Sunday, May 22, 2011
My First Passenger
This is a little delayed as I actually had this flight a week ago, but I wanted to post it up here. My first passenger was my wife. It was awesome. I flew the Gobosh down from Centennial in south Denver to Meadow Lake in Colorado Springs to pick her up. It was a nice flying day but man was it windy at Meadow Lake. It was a head wind but 25 knot gusts are 25 knots. We got off and flew around south of Denver for a while before landing back at Centennial. It was really cool to actually be the PIC with a passenger. Here is a quick picture of my wife and I in the Gobosh.
Pages 09-06 through 09-09 Stabilator Completed
Another 15 hours on the builders Hobbs.
I am very happy to be finished with the stabilator. It felt like a major accomplishment to finish my first large piece of the plane. It certainly wasn't without some frustration. It took considerably longer than I thought it would have. I decided to hold off on putting the counter weight arm in until I get to final assembly of the empennage. I will be moving the stabilator into my new hangar when I get back from travel next week.
I am very happy to be finished with the stabilator. It felt like a major accomplishment to finish my first large piece of the plane. It certainly wasn't without some frustration. It took considerably longer than I thought it would have. I decided to hold off on putting the counter weight arm in until I get to final assembly of the empennage. I will be moving the stabilator into my new hangar when I get back from travel next week.
Speaking of hangars. Here is me in my new hangar over at Meadow Lake airport near Colorado Springs (KFLY). This is where my -12 will be based and assembly will continue.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Pages 09-01 - 09-05 Stabilator Spar Box Completed
10 more hours on the builders Hobbs
Well as expected the stabilator has been more of a challenge than the previous parts. The spar box has taken me longer than I had expected it would. I guess it really is just more complex than the previous pieces. If I don't see another nut plate I would be happy. Hand squeezing some of these rivets is also a challenge. The longer rivets in the counter balance arm flange was a serious challenge and I am using the Main Squeeze. The nut plates are just a pain to me to get properly aligned and squeezed. It got easier by the end.
I am hoping to get the rest of the stabilator finished tomorrow but we shall see. I am really trying to get the empennage kit completed soon as I expect the wing kit this week or next and I am out of room. I am hoping I can either store the finished pieces in various places in the house :) or in a hangar if I can get that arranged this week. I think I am at the point where I really need the hangar.
Well as expected the stabilator has been more of a challenge than the previous parts. The spar box has taken me longer than I had expected it would. I guess it really is just more complex than the previous pieces. If I don't see another nut plate I would be happy. Hand squeezing some of these rivets is also a challenge. The longer rivets in the counter balance arm flange was a serious challenge and I am using the Main Squeeze. The nut plates are just a pain to me to get properly aligned and squeezed. It got easier by the end.
I am hoping to get the rest of the stabilator finished tomorrow but we shall see. I am really trying to get the empennage kit completed soon as I expect the wing kit this week or next and I am out of room. I am hoping I can either store the finished pieces in various places in the house :) or in a hangar if I can get that arranged this week. I think I am at the point where I really need the hangar.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Pages 08-01 through 08-04 Finished the Anti-servo Tabs
4 more hours on the builders Hobbs
Ok I guess this may be the last of the easy pieces :) They seemed to go together fairly easily. The only trick appeared to be the jig that Van's provided for the hinge piece drilling locations. They were just a little too snug to fit into the spaces between hinge eyelets. In the end it all worked fine but it seemed like just a few millimeters off the sides of the jig would have made for a perfect fit.
I started on the stabilator too. I will post more about that experience tomorrow hopefully when I get some more of it completed. That was the impetus for my comment about the last of the easy pieces. The directions for the initial rivet placement on the first pieces of the stabilator had me confused for quite a while. Maybe just me and flattened pictures. Had to drill out 4 rivets. I guess that isn't so bad in the end.
Here is the picture of my finished anti-servo tabs.
Ok I guess this may be the last of the easy pieces :) They seemed to go together fairly easily. The only trick appeared to be the jig that Van's provided for the hinge piece drilling locations. They were just a little too snug to fit into the spaces between hinge eyelets. In the end it all worked fine but it seemed like just a few millimeters off the sides of the jig would have made for a perfect fit.
I started on the stabilator too. I will post more about that experience tomorrow hopefully when I get some more of it completed. That was the impetus for my comment about the last of the easy pieces. The directions for the initial rivet placement on the first pieces of the stabilator had me confused for quite a while. Maybe just me and flattened pictures. Had to drill out 4 rivets. I guess that isn't so bad in the end.
Here is the picture of my finished anti-servo tabs.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
I am a pilot!!!
Ok so my build has slowed a bit due to work travel and of course wanting to get my sport pilot cert so I can fly my -12 when it is done. I have managed to get one of the anti-servo tabs done and will finish the other one tomorrow and start the stabilator.
On to the main news.. I passed my sport pilot check ride this morning at Centennial AP, just south of Denver CO. The weather was so incredibly nice. It was just a great day to fly. In all it was only a 1.3 and it was over before I knew it started. The pattern was busy today but seemed to open up when I needed to do my pattern work. Very few bumps and the practice area was mostly empty. I am so happy to be done and off to learn how to be a pilot.
Now I am really focused on finishing the -12. I told Mitch from Van's that I wanted to bring it down to Sun N Fun next year. We shall see if I can pull that off.
On to the main news.. I passed my sport pilot check ride this morning at Centennial AP, just south of Denver CO. The weather was so incredibly nice. It was just a great day to fly. In all it was only a 1.3 and it was over before I knew it started. The pattern was busy today but seemed to open up when I needed to do my pattern work. Very few bumps and the practice area was mostly empty. I am so happy to be done and off to learn how to be a pilot.
Now I am really focused on finishing the -12. I told Mitch from Van's that I wanted to bring it down to Sun N Fun next year. We shall see if I can pull that off.
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