Appendages HOBBS 1771.5 hrs

As you know, I set out to get the tailfeathers finalized and ready for flight once I got moved into the hangar. This effort is going well, although eating up a lot more time than I anticipated, but I'm almost there. Right now it is mostly just rudder stuff left to do. While I dink around with rudder cap fiberglass work, I am staying busy working on getting the other appendages--the wings, also ready for flight. This includes riveting the last bottom skins in place, plumbing the aux fuel tanks and finishing up misc wiring tasks.

This was one of my best weeks in regards to hours worked...I logged 23.5 hrs out at the hangar, I am like a shark that senses blood in the water right now! Full of enthusiasm, full steam ahead!

 

Here are a few shots of my rudder cap with wiring conduit and a support piece bonded in place. Remember, I am closing up the rudder cap permanently so this should suffice. Notice that I didnt bond the side of the support piece, when it is riveted to the rudder it needs to be able to flex inward.

 

With all of my wiring tasks, I am using my power supply to test each component before install. Here is the tail strobe in action. As much as I am uncomfortable with wiring...it sure is fun when you wire something together, apply power,...and it actually WORKS!!

 

 

If you've never wired in a D-Sub connector (this is a DB-9...9 pins for this version), this is what the finished goods should look like inside the housing...don't forget your 'strain relief' bracket.

 

I dab some removable loctite on the attachment nuts shown here. I worry about these things coming loose.

Moving to the wings...after much debate, I decided to ground my taxi/landing HID Duckworks lights locally instead of running a ground wire all the way back to the firewall "forest of tabs". Nothing wrong with that approach, I just don't feel its needed. I used a one conductor shielded wire for these. I used a wire brush attachment in my dremel tool to remove the paint...don't forget this for a good ground path.

 

This is how my final configuration looks...notice there are two ground wires attached to the ground screw...one is the shield (ground only one end) and the other is the ground coming off the light itself.

 

And once again...test time...looking good...next task!

 

Left wing...last bottom skin...done, riveted in place...solo! Sweet!

Right wing...last bottom skin...done! We're getting there.

 

I bought this aluminum AN hardware last summer at OSH...hard to find and works great for mounting your ADAHARS, which requires non-magnetic hardware.

 

The lock on the right is my original choice for my baggage compartment storage areas. The paddle latch from Southco on the left is what fellow RV7 builder Brian Beatty suggested...I am swapping them out. I have no idea why I thought I needed to lock these areas?? I will use one compartment for spare oil and tools, the other will have a first aid kit and a couple survival items. More details on this later.

 

Time for some homework...if you are building one of these, you will know, its not all building time that goes into the final product. There are countless hours of research and education that go on in your "free" time. These two AC's are on the topics of registering your homebuilt and flight testing. I encourage you to read up on this stuff.