Touch Up Paint and Wing Seal

Last evening Dave left me a small bottle of clear coat to go over the red paint.  I touched up several spots today.  One on the spinner, one on the fuselage near the fuel cap, the tops of the air vents and a few other small places.  Along with these areas I also put clear coat on the canopy forward arms.  I touched up a couple of small white spots also.  Then I tackled the wing seal.  I set up my metal saw horses and put moving pads over them.  I pulled the spar pins and pulled the wings out one by one.  It was not to difficult.  I had previously marked the wing roots where the skins needed to be cut back to allow for the foam wings seals. I used my left and right snips to cut the wing root skins back to the lines I made yesterday.  The cut edge of the wing root skin came out just fine.  I deburred the edges and then put the wing seal on the fuselage on the left side and pushed the wing back in place.  I did the same on the right side.

The tube plugs I ordered came and I inserted one on each end of the step tubes.  These plugs look good and finish of the tubes very nicely.  The next engine run will have to wait until next week.

First Engine Start – SUCCESS!!!

Upon arrival at the hangar today I removed the lower cowl.  I pulled the airplane out of the hangar and put 4 gals of fuel in the tank.  I turned on the master switch and when the SkyView screen came up I put in the fuel pump fuse.  The pump began to make the normal racket.  I opened the fuel valve and fit began pumping fuel.  It was just a few seconds and I had fuel pressure at the engine.  I switched the master off and disconnected the fuel supply line from the gascolator fitting.  I attached a section of 5/16" rubber hose on a piece of tubing and attached it to the gascolator. I turned on the master switch and opened the fuel valve.  It took 120 seconds to pump 1 gal of fuel into a bucket.  The max allowable time is 180 seconds.  I hooked up the fuel line and returned the fuel to the tank.  The Moller gauge on the tank registers 4-gallons, so it seems to be correct.  There were no signs of a leak, no smell of gas so it appears there is not a problem with the fuel system.  

I reinstalled the lower cowl along with the oil cooler. I left the airport to pick-up Tim from work.  He agreed to help with the first start.  When we got to the airport we checked out the intercom to make sure it is working, and it is. Next we checked the brakes to make sure they are holding and they are.   We rolled the airplane out of the hangar and chocked the wheels.  I got inside and had Tim stand at the wing tip with a fire extinguisher.  I turned on the switches, called "clear" and started the engine.  It fired right up.  The engine ran and all of the things to be checked off in the PAP engine ground run were good.  After a couple of minutes I shut the engine down and we rolled the airplane back into the hangar. 

SUCCESS!!  It is good the have the first run out of the way.  I will go back tomorrow and run it again and sync the carbs. 

Wing Walk Compound

Today I put the final coat of wing walk compound on the wings and steps.  I removed the masking tape and everything looks good.  I also received an email telling me the tube caps I ordered to insert  into the ends of the step tubes have shipped.  They should be here in a few days.  I also removed the lower cowl and attached the oil cooler.  It was not seated in the guide bolts so I lowered the cowl, seat the oil cooler and installed the upper bolts so it is now ready for an engine start.  Of course I will need to remove the cowl again tomorrow to do the PAP fuel system and gascolater check.

Canopy Seal, Wing Walk, CarbMate

I worked on a some different things at the hangar today.  I made several trips to Lowe's, the copy shop and other supply places.  I went to Lowe's and EVCO House of Hose to get some fittings to hook-up the CarbMate to balance the carburetors.   At Lowe's I was able to purchase some barbed fittings that go into the rubber hose which attaches to the CarbMate and which also fit into the rubber hose on the balance tube.  At EVCO House of Hose I purchased a barbed coupler for the 2-3' sections of rubber hose that came with the CarbMate plus a 6' piece of hose so I now have 2-6' pieces of hose hooked to the CarbMate.  Now I can easily put it in the cockpit when I adjust the carburetors. I disconnected the balance tube and installed the 1/2" hose on the elbow coming out of the intake manifold.  I also have a clamp to hold the fitting in the rubber side of the balance tube setup.  After checking to make sure everything fits properly I reattached the balance to so I can do my first engine run in a day or two.  

I finished the canopy seal kit by tightening the fasteners holding the rear canopy seal in place.  I then installed the 2-side pieces of seal just forward of the instrument panel.  I used Pliobond to glue these pieces of foam seal in place.  I cut them and trimmed them but I am not going to lower the canopy for a couple of days to let the adhesive cure.  

I put a  second coat of wing walk compound on the wings and steps.  I think the 2^nd coat looks a lot better.  I think one more coat should complete the project.  I will get that coat on tomorrow.

Tom Gierhart and I have set a day and time for the inspection.  It will be Tuesday, May 20^th at 10:00 am.  I also told Tom the FAA issued my registration with my name spelled Allen instead of Allan.  He called the FAA Registration office and they said it needs to be corrected.  They faxed a "fly wire", or 30 day temporary registration which must remain in the airplane until the office registration arrives.  I know the spelling mistake was a clerical error because I filled out the form and I think I know how to spell my name correctly.  I emailed John Albury about my trim setting.  I confirmed that it is correct at 1-7/8".  

Stabilator/AST Takeoff Setting, White Paint, Canopy install, Wing Walk Compound

Today I did several things.  I was at the hangar several times.  I started the day by adjusting the AST pushrod so the measurements between the AST and stabilator trailing edges are what they are supposed to be.  Now the takeoff trim setting is below the center line of the trim setting bar, but not at the bottom 3^rd of the graph as others have theirs set.  I am going to send a picture of the measurement and the graph to John Albury and see what he thinks.

Dave finished touching up the red and white paint on Saturday.  It looks good and I am pleased with his work.  The scuffs that I did and the couple on the wings I think occurred during transit are gone.  The canopy arms are painted and the canopy is installed one again.  I still need to put the last couple of seal pieces behind the canopy arms and tighten the screws and nuts on the rear seal, but I can do that tomorrow.

I worked on a one page checklist.  I used the checklist I received from John Albury and printed saved a new checklist.  I will have it laminated and then it can go in the side pocket in the cockpit.  

I decided this afternoon to start putting the wing walk compound on the wings and the steps.  I masked the wing area.  I used the wing walk material from Vans to get an idea of what area it should cover.  I used masking tape to lay it out.  I also taped off an area on each step for the compound.  The material I am using is some wing walk compound I purchased from Aircraft Spruce.  My understanding is it will hold up a lot better than the vinyl wing walk covering.  I shook the can of compound for a while then opened it up.  The stuff is really gritty.  Of course it is supposed to be.  I used a brush to apply the first layer.  It covered fairly well, but there are brush marks with the white showing through.  I am going to get a small roller and tray to put on the next several coats.

Though you can't see it in the painted picture, I rounded the corners of the wing walk area.  I also rounded the top of the compound on the step.  I hope this all turns out OK.  This afternoon I ordered some tubing plugs for the ends of the step tubes.  They should be here in a few days.  I also went by the Trophy Case to pick-up my data plate.  It is supposed to be on the airplane before the inspection.  They told me they would have it finished today.  When I was there they had not even started it and I was told the person who will do the engraving will not be in until tomorrow.  It is too bad when you must rely on other people.