April '08

This month I got quite a few things done including fitting the fuel tank. It's an interesting method of fitting the tank using seat belt webbing to hold it in place. Although that sounds dodgy its actually quite ingenious and seems to work really well. It is important though to soak the webbing in water overnight so it will shrink when dry to ensure a tight fit. After the preliminary fitting last month and looking at how it sits in the frame, I also decided to add some small angle brackets to stop any sideways movement. I thought that with approx 60kg of fuel in a full tank that in flight there may be some sideways movement and didn't think that the straps would stop movement in all situations





I also fitted the upper root tubes and engine mounts...



finished off the fuel system...



Fitted the vertical fin and part of the tailwheel assembly...





The control sticks, aileron bellcrank and tie rods and throttle lever...





I also started on some wiring as it is a lot easier to fit before the frame is bolted into the hull. I started with the electric gear system using the supplied microswitches. I really didn't want to use microswitches instead going for a current relay but just couldn't find one to suit. The microswitches work well enough and because I have modified the actuator system so that the retraction bars can no longer be pushed through the lower bulkhead if a switch fails, I am happy with the outcome. I am also considering installing a back up system where I wire a switch direct to the actuators by-passing all relays, switches etc so that in the event of a failure I can get the gear down. Will keep you posted on that one. For those interested in electrics, I have included a wiring diagram below.







Next month I hope to finish the wiring and maybe even fit the frame into the hull so we'll see.