Covering: Left Wing: Tape

The left wing is complete. Following are pics of the taping process. For the tape over the ribs, I decided to straight-line the tape from LE spar to TE spar at rib locations, rather than tape directly centered over each rib. Several of the ribs were not perfectly straight, so I thought this would enhance appearance. I first tacked the LE tape down with glue, let dry, then pulled tight and electrical taped at the TE spar. I marked edges of pinked taped with a pencil and then laid a bead of glue on the fabric in between. Finally, I laid the tape over the dried glue and applied thinned glue to the top of the tape and underlying glue.

A lot of effort was spent ironing down the pinked edges of the 2" and 4" tapes so that they would definitely lay adhered following painting and movement of the slipstream over the wing.

Here are completed pics of left wing. Next, I will need to fabricate a platform for a remote compass or magnetometer, which I will mount in the right wing prior to covering. This unit needs to be installed away from any ferrous material or electrical wiring (magnetic interference) and will serve to provide heading indication (among other things?) on a Dynon glass cockpit EFIS/EMS that I will purchase later. I will mount it adjacent to LRI mount/inspection plate inside the wing with the ability to rotate the unit in pitch/roll axes for future adjustment.

Covering: Left Wing: Patches

The exit rings/access rings are glued down, patched and ironed.

On to the taping....

Covering: Left Wing

After a late Saturday night in the garage, I finally got the left wing covered. First pics show the wing sheet metal roughed up with a scothbrite pad (to enhance glue adhesion) and then the entire wing bonding area cleaned with an acetone solvent. Masking tape was used as antichafe tape and applied to the structure where sharp areas occur. Two coats of U500 glue were applied to perimeter of wing and around under sides of spars, root rib and wing tip. Two thinned coats of U500 were applied to wing sheet metal to prevent "pinholing" following painting.

The fabric was than rolled over the top of the wing and glued down with thinned glue in beads around perimeter. The skin was then slightly tautened to remove wrinkles and skin was glued to sheet metal and to remaining areas on spars, rib and wing tip. Areas of the fabric had to be cutout to fit around ribs underneath. Tag ends of fabric underneath were trimmed off and ironed down.

The bottom panel went on next, first two coats of glue were applied to LE/TE spars. Same procedure went as before, except this time, numerous large protusions existed on bottom of wing such as strut attach plates. The skin was glued on right over these features and after tautening the fabric was sized and the openings were cut for the skin to pass over. I had trouble getting fabric to lay down flat on TE spar as a result.

Both sides were final tautened and complete. Next to the patches....

Covering: Fuselage: Taping

I can't believe I'm finally DONE with covering the fuse. A two week run to Spokane, WA threw a wrench into production. Following are pics of taping the fuse. First couple pics show measuring and marking 2" zone for glue where tape will go and then applying glue along the 2" width.

Next, I lay the tape down and apply a bead of thinned glue down the centerline to secure tape...

This is then followed by gluing down the remainder of the tape with thinned glue across full width of tape. Following drying, the tapes were ironed down, concentrating on getting the pinked edges bonded tight. Some cleanup of glue with MEK was required on skin along taped edges and where spillage occured. Following are completion pics of covered, patched, and taped fuse; top first.

Followed by bottom (dang rudder cable grease rubbed on and through fabric at several spots)

Left side (mosquitos covet this flying machine)...

Right side...

...and the aspiring co-pilot twin little buggers (turn 5 next month) are excited to see something finally resembling an aircraft...

On to the wings....

Covering: Fuselage: Patches

I completed all of the patches on the fuselage. Below are drain grommets and a lexan inspection ring which were glued directly on to the bottom rear end.

Here is the completed section following gluing and ironing of patches. 1" fabric overlap required on all patches.

Rather than tape around the battery door, I glued a large patch over the opening.

....and then cut out the center section and then glued fabric around the inside perimeter opening.

Below are left and then right rear sides of finished patches. The bushings shown are where the horizontal stabilizor will attach. Shown are elevator cable exit ring, rudder cable exit fairings and drain grommets (latter used for routing a cable through, in this instance). Left side has an inspection ring. The rings which are glued down and then patched have the openings cut out later and then plates or hardware are attached. For example the large D-shaped exit rings will later be cut open and a large plasic fairing (similar to the small white rudder cable exit fairing) will be screwed directly into the plastic ring.

Next pic shows the upper fuse behind the cockpit. Lots of patches here because I have the BRS bridles exiting in two locations over the Station 3 cross tube and then further aft at one location over the vertical stabilizor former tube. The bridles turned out to be remarkably thin, so bulges under the fabric weren't too noticeable. Patches also placed over an antenna mount plate and tangs where the skylight will attach later.

Each side of the fuse near the doors has patches placed at corners where wear is prevalent.

Next on to taping the fuse....

Covering: Fuselage: Right Side

The fuse is now completely covered and fully tautened. First, however, are pics of two coats of glue applied to the perimeter of the envelope area and ready for fabric.

Next pics show right panel tacked onto structure with thinned glue.

Finally, pics of completed covered right side from front back views, following trimming and ironing of glue joints. Note the bushings for the horizontal stabilizor are now visible. Slits were cut for them to emerge through the tautened fabric.

Next couple weeks will be spent applying patches and tape, among other things, to the fuse.

Preliminary Avionics Panel Design

Following is a rendering showing my first shot at designing the avionics panel for the plane. As a result of building a tandem aircraft, there is not a lot of space up front for instruments; therefore, included a partial glass cockpit for situational awareness and engine diagnostics plus portable gps for navigation. Eliminating individual gages saved lots of space. Felt more external utility with a portable gps (e.g. backpacking, driving, boating etc., plus potential for XM weather later). Have redundant pitot-driven steam gage flight instruments for backup. Radio and transponder are small round units up top for additional space conservation.