KitLog pro

Powered By Kitlog Pro v2.0

Building Integrity
' style=
Date:  5-26-2013
Number of Hours:  8.00
Manual Reference:  Section 2
Brief Description:  Installing the extrusions

Today could have been a 3 hour day but quickly turned into 8. After I had got the extrusions and mount in the right position (1.5 - 2 degrees up thrust and 0 degrees left/right), I drilled all 16 holes through the spar and longerons. This is when I noticed that the previous builder did NOT install the correct hardpoints....not even close. The spar calls for a 3" hardpoint, where the builder put in a 2" and didn't even line them up correctly. What this meant is several holes went right through foam instead of spruce. NOT cool. However, making hard points really isn't that bad, so I carved out the foam and added a poplar hard point in several places, floxed in the voids and glassed over with 1 ply BID.
The other portion of my evening was figuring out, as I said earlier, the proper engine mount position. This took time taking it off and on and adding small or large washers to each extrusions to get all 4 points equal including up thrust angle. The Plans call for a 2 degree up angle, however this is for the 108hp o-235. This combination usually only renders a top speed of about 160kts. Now at that speed you don't need as much down trim as you do when flying at 190kts which will be where I cruise on 175hp :) This means instead of adding more down trim for level flight, the lesser engine mount angle will take care of this. With all that said, several reports from builders using 1 angle up have not noticed any difference in takeoff roll or flight characteristics.
The extrusions have now been painted white, not for looks, but as a measure of corrosion control. They will later be painted along with the aircraft interior but in a different color.
' style=

extrusions bolted on

extrusions bolted on

' style=

test fitting

test fitting

' style=

time to drill

time to drill

' style=










Copyright © 2001-2024 Matronics. All Rights Reserved.