New Wings

Pitot static lines

Posted on April 18, 2024 by Neal

Tonight I started on the task of running pitot static lines from the wing attach point to the panel. There are two lines that run in from the wing, a pitot line and an AOA line. They will t-off behind the panel with one line going into the back of the AHARS, which is mounted to the back of the PFD, and the other lines running to the G5 backup instrument.

This ribs already have one set of holes running through the seat ribs that is just the right soze for one line. There are other holes too, the outboard ribs have two additional holes for installing gear leg bolts for tri-gear models. The inboard ribs have tooling holes. I enlarged one of three tooling holes on each of three two ribs under the pilot seat, and installed snap bushings. Conveniently, the spar already has two holes I can use to run these lines forward of the spar and into the center tunnel.

I’m planning to install quick connect fittings somewhere under the pilot seat, probably on one of the inboard ribs. I ordered a few fittings from Stein Air and will tackle that when they arrive.

Shavings visible for enlarging the top hole. The angle of the camera makes it look like these holes are closely spaced, but there’s over an inch edge distance.

After using the step drill to enlarge one of the tooling holes. I actually drilled a new hole to offset the center of the enlarged hole, ensuring enough clearance

Torquing aileron pushrods

Posted on August 7, 2022 by Neal

Today I torqued up all the bolts on the aileron, and lock nuts on the aileron pushrods. The lock nuts on the pushrods use thin jam nuts, so I referred to AC43 page 7-9 table 7-1 and used the 320 nut values. For the short pushrod this was 40, and the longer one, 100 inch pounds.

I applied torque seal on all the nuts I final torqued.

I also took the opportunity to apply touch up paint to the pushrods, painting over the ends of the aluminum rivets in the shorter pushrod.

Torqued jam nut. Note painted rivet ends.

Fuel pump, fuel lines

Posted on August 6, 2022 by Neal

Tonight I reinstalled the NPT fittings into the wing tank using Loctite 565. I also reinstalled the fuel filter and pump, securing the NPT threaded fitting with Loctite 565. I completed the torquing of the flexible fuel line at the pump end, leaving the firewall fitting end finger tight. Once I have installed the elbow fitting onto the firewall, I’ll torque that end. I torqued the nuts on the outboard elbow fittings, setting those to 120 inch pounds, after finding that value on VAF. Then I installed the fuel line between the selector valve and the pump, and final torquing those fittings.

I also final torqued the bolts on the aileron torque tubes in the wing root area.

Torqued the flared fitting between fuel pump and firewall

Final torqued this nut to 120 inch pounds, on both sides of the fuselage

Torque tube bolts torqued and torque sealed

Fuel pump installed, along with the fuel line connecting to the selector valve

Bottom skin riveting

Posted on June 23, 2022August 19, 2022 by Neal

Riveting the j-channel

Today I riveted the j-channel to the bottom wing skin on the right wing.

Right wing bottom skin

Posted on June 21, 2022 by Neal

Today I spent some time riveting the bottom right skin. I was able to rivet all then way up to the j-channel. So far it has been straight forward and no issues, but I suspect it will become increasingly challenging as I get closer to the main spar.

I slipped in the j-channel, making sure to go between the inboard j-channel and the skin, and then clecoed it into position. I then checked the clearance between the j-channel and the rib cut outs, and everything looked good.

The duct tape straps are to hold the skin away from the ribs to allow easier access to buck rivets. I need to remember to take out the padding on the spa soon, else it will be stuck there forever!

Clearance between the j-channel and one of the ribs. Because the j-channel was match drilled there’s a chance that the alignment could be off. This one looks great on all ribs.

Left wing bottom skin

Posted on June 11, 2022June 13, 2022 by Neal

Today I clecoed the old left wing bottom skin to the new one, marked out the pitot tube mast mount holes, and then drilled them all. I also made a start of cutting out the mast hole, but didn’t finish that step.

I previously decided to replace the left bottom skin. On my first pair of QB wings, I had riveted on most of the left skin before deciding to replace the wings due to faulty primer. Because I had painstakingly positioned the pitot tube mast mount holes on the old skin, I drilled out all of the rivets and removed the skin before sending the wings back to Vans. I couldn’t reuse the skin because too many of the holes were enlarged.

Drilled j-channel

Posted on May 28, 2022 by Neal

On the right wing, I match drilled the three holes into the j-channel stiffeners on the bottom skin. These three holes are where the two lengths of channel overlap, and they need match drilling.

Nothing much to report, I had to install and remove the skin to mark the hole positions, and didn’t encounter any issues.

Once the holes were drilled, I deburred and dimpled them.