Week 151 - Canopy

Hours to date: 1346.5

As you can see below I've made a start on the canopy.

It seems to be going okay so far.

The copious notes and many photos I took seem to be a great help.

The frame does not fit the fuse very well - it needs to be clamped at the sides. Even then there is still a gap at the front and back - so that will have to be sorted out with micro to the fuse.

The frame also has a heap of air bubble cavities in it - again these will need fixing with micro.

On the throttle I found after installation that it was rubbing on my thigh - due to the angle of the cell it was flocked to. This is no good and I was thinking I may have to rip it out and start again. I left it a night then had the thought to just bend the throttle lever outwards a little - so this is what I've done. The brake lever is fine where it is (just as well as that couldn't really be bent as it is double the thickness of the throttle lever). 

Something to bear in mind if you have not installed your throttle yet - perhaps a good idea to allow for this. If I were to do the job again I would build a wedge of flock on the cell first to get the angle better. Wise after the event as usual!

I'm not sure I will do another blog post for a few weeks as I'm off on holiday to India and Sri Lanka next week.

Canopy frame just sitting on fuse - massive gaps.

Loads of cavities to fill on the frame

Fits better with clamps - determining the position of the cut outs for the hinges here

Figuring out where to make the cut outs for the opening mechanism

Packing tape for a release of the hinges on the fuse

Cut outs getting there...

Flocking in the hinges to the frame

Ditto

Week 150 - Pitot tube and throttle assembly

Hours to date: 1336.0

A very quick update this week - as I'm super busy at work.

With the help of the 'grabber' I was able to secure the pitot tube line to the back of the wing spar. I used the same 'U' shaped fiberglass brackets I've used previously for the rudder cable tubes.

I've also fitted the throttle cable and bonded in the throttle/brake assembly (using copious amounts of flock) I'll be adding two bolts and nuts to this later as an extra securing method.

More detail on all of this next time I post.

Pitot hole fixed up with flock

Pitot line being fixed to rear of main spar

Throttle/brake assembly bonded onto bottom of safety cell.

Week 149 - Pitot tube

Hours to date: 1327.25

A fairly good couple of weeks progress has been made. The Port wing is now up to speed. 

A minor setback - the rear pin bearing (and therefore the factory drilled hole) were not in the right place. Only out by about 3mm. Matthias is sending me a new bearing so I'll get this fixed soon.

I've even started on the pitot tube.

A reasonably straight forward job this one.

Bond the end pieces into the tube (with runny flock).

Drill a 16mm hole into the leading edge - where it lines up with the outboard end of the Aileron.

Then using a long drill bit (more than 250mm) to drill through the main spar (!).

The tube has to be angled down by 2 degrees. This put me off a bit as I was so worried about getting it angled down I ended up drilling the hole in the spar a little too high. Then I had to enlarge the hole in the leading edge until the tube was at 2 degrees.

If I could do the job again I would ignore the 2 degrees bit while drilling and just drill in the middle of the spar. Then afterwards I would just enlarge the hole in the leading edge at the bottom until 2 degrees is achieved. 

Anyway - it's nothing a little flock won't fix!

Next up will be fixing the Tygon tube to the rear of the main spar. This will be done with the U shaped fiberglass brackets (same as I made up for the rudder cable guide tubes).

You can see below the new tool I bought for this job - a long handled 'grabber'. I should have bought this ages ago - it's going to come in very handy I think.

I've finished the last of the composite screws too on the fuel system (for the time being anyway - until the engine is on).

Next job will most likely be the canopy.

Rear wing pin bearing is out - by about 3mm

Pitot - inline with aileron outboard edge

Long drill to get through main spar

Pitot tube before bonding in end pieces (it's the retractable type)

2 degrees

Establishing Zero degrees

Lockwire on pitot end fittings - I had to use a 5 to 6mm adapter for the tube

Hole needs to be fixed with flock

Long 'Grabber'

Another composite screw with P-clips for the Port fuel lines

More composite screws and P-clips for the oil cooler lines

Ditto for the fuel lines on the firewall back

 

Safety Cell article

Another poorly researched article - this time from LOOP.

It makes the safety cell idea sound like some kind of brand new innovation.

The Twister has had it for over 10 years now.

The Twister is truly a plane ahead of its time.

Click on the images for a bigger view.