This time I am really getting back into it.

I have started work again on the wing. I have riveted the airleron bellcrank support ribs in. All the gas tank nutplates have been installed (all 128 of them). I have installed the pitot tube line and adel clamps. I am working now on getting the .032 stiffener angles drilled onto the bottom of the tank skin. I have to cut all of the access plates in the back of the tank baffle. Then I can start dimpling, etching and riveting the tank together. What fun!
I will get some pics of the updates on the wing soon.

Getting back into it!

I have started working on the wing again. I am completing the process of drilling the wing tank. Over the weekend I have gotten the wing tank drilled and now I am working on the nutplates that go with it. There are 300 nutplates just for the gas tank and it's access panels. Each nutplate needs 3 holes drilled for it. This tank is supposed to hold gas and I keep drilling more holes into it. Everyone of the holes has to be sealed back up. I am not done yet as I have to drill stiffeners on the bottom skin.

Fuel injection mounted on engine

A while back I was searching on the internet. I found someone selling a fuel injection system. It was at a fair price so I bought it. Sometimes you can get sunk in deals like these because the cost to fix it up you can almost buy new. However, when it showed up, it was in great condition. I sent it off to Airflow Performance (the leading fuel injection company) and they overhauled the servo and flow divider, then provided me with new injectors, lines, fittings and hardware. All said and done, I had about 1500 into the system instead of 2900 buying it outright from AFP. That works for me!

Leading edge riveted together

I spent a good portion of the night getting the leading edge skin riveted on. The skin come out nice and now I have to put it on the spar and finish riveting it to the spar flanges. I can then pop rivet all of the ribs to the spar in the leading edge section. Next will be to put all the skins back on and start fabbing up the gas tank. Once the gas tank is drilled, I will pull it all apart and start working on riveting the wing skins on.

Left wing fabbed up.

I haven't posted in sometime. I have been working ont the left wing. I have all the skins drilled, except the tank skin. I have all the ribs riveted to the wing spars and the skeleton is mounted in the jig and plumbed. The pitot tube has been fitted and the plumbing is done. All of the small brackets and angles have been drilled. I am now starting to debur, dimple and prime the skins. I will have the leading edge skin riveted together today and mounted on the wing. Then I will start the drilling of the tank skins and fabrication of the tank ribs. It's no easy job building the tank. I am striving to get the left wing done around the end of Febuary. I have tons of pics to post!

Left wing is in the jig

I have mounted the left wing skeleton in the jig. I have it all square/ plumb abd have now started to drill the main wing skin onto the ribs. Mike Mason was over to help me get started and I reviewed how to start drill the skin across the top, then down the center rib and from there working your way out to the corners. We got about a 1/4 of the way down and the weather let up so we went flying to Port Townsend. It was real windy over there and I got my first dose of a cross wind landing in a while. A little sketchy but I made it. I will get back to drilling the skin on today and then start working on the leading edge skin.

Fabbing up the left wing

I have been getting all the ribs drilled to the spars on the left wing. I have all the main wing ribs done and now I have to drill on the nose ribs. There is a lot of brackets to make and drill to the ribs. Once all the ribs are drilled it will be time to etch, alodine and prime all the parts. Then I can rivet the ribs back to spar and put it in the jig.

I have also been getting some more instruction from my friend who has a Citabria. I am getting used to flying with my right hand but I still need more practice to get to that natural feel like I had when flying my RV-6. It just takes time. I tried some wheel landings and I got some work to do there. I need to get about 5-6 more hours in the plane and then I think I am ready for some Rocket action.