Tonight I finished the left hand control stick. I still need to install connectors on both wiring harnesses, and plan to use d-sub connectors, vs the standard molex from Vans.
Having already done the right stick, the left stick was faster. I cut and fit the sleeve, installed the grip, routed the wires and checked the buttons to ensure they were working as specified.
My concern with both sticks is the possibility of chaffing on the wiring where it exits the tube. To counter the possibility, I covered the wire bundle with mesh, used (electrical grade) silicone around the hole, and will zip-tie the wire bundle to minimize movement. I wish there was more I could do, but I’m out of ideas. I may need to research this more…
This is where the wiring exits the stick tube, while I was routing the wires, and before using silicone and mesh. I have deburred and smoothed out the hole, but still feel that there’s a probability of this cutting into the wiring.The inside of the stick grip before attaching to the stick tube
Tonight I finished setting up the right hand control stick, by installing the stick grip. I still need to wire up the molex connector, but it’s great to see how it looks installed in the plane. The stick grip feels very comfortable, solid, and easy to manipulate.
The most time consuming part was cutting a slot in the control stick tube, and then drilling holes through the stick. However, the sleeve made for an easy guide and I was able to get it nicely finished. I primed the sleeve and then carefully routed the wiring down the tube and out the hole at the base of the stick tube. I had to enlarge the wiring hole with the step drill, then give it a slightly oblong shape to allow the wiring to pass through without difficulty. I used some mesh to serve as an anti-chaffing layer, and secured it with some shrink seal.
Front view of the right side stick. Note the wiring exiting the tube at the bottom.Installed in the plane
I had been trying to decide what to do in terms of control sticks for the airplane, and finally decided to go with infinity stick grips. They offer a huge array of button options, but I decided to just get the standard configuration, without flaps.
The other option I was considering was Tosten sticks from Vans, which are ready-made and wired. I think the Infinity sticks look a bit better, and that was the deciding factor for me.
I might regret not getting flaps on the stick, but I feel more comfortable with the flap switch on the panel. The situation I was thinking about was a go-around. A last-minute go around involves applying a lot of nose-down trim, while also raising the flaps, and applying full power. I couldn’t imagine how my left thumb would be able to manage flaps and trim, simultaneously. Made more sense to me to have left hand doing pitch, and right hand doing power and flaps. Anyway, I can always make a change if I learn something that changes my mind.
So I started the work by stripping off powder coat on the top 2 inches of the stick, so the sleeve can fit over the stick tube. Then I drilled holes and cut a slot in the back of the stick tube. It is kinda tricky centering the holes, and I’m still working on final sizing the holes.
Left hand stick gripLeft-hand stick grip.Right hand control stick with slot cut. This is where wires will be channeled from the grip buttons into the tube and down to the connector at the base.
Today I installed the flap position sensor. I tried a right angle drill bit to see if I could drill the torque tube without removing it. There’s just not enough room, so I reverted to unbolting it and moving it. I found by sliding it up in was able to get a clear enough line to drill the hole. I used a 12 inch drill bit and flexed it slightly to get square onto the torque tube.
After unbolting the flap torque tube, I was able to slide it up enough to drill the required #30 hole
With the hole drilled, I moved on to fabricating the connecting rod. This was easy enough.
Bending the sensor rodThe rod in it’s final shape, just needs to be trimmed
Instead of using a molex connector, I followed the SteinAir how-to video and used d-sub pins and sockets to form the connections. Each wire’s connector is then covered with heat-shrink to insulate it.
Sensor installed, and flap torque tube reinstalled and bolts torqued
With all that done, I installed the rod and then reinstalled the flap torque tube, which was the hardest part of the whole process. Then I mounted the sensor, and stopped for the day. I still need to tidy up the wiring, but will do that later this week.
Tonight I finished routing the wiring harness. I was able to connect the headset jacks, the control stick, and the flap motor. Still to-do is the flap position sensor, the baggage light, and then working out how to tension the wires to stop them moving around.
Most of the work was a repeat of the right hand side. The time was spent fishing wires through the various ribs, then installing bushings. Because the connectors are already installed on the harness, the routing needs some patience. It also means the the bushings all need to be sliced in one place so that they can be spread apart and installed over the wires, then inserted into their locations in the ribs.
