Day’s 234-238

It has been a busy week! I have not meant to get so far behind in writing these logs. I will do my best to get caught up on all that has been going on.

First, we have both wings completed! All of the flaps, ailerons, control rods, lights & covers are all installed. We were waiting on a few parts to show up which did during the week and we were able to get them all finished up. Everything moves smoothly, and looks great!

Next we have been working to finish up the hydraulic brake lines. There is just enough hose to make the system work, so care is taken it to excessively cut away more than is needed. A hole on each side of the fuselage is drilled for the lines to pass through and then go down through the landing gear to the brake calipers. The first side went well, but we ran into a problem with the other side. The supplied crimp on fittings are easy to accidentally shear the hose lines if they happen to slip. There are brass bearings than wedge up as the fittings are tightened, and are only meant for one time use. We’re working to get another fittings for that side. Other than that, the lines are all ran through the fuselage. All that is left is to install a few standoffs to hold the lines in place as well as hook into the brake solenoid in the center console once that is in place.

We have also been working hard to get the fuel lines all completed from the wing roots to the firewall. We have all the lines ran, including for the long range transfer system. They are all hooked into the Fuel selector and crimped. We have also finished installing, wiring and plumbing in the two long range take transfer pumps. All that is left for the LR tank system is to install the fuel filters and shutoff valves in the lines that run in the bottom of the fuselage underneath the feet.

We came across a video showing this awesome idea for the rudder cables! They put some piping over the cables to cut down on their abrasion potential. It was brilliant. We used some air pvc lines and measured them out so that the cables would be able to move their full lengths without bottoming out. We then cut a slit down the center of the lines and installed them onto the rudder cables. This will significantly cut down on their potential to rub against any of the plethora of lines running through the center console.

Lastly this week, we have been working to finish the pitot lines. We got the ports on the outside of the fuselage in front of the NACA ducts installed as well as the tubes hooked up for them. This most definitely would have been much easier to do before the front cowling was installed. Haha. But we didn’t have all the fittings to complete the system at the time, so we moved on. It can still be accomplished at this stage, but it is very difficult and uncomfortable to access now. As well, the barbed fittings are very difficult to install even when there is ample space. The rest of the lines we have measured out that go to the wing. We will finish those once a couple of other fittings arrive that we ordered. We ordered in to bulkhead barbed fittings that we’ll install into the side of the fuselage for the pitot lines. That way we won’t have to try and run lines complete from the wings to the box in the dash. Rather, we can have them to the finished from the dash to the fuselage, and then when the wings are installed we can complete the connections.

Once all of the lines and systems are completed, we will be well on our way to finishing up the dashboard and all is connections, as well as finishing up the center console. This then paves the way for finishing up most of the interior at that point. Then pretty much all that will be left is finishing up the firewall Forward!