NV WWA Highlander Build

                                     As I'm now back from my OCONUS duties, I've started back into the Highlander project. It was sitting for the hiatus with the wing fuel tank supports ALMOST done. I was able to wrap them up (4 per wing) as I cleaned up my workspace and figured out the next moves. Next was locating and securing the 1st rib into place.  With the AL wing tanks fitted, next was the flush riveted nut plates on the cap strips next to tanks on either side. That was the first time I've seriously bucked rivets, and while daunting, went better than expected.    The fuel tanks are covered with an aluminum sheet, which needs to be bordered by these nut plates to secure it. I've now installed the leading edge portion of angle AL, and will wait for the structural epoxy adhesive to set before flush riveting the corners onto the wooden rib.

 Lots of work done on the right wing, it's nearly caught up with the left one. Also, all of the wing root doublers are installed on both wings. Today I'm planning on finishing paint on the right wing spar brackets, installing them, and also installing the drag tubes on the right wing.

The spar brackets seemed like a big deal, so it took some time to build up my confidence to do it, but I've got the left wings spar brackets attached and riveted. Started work on the wing doublers and had to get a new drill bit which stopped work for the night.

 I've been forgetting to update this, so here goes... I've stayed relatively busy working on it,  organized my workspace, and moved some of the components around. The left wing is now on a rotisserie for it to get started. Removed and fixed the elevator control rod, its bend had to get tweaked and I also re-painted it. Re-assembly went well and it's back on. The left wing is out and it's had gussets and the tip drag tubes installed. Then it was flipped over to start working on the lift struts and their brackets. All of the drilling, deburring, and painting are done so next is roughing surfaces, prepping hysol, then riveting those on. I broke one of my baggage door rods after installing a cam lock, so I'll have to do a larger aluminum tube for that access point. Assembly of the propeller is done, and it's been attached to the prop spacer. I'm still waiting on the Skytrax gearbox. Steve stopped by and dropped off the engine mount with a bunch of other goodies....

 Got the flap handle assy all put together and drilled for mounting in the cockpit. Once again I don't have the correct AN hardware in my kit which means I have to wait on Aircraft Spruce again for the flap pulley AN4-15A. I was able to get the seat rails installed, and then put the seat bottom covers on as well as the cusions! ELT assy was put together and mounted. Will need to add it's extra batteries and wiring to the cockpit. On the horizon... Sizing the firewall, door frame angle aluminum where the window attaches. Printing the next part of the manual, and starting to look at the instrument panel build.

I'll try to list out a few things that I've been working on lately. Seat rail strips - installed  Control mixer re-installed, stick posts drilled, have grips ready. Need to decide on doing a bend in the control stick, and what paint should be used on the aluminum before the grip install and completing the assembly for "final" install. Rudder petals installed and ready to go. Found that the brake petal insert that holds the rudder cables will need to have it's powdercoating removed so it can fit to attach the brake and rudders together and articulate. I'm going to pick up gasket remover tomorrow and hopefully get these and a few other things de-powdercoated so they can be fit and installed. Fitting the TK1 gear and plan on using the higher deck angle to work on the bottom stringer. Once the bottom stringer is on, I'll be able to bend and install the main elevator push-pull tube. I'd like to test out my Oratex covering for the seat panels instead of usin...

  Having just returned from a long work trip, I have a stack of new boxes and need to get organized again.  Quick inventory of new arrivals. Prop flange, TK1 gear legs and struts, Matco wheels, Tundra Lite Tailwheel, EAA experimental certification kit, Apex wire harness, exhaust header, radiator. I also pulled the trigger on a bunch of the necessary avionics, so those boxes are going to be showing soon. Gotta respect the speed that Aircraft Spruce ships these orders!  I started digging back into where I left off on the build as well. My rudder petal assy was primered prior to leaving, so it got painted today. I also used a wire wheel on my partial back wall in the cargo area to see how that looks. I like the results, but that doesn't rule out changes in the future. Reamed the gear leg fuselage attachment points and got the spacers and bolts all ready to go. The rudder petals are now installed, and I found that the brake attachment rod which also holds the cables won't fit...