The flap position sensor is on backorder from Vans, but installation looks simple enough. The baggage light needs some thought and research, as this is not in the plans. I need to decide where to route the wires, where to place the light(s), which light I need, and where to locate the switch.
Tonight I started on the left-hand side wiring harness, and was able to run the wiring through to the stick. Hopefully I can get close to finishing tomorrow, although it might take another day or so. In addition to the headset jacks, the flap motor and baggage compartment light wiring needs to be installed before it’s done.
Tonight I finished installing the right hand side harness. I drilled holes for the headset jacks, installed them, and then installed the 12v power socket and aux audio plug.
The headset jacks need to be isolated from the airframe, so I measured and enlarged one of the two holes to fit the spacer washer. Then I located and enlarged a new hole for the LEMO jack, and installed all of the jacks on the right hand side. I covered the ports with electrical tape to prevent debris from building up.
With that done, I moved to the 12v power port and headset jack. The 12v socket installed easily, and I had that installed quickly. The aux audio port was wired for a molex plug, but the small pins were very annoying to work with. I decided to use d-sub pins and sockets to connect the port, and that worked out much better. If the port ever needed to be replaced, the heatshrink can be carefully sliced open, and the pins separated.
The harness extending all the way aft and plugging into the tail cone harness. There’s a little bit of slack in this section, so once I have the other end hooked up to the panel, if the slack remains, I’ll secure with adel clamps.The harness extends outboard to the wing root. Just before it passes outboard, the headset jacks branch off. Headset jack holes. This is actually the left hand side, but it’s a mirror image of the right.Headset jacks installed12v power socket installed D-sub pins connecting the aux audio port to the harness, instead of the molex connector
Tonight I started installing the WH-00125 fuselage wiring harness. Avionics Systems are building my panel, and shipped me the wiring harnesses. There are standard harnesses with a couple of modifications, one for the FlyELD lights, and the other for a baggage compartment light.
The install is straightforward. Because all of the connectors are already wired up, I can route the cables, then cut slots in the bushings so I can slip them over the wire bundle, and insert into the ribs and bulkheads.
I didn’t get a picture, but I was able to complete most of the right hand side wiring hardness install. I still need to locate and drill a hole for the LEMO headset port, and wire up the aux-audio and 12-volt power port.
WH-00125 hardness I’m the shipping boxStarting to route the right hand side wiring
On Friday last week I started the remote canopy release modification, and I wrapped it up last night.
The original canopy release mechanism has a handle in the middle of the panel, towards the top. The handle is one end of a steel rod, and the other end is connected to a lever that sits behind the sun-panel. That lever drives a simple mechanism that extends and retracts the canopy hinge pins.
The downside of this approach is the loss of usable space on the panel. So Vans created a modification to relocate the handle. By using a cable instead of a steel tube, the handle can be placed anywhere. The recommended location is forward of the fuel selector valve, in a recessed area.
The modification was quite straight forward, and over several evening sessions I was able to wrap it up. I’ll have to remove the covers again so I can install the fuselage wiring harness, but that should be an issue.
Cover with cutout area marked upAfter cutting the cover, riveting the recessed area, painting, and installing on the cover. This is where the handle will sitInstalling the new bracket. To assist, I rolled the fuselage upside down making access much easier.Handle with hole drilled for safety wire The mechanism removed and ready to be modifiedThe lever is reoriented in this mod. Here I’ve drilled the new holes and reinstalled the lever in it’s new orientationMechanism reinstalled with new lever positioningA close up of the modification needed to allow the action to clear the ribs. I carefully enlarged the holes per the plans, allowing 1/8 clearance between the ribs and the moving partsHandle painted and installed. Unfortunately the paint is already flaking off, so I will likely replace with some yellow vinyl tape.
Last night and tonight I installed the remaining canopy seals. I decided to remove the canopy from the plane so I could get better access, and that made the job much easier.
Forward canopy sealsCanopy sealsJust visible at the bottom of the canopy rail is the side sealSide seal installed
