the engine is putting some pants over the beautiful red Beringer wheels.  The wheel pants and gear leg fairings add considerable efficiency to the airframe so it’s important to get these right and rigged properly.  I’ve dreaded them and was right in doing so.  For some reason, these were just a royal pain in the ass for me.  I started by building a jig to hold the main paints.  I used a laser to get all of the level and plumb lines which sucked.  Then I cleaned the two havles up enough to joing them together which also sucked.  What really sucked was trying to get the alignment perfect and the holes drilled in the right spots.

It sucked getting up and down off the floor about 50 times an hour too.  How was aligning the pants in the jig with the airframe?  It sucked.  I dropped a centerline for the fuse and then measured from that to set the alignment.  What sucks, is the new pants from Vans are grey fiberglass gel coat so you can’t see through them.  Which is why the directions suck because they assume you can just shine a light through the pants marking the proper holes to drill.  I finally sucked it up and used a combination of careful measurements and the laser to pinpoint the locations to drill into the pants and mounting brackets.

It also sucks trying to mark the wheel area to be cut out because you essentially have to mold yourself into the concrete floor to look underneath the pant that is three inches off the ground.  I’m using SkyBolts on the wheel pants, which suck to install, but will make maintenance and access so much easier in the long run.  I had to drill out the mounting holes slowly to ensure alignment stayed true, but they came out nicely in the end.  It also sucked that I forgot my wheel pant axle stand off was an aftermarket purchase to replace the stock Vans part which – you guessed it, sucked.  The stand off was way too long (by design) but I was afraid to trim it.  Eventually, like Tess’s wheels, I put my big boy pants on and cut the damn things off to length, never looking back.

But wait, that was the easy part!  The second sucky task was to do the gear leg fairings that cover the legs and brake lines.  Hide your house cats, because you have to use about 25 yards of string through all of this.  Wrapping string around the gear leg fairings and steps, you use that to align them with the prevailing wind in flight.  I can’t even begin to describe how I did it, but it worked.  Measuring, plumb bobs, levels, digital inclimometers, string, lasers, string, and lots of painters tape and string plus some more string all sucked into one giant suck.

In the end, it was worth the work to have properly aligned and nice looking pants.  I’m often complimented on my pants, and now my airplane will be as well.  I repeated much of the process for the nose gear using the workbench and engine hoist to level the fuselage off the ground as in flight condition..  I trimmed my nose gear leg fairing a bit too much, so may add a bit more material back before paint, but it’s fine for now.  I also attached the RV Bits intersection fairings and chose to split them with the pants as others have done instead of per plans.  This does not suck and makes for a much cleaner look in my opinion.  I epoxied them in place and will finish the filler and sanding work later after initial flights to save build time now.

Phew, even writing that sucked.  Enough of that, let’s hang an engine!

Fans of all shapes and sizes

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Two jobs still linger before I can rivet the front skin on; defrost fans and bolting in the support bar.  The defrost fans were pretty simple, as I already had the wiring in place and holes cut.  I just needed to drill screw holes and mount them up.  Although a bit tough to get to, they were eventually bolted in and tested out.  I probably could have gone smaller or lower CFM, but go big or go home.  I shouldn’t have any fogging issues!

The support bar was one of those jobs that I have put off due to dread.  Since I molded the overhead switch panel into the cabin top and overhead console, the access to the four screws going through the cabin top is extremely limited.  Added to that is the hunky chunk grip of wires I have running up the bar to the overhead.  My dad was in town for a few weeks so I decided to get his help and tackle the task.  We were able to get the first two screws in pretty easily by sliding the wire harness to the empty side.  I put the nuts on finger tight and then had to mulitlate two sockets to fit up agains the switch panel since it was so close fitting.

The other two screws were a bit more challenging, as I had to slide the wire between the screws now and wrangle the washer and nut around them but beside the switch panel.  As with a few jobs, a lot of cuss words were uttered, a tool might have gotten tossed gently onto the floor, and after a lot of sweating and questioning why I didn’t just buy a Cirrus later, it was completed.  I’m glad I won’t be taking this apart regularly.