Completed the last 4 flying wires for the tail. I'm pretty happy with how things turned out. One change from the manual was leaving the nicopress sleeves uncovered instead of putting shrinkwrap over them. I did this because I had read that the heatshrink has hidden corrosion which led to breaks in the past.  Next up in the manual was rigging the trimmer piano hinge. The trimmer is ready for covering now which is awesome. Hrs: 6 Total: 47

Checked on my primer-ed rudder petals and was very happy with how they turned out.  Checked the side and top stringers, cut a couple zip ties that were holding things in place, and I'm very happy with how they turned out. Re-leveled the frame a bunch to get the horizontal stab fixed into place with 1.6 degrees down on it's leading edge. Once that was drilled and secured I started the laborious process of squaring up the vertical and horizontal stabs and starting on the flying wires. I only got through making the first two for the leading edge top, but I have to say I'm really happy with how they turned out. Factory told me to do one washer for sizing, then because I have the stainless steel tabs I can remove them for the final install to make it tighten up. Hrs: 5 Total: 46

 Today I caught up on a few of the things that I started last week.  The left and right stringers went on after finishing trimming the spigots and deciding on the line. I figured I could just match the left stringer to the completed right one, but the welds were in different places so I ended up doing extra work to get the left one to fit. Once they both matched and looked the same I broke out the hysol which is kind of a pain to work with.  I then mounted the vertical stabilizer and finished its rivets and bolt so it's now fixed in place as well. Because I still had hysol in the baggie I worked quickly to finish the top stringer, drill, hysol, and rivet it in place. Next came the rivets to hold the rudder brackets in place for painting. The manual called for 3/32 rivets but didn't give a part number so after a bunch of tedious BS I had that done. Removed the rudder petals from the frame, degreased, and then hung for some etching primer.  Since that and all the hysol...

 I got frustrated with using the "kit plane builders Riv-Nut tool" and ordered a real one so I put the last two floor panels aside till I get that. I decided to go ahead and work through chapter 1 in the build manual to see what parts I could put together. I ended up doing a lot of reaming and fitting for parts. I also re-organized my parts table.  The vert stab has been giving me fits because it doesn't seem like it fits the rudder hinges appropriately. I have an email out to JA about it. They didn't answer the phones Friday. Other projects started: Started looking at the side stringer lines. Test fit the rudder petals, Paralleled up the control sticks in the mixer and started setting aside the installation parts for that. Test fit the horizontal stabs. Looking forward to more work on the stringers, and the back baggage walls sizing and cable run bracket cutouts. Much of the other things will have to wait for guidance from either Steve or JA.  Hrs: 12 Total: 34

I've spent a lot of time fitting, trimming, and de-burring aluminum sheet for the floor and baggage panels. Drilled the screw holes and opened up the frame attachment tabs for riv-nuts for the front footwell area so far. Working on the aft baggage floor panel attachment now.  There are chromoly fixtures coming through the floor in the forward baggage panel area, which I need to figure out how to make cutouts for, and what they're used for before I complete that one. Also have a lot of cutting and fitting to do on the aft baggage wall. I decided to use a slightly lighter weight aluminum panel, and cut it short for view access down the rear of the fuselage.  Hrs: 3 Total: 22

Last night I got started with the floor panel trimming and fitment, and also sanded down some of the powdercoating on the rear of the vertical stab so that it fits in its tubing.  I went through and buffed the edges of the aluminum floor panels to eliminate sharp corners, plus trimming the panels with sheers is new and exciting. Steve warned me about not trimming too much as the tubing of the frame should support some of the flooring, not just the welded tabs.  The plan for the rear panel of the baggage area is to cut it down to about half as high then use a netting to cover the top. I always liked seeing down the fuselage of aircraft, and it'll be my first step of saving a little weight.  Hrs: 3 Total: 19

Picked up all the metal parts from 6651 Customs in Vegas where they completed the powdercoating. Started reading ahead and locating parts for the floor panel install. Hrs: 2 Total: 16

Today I located a powdercoating place that agreed to lighty sandblast and apply RAL 7040 color powdercoat to the frame and all the metal parts. 6651 Customs will hopefully take good care of my kit and I'll be happy to get it back into the garage to start work. Hrs: 2 Total: 14

Worked with Ian to get the right engine harness components together to send off for cleanup from all the snowmobile quirks. Hrs: 1 Total: 12

+2hr unboxing and organizing workspace +1hr working with JA on kit details Amy is drop shipping Matco items direct from supplier. Need to find powdercoater in LV - emailed info for quote to one place and they turned me down, saying they can't work on planes because it takes a different type of powdercoat and their insurance won't cover it. They advised me to use a high temp rattle-can! hahaha... Onto the next place! +5 hours of inventory. Got through all 14 pages, next I need to rectify the items I didn't see with the items I have left over. Hrs: 8 Total: 11