Covering: Fuselage: Bottom & Left Side

I have begun covering the fuse. I started with attaching the bottom fabric panel and then the left side. Took about a week to install each panel. Next will be the right side.

Starting with the bottom, first pic shows two coats of glue applied to the bottom longerons.

Next pic show fabric panel attached and glued to bottom.

Next couple pics show bottom panel trimmed, glued around structure, ironed, and slightly tautened at 250 degrees.

Next the left panel went on. Following pic shows panel clamped and ready for attachment with thinned U500.Next pic shows the panel glued to the outer left side and ready for fabric to be trimmed and glued 3/4 of way around tubular structure.

Next several pics show finished left side tautened at 250 degrees. Note at the battery door opening the fabric had to be cut and wrapped and glued to inside perimeter of opening. In addition, several BRS bridle fabric penetrations (not shown) were needed on the top left side. I decided to reinforce these with 3.5" patches. The bridles were routed over the Station 3 cross member and will be installed below the skylight and fabric to prevent exposure to UV and moisture.

Here are the wings staged on the wing stand I made. Certainly freed up more space in the shop.

Paint Scheme Design

I believe I've come up with my final paint design. The inspiration is from a Citabria that I used to fly in MT. Superflite Matador Red and Insignia White will be combined to create the scheme below. Three view line drawing jpegs were obtained from Rans and brought into AutoCAD, then scaled, traced and hatched. The drawings were useful in estimating quantities of paint product, which will be ordered later this month. I hope to begin painting this Summer.

Furnace and Wing Stand

After a shakedown period, I finally got my Dad's old furnace on-line. Sure nice to work in a non oxygen-depleted atmosphere at humidity levels below 100%. Here is final install pic:

I was ready to mount the fuselage on the rotisserie stand, however, I needed to do something with the wings. Therefore, I devised the following wing stand to stage wings, both now and after covering and painting. I also wanted something that I could use to transport completed wings to the airport where they will be attached eventually. It was dimensioned off of a 4x8 sheet of 3/4" plywood with height set to accomodate 50" wing. It has heavy duty castering wheels. Should hold all of the smaller covered pieces between wings. Next step is to mount wings and get the fuse on the stand for covering.

Covering: Left & Right Elevators

The last of the control surface pieces and doors are now complete, having finished the elevators. First pic shows two coats of U500 applied for installation of bottom panel.

Next pic shows bottom panel tacked on with thinned U500 and then ready for trimming of fabric and gluing of fabric around tube.

Next pic shows final glued on panel, trimmed and ironed and ready to be tautened with the iron.

Rib stitching was completed like before, along centerline of elevator.

On the bottom side of the right elevator, a lexan exit ring was installed to daylight trim control wire. A lexan drain grommet was also glued. Both are ready for patches.

Here is completed bottom of right elevator with both top and bottom panels glued on and tautened stepwise with an iron. Patches also glued on and ironed. Ready for pinked 2" tapes.

Here are both elevators following gluing of 2" tapes and final ironing.

Next phase of work will be covering the fuselage.

Covering: Right Horizontal Stabilizer

I'm reaching the end of covering the smaller items, having just completed the right horiz stab. Next are the two ailerons and then on to the fuselage and wings. Some production time was lost on this item, due to a week-long stream restoration training in NC and installation of my Dad's old furnace in my shop. I wired a programmable thermostat to run the LP furnace, so that I can arrive to a pre-heated shop. This will provide huge incentive to initiate daily work, which is mostly occuring in evenings following kid bed-time. The new setup will also vent all of the off-gas outside. Previously, I just ran a propane space-heater which did fine heating things up quick, but it flooded the room with moisture and robbed the room of oxygen--not the greatest situation.

Covering: Left Horiz Stabilizer

The left LH stab is complete and was most time-consuming control surface to date. First pic shows panel glued to one side.

Next pic shows above panel trimmed and ironed down. Anti-chafe tape was applied to rib edges.


Each of the ribs has drilled holes where fabric is attached with rivets rather than with rib stitches.

Here is closeup of lexan strips which are adhered on to wing with double sided tape. Holes are then burned through with a heat knife. The melted build up is then trimmed with a razor blade and then riveted to rib.


Here is completed unit before patches and tape. After gluing down second panel I noticed that glue had pulled down fabric below tangent point. Not sure how to pull fabric up, I contacted Rans and they recommended using a needle. This worked OK.


Here is final LH stab with patches and tape glued and ironed down, including over riveted area.

Covering: Rudder

The rudder was completed yesterday. Individual pieces of fabric were attached to each side. Major challenge was rib stitching at rib locations. Stitching is required to keep surface from ballooning out when negative pressure is created by slipstream over airfoil. Finally, determined that should use a square knot. Was worried about pulling large knot size through hole, for fear of tearing fabric, but determined that permissible to use hot knife to enlarge hole for passage. Can see knot locations where diamond shaped patches were placed. Lexan reinforcement strips were placed at rear bottom of rudder and covered with patches.