Test Flight 1: First Flight!

 

Test Flight: 1
Date: Sunday January 10th
Description: First flight of the aircraft
Objectives: Extensive preflight and run-up of the aircraft, high speed taxi / aborted takeoff, normal take off, initial systems checkout while in the pattern, depart the pattern for engine break in, return to base, normal landing.

Airplane Condition: 40 gallons of fuel, 9.5qts of oil as read on the dip stick, 50lbs of ballast in the baggage compartment, single pilot (150lbs)

Test Flight Track Log:

Test Flight Report:

 

 

Door Locks (Part 2)

The door locks are pretty much just a standard 90 degree turn to open cam lock, with a 5 pin wafer lock cylinder that has a square drive threaded interface to the cam bar itself.

The length of the threaded portion of the lock is roughly 5/8".

The diameter of the threaded portion is designed for a 3/4" hole. 

 

With an overall diameter of the bezel being around 7/8".

The cam interface is a square drive and is retained by a screw. The cylinder itself is retained via the clip shown below.

One of the more distinguishable aspects of this lock is that the 90 degree rotation is constrained by the housing itself in combination with the cylinder. Here you can see the two slots at 0 and 90 degrees. (sorry for the terminology, I am obviously not a locksmith).

Also, if you look at the face of the housing above you will see two dogs at 11 and 1. Those limit the rotation and interface with the cylinder itself. (look at the dog just above the silver cover)

The wafers are a little different. I don't know exactly what they are, but I ordered a couple of different wafer styles so I can re-key the lock. These almost look more like a Toyota style wafer than they do the normal universal wafers for cam locks. I was able to take the wafers out of a CCL cam lock and put them into this cylinder and they worked. Rather than mess too much with it before the my wafer kits arrive, all I did was take all the wafers out of the two new door locks I ordered, and re-arranged three out of the five wafers to match my ignition key (minus 2 wafers). This is good enough for the time being, but I will make a new part three post when my new wafers arrive.

March Status Photos

I have spent a good amount of time getting my panel console fitted. Everything for the most part goes right in, but there are minor cosmetic tweaks and fitting that does need to happen. It is good to see the panel looking like a panel!


As of now, I have the VPX, GTR-20, GSU primary and backup, GEA24 and the AUX fuse block mounted.


Looking back I have a mess!


The engine is coming together nicely. I got my exhaust from Vetterman and they did a wonderful job.


I have the doors complete, but I am waiting on the weather to warm up a bit before I finish cutting my plexi-glass.


Side view






I did notice that the desiccant on a couple of cylinders was starting to go clear. I replaced all of the desiccant in the plug adapters just to get ahead of that.



I have Beringer nosewheel and mains. I am waiting on the weather to warm to finishing dura-coating some of the wheel components.




I have spent a lot of time going through this door. My neighbor caught me the other day in the tail of the plane and I told them that I would be out in a minute because I was a little stuck at that point in time. They responded with "Looks like you should have built it a little bigger." If only it was that easy.