Getting back in the game

For the last three weeks I did not do any building on the plane. Yesterday, I started to get back in the game. Trying to figure out where I left off and what needed to be accomplished next. What a pain!

After cleaning all the saw dust up from the garage, I worked on getting reacquainted with the lower fuselage stringers and the baggage compartment on Tuesday. I called Mustang Aero for more information on the stringer locations. Then I drilled the holes & de-burred.

Today, I started assembling 240.3310 and 240.33111,left and right sides, which are two bulkheads that will attach to station 73.75 on the main spar.

The two sides of each bulkhead are riveted together and to aluminum angles which will be bolted to the main spar with six AN3-6A bolts.

I need to get all of this completed so I can rivet on the bottom skin which will allow me to move to a different phase of building. That would be building the fuselage.

That moves me into more of the aircraft controls. I have a lot of planning I need to think ahead too. I'd really like an auto pilot. So, I need to think about servos and their instillation.

While at Mustang Aero in March I took a look at Chris Tieman's MII aileron servo installation. It is located in the center section wing. (See Picture at right.)

I will also need a servo for pitch control. Not real sure where to turn for better info. I'm still investigating options at this point, but need to figure something out so I can buy and mount the servos properly.

Here is a picture of one of my quick build wet wings at Mustang Aero. Chris will be delivering it to me on his way to Oshkosh in July.

I have to make a wing holder for both wings so I can safely store them while I finish the plane. I have some old machinery lifting straps that will do just great. I just have to make some kind of frame.

Tomorrow, I will be back at work for a few days. Should be able to get my head wrapped around the project on Monday. I need to order a few hardware parts from Wicks Aircraft so I have enough rivets to finish the center wing section.

I hope everyone has a great safe week!

Brian

A Sod Event

Ok, this has nothing to do with building an airplane, but it has everything to do with my time. (Honey do things.)

It started with trying to get the back yard to green up this spring. I ended up putting down 3600 square feet of sod.

We started by roto-tilling part of the back yard. In the end we did the whole thing.

I also ordered 5 yards of soil to fill in the low spots. We didn't get enough soil. We made do.

I probably should have ordered a few more yards of dirt. After we were done, I thought about a sprinkler system since we were watering daily.

The sod company starts cutting sod at the farm at 4 AM. The delivery was suppose to be by 6:30 AM. They didn't arrive until 9 AM. Lots of wasted time waiting.

The big tree's roots were sticking up out of the ground. Instead of covering them with soil and sod I built a free floating deck over them. It is in the shape of an Octagon. It looks pretty good.

So, we got a late start laying the sod. We still had it all down by 3 PM.

There I am watering the green. That was last weekend. This weekend I have been trying to put the deck on the Octagon.

Instead of just putting decking down what do I do? I choose to cut all the decking in the many octagon angles. 22.5, 67.5, and lots of 45 degree cuts. How fun......

Should be done with the project just in time to go back to work.

I'll get back to the build some day...........Brian