All that cussing and sweating just primed me up for the next job, riveting the upper forward fuselage skin onto the structure.  Since dad was here to shoot from the outside, I grabbed my PPE and dove under the panel in one of the most uncomfortable positions I’ve ever been in since I was born.  The rivets went in smoothly and we were able to knock it out together in a few hours, but man it is literally a back breaker.  I had positioned all of the avionics so I could reach the rivets, but it was still tight.

For anyone reading this that hasn’t reached this point or is considering building a 10, PLEASE TAKE THIS AS A PIECE OF WISDOM HANDED DOWN!!!  Do NOT rivet the forward fuse / skin on until AFTER you have all of your avionics and wiring in!

I can’t imagine spending days laying like that running wires, terminating connectors, and trying to bolt crap onto the subpanel.  I kept the structure and skin off as long as possible and was able to simple walk around the avionics bay to complete everything.  It would have taken me twice as long to complete the wiring if I had followed Van’s plans.  I took the opportunity while under the panel to add just a few more zip ties to the wiring runs that I had already permanently secured.  It’s not immaculate, but I’m very happy with my housekeeping and wiring runs.

It’s cool to see the batwings gone now up front and the plane is really looking like a plane!  I put the PFD/MFD screens in and tidied up a few things which at this point completes the avionics.  All components have been installed and successfully tested sans the ECUs which will come with the engine in July.  I’m trying to minimize the time spent playing with avionics, because to be honest, I won’t get any building done if I’m swiping and experimenting with instrument approaches to JFK!

Finally, all of the aircon relays came in and I was able to properly test the system without the compressor, of course.  The condenser fan that I upgraded as part of the redesign really pumps some air and I’m really optimistic that it will produce good cooling for the condenser.  I installed an Aerosport headset hanger on the overhead console panel and reinstalled the panel to enclose the overhead.  With it all sealed up now, the cabin fan is very effective, even on low, at pushing air over the evaporator and throughout the cabin.  On high, it’s more air than I get through the vents in my car, so I’m again optimistic that the aircon is going to be very effective even on hot muggy days here in the south.

Next up will be the windscreen followed by getting the landing gear on.

Cool Colors

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I have fully recovered from the traumatic smoke incident and have made progress on completing initial testing on all of the electrical components in the plane.  I buttoned up the tunnel and got the tunnel cover and lower panel console installed.  I am lucky but allowed JUST enough length in wiring for the components on the lower panel including O2, aircon, and cabin heat controls.

The center console was next to install and went in pretty easily all things considered.  I finished odd jobs with the audio jacks, USB power port, and the wiring runs on top of the tunnel cover to get it all cleaned up.  I also mounted the throttle quadrant for good and fabricated a bracket to route the throttle and prop cable to the quadrant.  All of the O2 lines were hooked up and the fuel selector was verified in the correct position corresponding to the selector.

I haven’t installed the front seat O2 ports, so can’t test the oxygen system completely, but the power and back light input functions properly as do the rear controllers, so I’m optimistic it will all check good.  The only item that gave me a bit of trouble was the aircon. I have the aircon fuse block (bus) powered via a 40 amp relay and master switch to allow for rapid load shedding should I need it.  The switch, relay, and control head all works but I wasn’t getting either fan to come on.  I double checked all connections and wiring runs were correct to include the drier, high pressure switch, and thermostats.  I should have at least gotten the cabin fan coming on but the 24v relay wasn’t clicking on for the selected speed.  That’s right, the 24 volt relay.  Not the 12 volt relay, the 24 volt relay that I’m expecting my 12 volt system to activate.  Dammit.  It took me sitting in the back reading voltages for about 15 minutes with Laura at the control head to figure out the error.  I never put two and two (or 12 and 12) together, so grabbed two spare 12 volt relays and swapped them out.  Sure enough, proper function of the cabin fan and condenser fan!  I ordered new relays and swapped them all a few days later.

Meanwhile, I received two big boxes full of leather upholstered seats and goodies from Aerosport!  Andrew has been pretty patient with me and man did it pay off!  The seats came out perfect and just what I had imagined.  The orange stitching looks great on the black and matches the leather I sourced perfectly.  They made up the side panel inserts as well as the stick covers and armrest pad, all looking very high end.  I couldn’t help but build up the front seats to see what they look and feel like.

