December 29, 2020
The tunnel is beginning to feel like an onion, peeling the layers to reveal one more item that needs to be completed before the tunnel can be called complete. Mounted the bracket I made yesterday for the scat tube. Before securing it I took on drilling the holes for the three engine cable firewall pass-thrus. I cut the gap in…
December 28, 2020
Back from winter break. Crazy but the build was at a standstill while I was gone. Huh. Guess I better get cracking. Started the day riveting the second rear seat back and then made the hinge pins. I set them aside until after I’m able to test the avionics, just in case there is an issue and I need to…
December 21, 2020
I failed to do a good job taking photos of this process. Brackets were already on so this was a day of drilling, cutting, grinding, epoxying, sanding, and repeating. Overall I’m pleased with how they turned out and the painter will hopefully not have a huge job smoothing out the seems.
December 20, 2020
I started the day finishing up the wiring – well there is still wiring to do once the wings are on and the control sticks are in. Oh and once the carbon fiber panel comes back from the painter (respraying due to poor adhesion) I can connect the wires to the switches. But other than that is is done. Whew…
December 19, 2020
More work on the wiring. Began with the fun time installing not one but two Adel clamps on the same screw on different side of the support. That was fun. Then back to the VPX. I’m down to 7 or 8 switches, and about 7 or 8 power circuits. Then it will be time for testing and troubleshooting. I sure…
December 18, 2020
Overnight I realized I missed the wires for the doors unlatched switches, oops. Along with pulling a new Com1 antenna wire I finished off running the wires. I still have a bunch of terminations to do on the VPX but then I should be done. Fingers crossed the avionics works when I flip the switch. A fellow RV-10 builder has…
December 17, 2020
Yep, wiring is a slow process. With no way to take exciting pictures, you will have to settle for a couple boring ones. Today was running the last of the wiring (I think) for the control sticks and for the light controller. Both will be located under the front seats. I did work on two of the VPX connectors but…
December 16, 2020
It might not look like it but today was a good day with good progress. Two of the three power connectors on the VPX are wired, one of the alterantor voltage regulators is wired, the fuel pump is wired, and the lower wires are organized. Yep, wiring doesn’t look like a lot but it sure takes time.
December 15, 2020
I came into the hanger this morning to find brake fluid under the fuselage. No bueno. Seems the tunnel brake fittings were not tightened, ugh. Shame on me for not double checking. My penance, 90 minutes of cleaning. Fluid leaked between ribs and skin, spar and skin, into every crack and crevice. Fuck me. Oh the day didn’t stop there.…
December 14, 2020
Started off running the 8awg wire for the alternators, shunt, and ESS (essential bus). Lots of lugs to crimp and heat shrink to heat. Then closed off the firewall pass through. It was time to rivet up to forward cockpit. It took some serious contortion under the panel but I managed the bucking bar pretty well – of course a…
December 13, 2020
Yep, I said it. I finished up the back half of the plane wiring in the morning and then organized/zip tied/secured the cables. Then the fun began on the panel wiring. I already built the harness but with moving it from Minnesota, to setting it up and taking it down a couple times in the hanger (to finish the remaining…
December 12, 2020
Kicked the day off with mounting the transponder and fuse block before moving to the back of the plane. Then it was on to installing the transponder antenna so I could finally bolt the battery tray to fuselage. Then I adjusted the battery cables before ratcheting down the battery retaining bolts. To allow for the backup battery to get a…