Steve's Space: Final Assembly

Moving Day

9/26/15 - Finally outgrew the garage and needed to get into a hangar to complete the final assembly of all the parts.

Loading Fuselage on Trailer

Wings on A-frame at Hangar

Unloading Fuselage at Hangar

11/03/15 - Trimmed the upper and lower longerons flush with the end of the fuselage. Installed the Middle Rudder Hinge Plate (75F3-1), Lower Rudder Hinge Plate (75F3-2), Upper Rudder Hinge Plate (75F2-6) and the Rudder Hinge Shim (75F3-3).
Total time = 6 hours.

Upper and Lower Attachment Brackets in Place

11/04/15 - Installed the Horizontal Tail Attachment Bracket (75F2-6) and the Horizontal Attachment Gusset (75F2-5) after trimming them to fit with the Horizontal Stabilizer. Leveled the Horizontal Stabilizer and drilled the holes in the brackets and gussets. Cleoed the brackets and gussets in place. Total time = 6 hours.

Horizontal Attachment Brackets and Gussets in Place

11/14/15 - Installed the Elevator onto the Horizontal Stabilizer. Installed a skid plate on the rear of the fuselage along with a tie-down ring. Total time = 2 hour.

Tie-down Ring and Skid Plate Installed

12/12/15 - Located the Vortex Generators on the underside of the elevator and drilled the holes for them in the proper location. Total time = 3 hours.

Holes Drilled for the Vortex Generators

5/28/16 - Wired in the Elevator Servo Motor wiring into a connector in the aft of the fuselage. Also wired in the Elevator Trim wiring to the Trim Switch and the Trim Indicator on the instrument panel. Total Time = 4 hours.

Attaching the Elevator Trim wiring to the Trim Switch & Indicator

Validated the operation of the Trim Switch and Indicator

6/19/26 - Drilled and clecoed the Pilot's Bubble Door Hinge in place. Drilled holes into the Pilot Door and attached the door to the hinge with clecoes. Trimmed the top and both sides of the door with a portable hand grinder to get a better fit with the fuselage.

Total Time = 4 hours

Pilot Door Clecoed in Place

View of the Pilot Door From the Passenger Side

6/25/16 - Took time out to invite folks to the Livingston County Airshow at the hangar. Everybody had a great time eating, relaxing and enjoying all the aircraft on display.

Everyone Came Out to the Hangar to See the Livingston County Airshow on 6/25/16.

6/26/16 - Drilled and clecoed the passenger door hinge in place. Drilled holes into the passenger door and attached the door to the hinge with clecoes. Trimmed the door on three 3 sides to get a better fit with the fuselage. Total time = 4 hours.

Drilling Holes in the Passenger Door Hinge.

7/3/16 - Fitted the lower half of the engine cowling and drilled holes into the fuselage to hold the cowling in place. Installed with attaching screws with captured washers and nut plates. Total time = 6 hours.

Fastening the Lower Cowling to the Engine

7/4/16 & 7/5/16 - Fitted and installed an extruded piano hinge on the lower half of the passenger cowling. Riveted the piano hinge to the cowling. Total time = 6 hours.

Piano Hinge Installed on the Passenger Lower Cowling

7/6/16 - Fitted and installed extruded piano hinge on the pilot lower half of the cowling. Riveted the piano hinge to the cowling. Total time = 4 hours.

Piano Hinge Installed on the Pilot Lower Cowling

7/7/16 - Drilled installed the striker plates for the LH & RH door handles. Riveted the striker plates in place. Installed the door handles on both doors. Total time = 4 hours.