The back seats came out just as awesome as the fronts and feel super comfortable for passengers.  I cannot say enough great things about Aerosport’s stuff, except for their prices!  You do get what you pay for, however, and this is an area that I didn’t want to go cheap on.  Andrew changed up the plan a bit on my front seat belt brackets by designing and 3D printing a cover for the bracket.  This worked out, as I had to open the bracket and widen the belt channel about 1/16″ to get the belt to retract easily.  If Aerosport had done the leather like I had asked, I would have had to pull the entire seat back cover off and I’m sure it would not go back on as well as they have done it.

The left rear seat bottom cushion was the only hiccup, as the seat belt receptacle doesn’t quite fit in the slot they sewed.  Andrew is already on it and I sent the cushion back for modification along with the rear bulkhead substrate after cutting the aircon return vent hole in it.  They then covered it in leather and embroidered the EXPERIMENTAL in matching orange which looks awesome.  The cushion, bulkhead, and new glare shield will be on the way to me in a few more weeks.

Next priority is to finish the remaining items up front and in the back so I can rivet the last skins on and keep the new interior furnishings clean as we finish the build.

Tunneling toward the fire(wall)

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The tunnel has been somewhat neglected for quite a while, so it is time to tackle it and put the cover on.  The first main task was to finish the fuel lines and install the fuel filter and pump assembly.  I got Ross from SDS to send me the dual pump assembly as well as the filters so I could go ahead and install them prior to getting the engine.  Tom at TS Flightlines has a great setup that puts the filters on top of the pumps with adel clamps using hard lines.  Flex lines are used in the rest of the fuel line system.  Tom was super to work with and we soon had all the details worked out to get the lines ordered.  I set about building brackets to mount the pumps on and it will ease removal and installation (somewhat, it will still be a pain) in the future once it is all covered with the interior.

I also got a plate made for the fuel pump to mount on since the Andair bolt holes don’t line up with the stock bracket quite right.  I turned the face plate such that the left and right wording is on their respective side of the aircraft which should help in muscle memory and recognition during my scan.  An easy fix which lead to a lot of sweating and cursing fitting the lines and torquing them in that tight space.  Unfortunately, two lines didn’t work from Tom on the initial fitting.  He really goes above and beyond, however, and will re-make the lines until everything fits for free.  These aren’t the cheapest option, but they sure are nice and pressure tested as an added benefit.  Something I couldn’t do until putting fuel in the system and creating a big mess with a little leak.

The second main task was to finish the aircon hoses that I chose to route down the tunnel instead of the sidewall to make more room for wire runs.  It also eliminates some bulging on the interior panel up front near the rudder pedals.  I measured out the hole size needed including the grommets that will allow for the hose to pass through with minimal clearance.  Then I cut out some templates to help position them on the bulkheads that needed to be drilled.  This allowed me to play with edge distance and place them where edge distance is maximized as much as possible.  I got a cool new 90 drill adapter tool for this task and used it with my cordless drill to get the holes made.

Up on the firewall, I chose to chain drill the large holes for two aircon hose bulkhead pass-throughs which worked really well and saved a lot of work with a big bit in the stainless steel.  The lines fit very nicely between the rudder cable arms once secured vertically.  The hoses route on the right side of the tunnel over the spar and clear the rudder cable just forward of the flap motor by being secured to the rudder cable guide bracket.  I’ll clean up the rear tunnel area later with a few more secure points and edge grommets to protect the hoses.

I also routed the heating ducts and actually fit everything where it needed to be!  I mashed the rear duct a bit to mold it around the fuel valve stem.  I also put a piece of vinyl tubing around the stem to avoid any interference against the duct.

With the newly made lines from TS Flightlines installed, the tunnel is all ready for the cover and to be buttoned up.  I reached out to Vic Syracuse, who I plan to use as my DAR, to ask what all he needs open for the inspection.  He advised the rear tunnel cover needs to be off but the front can be on so that fuel valve, throttle quadrant, and center console can be installed.  So, the front cover went on after a good cleaning and ideally won’t come off again for a long long time!