Warm Weather Returns - Work Resumes

The weather is warming up.  I was able to spend a few hours in the shop this weekend.  First I had to clean up and throw out a bunch of junk that collected during the cold winter months.  That done I did the re-wiring for navigation lights that I mentioned in an earlier post.  I replaced the automotive grade 20gauge wire with Mil-Spec 18gauge wire per recommendations I found in other EAA and builder sites.  Including the information in the Tony Bingelis book "Sportplane Building Techniques"

I also used small tie-wraps to hold the wires together.  Hope that is a good idea.  I wanted to keep the wires in place somehow.  

Next I started drilling the top leading edge skin and attaching with clecos as I went along.

Slow going - drilling, measuring, drilling, de-burring and then cleco attaching the skins to rib.

Only seven more to go on this wing!

That's it for now - thanks for checking in.

Greg.

Support the General Aviation Pilot Protection Act

As a life-long aviation buff and active commercial pilot I urge anyone that is interested in protecting this great freedom of personal flight to show their support by endorsing this law.  I hope you will join me in contacting your state congressmen and senators to express our viewpoint.

This legislation builds on the overwhelmingly positive safety aspects of the Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) category introduced in 2004 which permits pilots to operate certain types of aircraft with a valid driver's license in lieu of a traditional medical certificate.  The category and its medical certification standard have been a resounding success, and there is no significant difference between the medically-related incident rate of LSA pilots and pilots with traditional medical certificates.  This shows that self-evaluation is already working and can be expanded to a wider pool of recreational pilots.

I am an active member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilot Association (AOPA) and the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA)  The EAA and AOPA make it really easy to take action to support this legal proposal.  Just select "Take Action" in the box below.

Thanks,

Greg.

Too Cold to Work

So it's been very cold here in the past few weeks.  Too cold to spend much time in the shop.  Need to wait for a warm up.  So what do you do when you can't build in the shop?  You find somewhere else.  I have been doing some small part work inside the house.  Made some more bell crank parts for the ailerons.  And did some scavenging for parts.  Was able to find a nice Falcon sensitive altimeter and a VSI that a guy removed for a panel upgrade.  

No where near ready for these parts yet but the price was really great and it helps keep my momentum up having these parts on hand.

I also found a great deal on a wet compass.  

So let's hope the weather warms up a bit so I can get back in the shop.  Meanwhile I'll just place these instruments on the bench and make airplane noises ;)

Thanks for checking in, 

Greg.

First Post for 2014

Back from the Holidays.  Back to work in the shop.  Had a great trip to the Florida Keys over Christmas.  I hope everyone had a great holiday season.

This is what I did most in Florida:

And

Want to get back to work on the CX4 but the weather is not cooperating.  Frigid temps and an unheated workshop makes it hard to get anything done.  It should be warming up a bit this weekend so I hope to get back to it then.  I need to do the wiring for my lights in the leading edge (see prior post) and get the wing done.  Until it warms up a bit and we're through this "Polar Vortex" (I thought that's what the airliner in the Langoliers flew through) I will not be working in the shop.

Thanks for checking in -

Greg..