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Part 15: Installing the "Upgrade Package" to our Zodiac CH 601 XL: Installing the Spar Wing Root Doubler (take two)

As shown previously (in Part 8), we had already installed a Wing Root Doubler (6-ZU-1-2) to the front side of the spar root, but as mentioned earlier (see my Part 13), a new Wing Root Doubler (6-ZU-1) replaces the previous doubler. This new doubler is cut… Continue

Added by Sebastien Heintz on November 25, 2009 at 5:30pm — 1 Comment

Part 14: Disassembling the Center Wing Spar Assembly and more...

As most of you know, we're now accepting orders for the Upgrade Package kit. We're not ready to ship the kits just yet, but we're getting everything organized so that we can ship as soon as the kit installation has been verified and documented, and that all the needed parts are in stock. We're prioritizing availability to first ship to those builders who are ready to install the Upgrade Package kit parts. We ask that those of you who are not ready yet to install the upgrade package to let us… Continue

Added by Sebastien Heintz on November 24, 2009 at 4:39pm — 4 Comments

Part 13: Removing the Wing Center Spar Section

Again, I want to thank Doug and Lori from Quality Sport Planes for organizing and hosting the free "Upgrade Workshop" this past weekend at their facility in Cloverdale, California (shown above). This was an excellent opportunity for Zodiac XL builders, owners, and pilots to learn about new upgrades, and how to install them. For more information, contact Quality Sport Planes at… Continue

Added by Sebastien Heintz on November 23, 2009 at 5:36pm — 3 Comments

Part 12: Installing the L-angle stiffeners to the rear bottom wing skins

Now we install L-angle stiffeners to the rear bottom wing skins:

This is an easy job with the top rear skin removed. We trim the L-angle piece to length, pre-drill it, and then drill and cleco it into the bottom rear skin:

We'll share the position measurements and exact details with the final drawings. The Upgrade drawings are nearly finalized (which will allow us to then release and… Continue

Added by Sebastien Heintz on November 20, 2009 at 4:30pm — 10 Comments

Part 11: Installing 3-position LED lights (and replacing the AeroFlash / Whelan strobes)

Since we have full access to the insides of our wings we decided that this was the perfect time to upgrade to new LED (light emiting diodes) lights. Note that this is not part of the Upgrade Package prescribed in AMD's Safety Alert and the FAA's SAIB - this is just an opportune time to install them (and also allows us to save a few pounds in the process).



This is the original Aeroflash-Signal anti-collision/position light assembly (nav/strobe light) on the left wingtip:…

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Added by Sebastien Heintz on November 19, 2009 at 4:30pm — 4 Comments

Part 10: Installing the "Upgrade Package" to our Zodiac CH 601 XL: Replacing the Fuselage Rear Wing Attach Plates

Here we move over to the aircraft fuselage and center spar section. Roger reviews the draft drawing 6-ZU-3.

Again, remember that the posted drawings are in DRAFT form and we are currently finalizing them...

We'll be replacing the original rear wing attach plate (6B5-4) with a heavy-duty 1/8-inch 6-ZU-3-5 Attach Plate. This is the plate that sticks out the sides of the center fuselage and that bolts to the wing's rear channel. Note that the… Continue

Added by Sebastien Heintz on November 18, 2009 at 4:59pm — 6 Comments

Part 9: Installing the "Upgrade Package" to our Zodiac CH 601 XL

Picking up where we left off in our last post, here we drill and bolt the cap spacer 6-ZU-1-6 centered between the original spar web 6W3-1 and the new wing root doubler 6-ZU-1-2:

Then we start deburring and riveting some of our Upgrade Package additions permanently into place, starting with the back of the wing, riveting the Top Rear Spar Angles and… Continue

Added by Sebastien Heintz on November 17, 2009 at 5:30pm — 1 Comment

Part 8: Installing the "Upgrade Package" to our Zodiac CH 601 XL: Installing the Spar Wing Root Doubler (beta)

Now we install the Wing Root Doubler (6-ZU-1-2) to the front side of the spar root:

The Wing Root Doubler is a flanged piece that sits in front of the spar:

We decided to drill out the existing inboard noserib and replace it so that we could drill the Wing Root Doubler flange well into the noserib flange (the replacement noserib will be supplied as part of the Upgrade Package kit):…

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Added by Sebastien Heintz on November 16, 2009 at 6:00pm — 3 Comments

Part 7: Installing the "Upgrade Package" to our Zodiac CH 601 XL: Installing the Aileron Bellcrank Support Channel

As mentioned in my last post, I invite Zodiac XL builders and owners to check out and contribute to the "Zodiac XL Upgrade Package Q&A"

This will help answer many of your questions, and we ask that you ask your questions here (so that we may share the answers with many of you).



We also announced that Quality Sport Planes (in Cloverdale, California) that they will host a free "… Continue

Added by Sebastien Heintz on November 15, 2009 at 4:30pm — 2 Comments

Part 6: Installing the "Upgrade Package" to our Zodiac CH 601 XL: Installing the Top Rear Spar Angle doubler

Next we install the Top Rear Spar Angle 6-ZU-1-3 reinforcement doubler inside the rear (spar) channel 6W7-2.

Below is a view of the angle inside the top rear channel (inboard, over the rear channel doubler 6-ZU-1-5 previously installed):

This angle doubler sits inside the top rear spar channel.

Steve first clamps… Continue

Added by Sebastien Heintz on November 14, 2009 at 3:30pm — 3 Comments

Part 5: Installing the "Upgrade Package" to our Zodiac CH 601 XL: Riveting the Spar Extrusion Angle

After having drilled out the rivets, we now cut out the original Top Spar Cap Angle (6W3-6) 1680 mm. from the inboard end to replace it with the 1/8-inch extruded angle 6-ZU-1-1, taking care not to cut into the rear upper spar cap (we leave the front upper spar doubler (cap 6W3-2) and the rear upper spar cap (6W3-2) intact):

We position and clamp the new Extrusion… Continue

Added by Sebastien Heintz on November 14, 2009 at 10:00am — 11 Comments

Part 4: Installing the "Upgrade Package" to our Zodiac CH 601 XL: Rear Channel Doubler

Next, we begin work on the rear channel doubler. This is a formed doubler that fits in the rear spar channel to beef up the rear spar attachment point.

The doubler is positioned on the inboard channel:

Steve drills and clecos the channel doubler:

Caleb and Roger drilling out the top main spar:

As we… Continue

Added by Sebastien Heintz on November 13, 2009 at 1:10pm — 3 Comments

Part 3: Installing the "Upgrade Package" to our Zodiac CH 601 XL: Drilling out the top inboard main wing spar

In our third installment, we drill now drill out the conventional bucked rivets of the top inboard main wing spar, starting where we left off with the top rear skin removed and the top of the nose skin opened:

Remember, I am posting this info to show you how we installed the Upgrade Package to our Zodiac CH 601 XL. This is not a set of instructions or a teaching aid. I only recommend that you attempt drilling out the solid rivets if you… Continue

Added by Sebastien Heintz on November 12, 2009 at 8:00pm — 9 Comments

Part 2: Installing the "Upgrade Package" to our Zodiac CH 601 XL: Drilling our the top wing skin rivets

In part two of this installment, we drill out the Avex blind rivets in the top wing skins. (Click here for the first post in this series on updating our Zodiac XL demonstrator per AMD's Safety Alert / Directive).



See the video clip at the bottom of this post for a good view of how we drilled out the blind rivets.



Removal of the wings and drilling… Continue

Added by Sebastien Heintz on November 11, 2009 at 9:30pm — 3 Comments

Installing the "Upgrade Package" to our Zodiac CH 601 XL

Since the FAA's Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) and AMD's Safety Alert / Directive were issued on Saturday, November 7, 2009, we've begun the job of updating our Zodiac XL demonstrator per Zenair Upgrade drawings. As the kit factory, we want to have this done as soon as possible while also… Continue

Added by Sebastien Heintz on November 11, 2009 at 10:30am — 15 Comments

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