Re: Jigging 701 Cabin Frame

Following the procedures in the plans and manual for levelling fuselage, Hz tubes on cabin frame and engine mount, I jigged drilled and cleco'd the cabin frame to the AC. I supported the assembly at the

bottom of the firewall to get everything level (Fwd fuse is rivetted to rear fuse). When all was done I pulled the support from under the firewall, and of course everything sagged a bit leaving

the side tubes with a slight decline angle from level…

You're invited to join us for our "Fly In To Summer" Builder Fly-In Gathering at the Zenith Aircraft Factory.

This will be our ninth annual "Fly in to…

Found a boat storage facility that will allow me to store/work on the 701 project  (folding-wing option).  Hangars & build-space non-existent in North Dallas area.  New generator arrives today; likely spend the next few days electrifying the shop.  Finished plumbing & wiring the Viking 110 yesterday, Hope to get the project moved soon.

DID A WEIGHT & BLANCE LAST WEEK CAME OUT JUST RIGHT WITH OUT MOVEING A THING.  Next   FAA .  Its only taken me 15 long years to get to this point

After a couple of weekends of work I have finished making a 1/4" radius nosebar for my brake. Since there are very few pieces that need a 1/4" radius bend I originally tried to make a nose bar out of plywood to use on my 4 foot brake. However it was just not up to the task of bending the .063 pieces of aluminum needed for the firewall.

I fabricated a similar 1/8" radius nosebar four or five years ago. This is not the first time I have made a nosebar. The stands I made, mentioned in…

While ordering 4130 tubing for making various steel parts of my project I noticed that the 1-1/8" with .058 inch wall tubing has an inner diameter of just over an inch. I happen to have some 1" acme rod and nuts that would fit quite nicely  inside that tube. After scavenging pieces from a few other stands I was able to put together the following

Instead of…

We all have to start somewhere.  Here is my first rivet. Only a Bazillion to go.

(Zenith is Smiling with Lynn Beckhorn in Washington)

We have noticed when talking with our Zenith Aircraft potential builders and existing builders and flyers that there…

It has become old hat to complain about the decline of General Aviation. We can rant about the costs, how airports have been fenced off, or any number of ailments.

This tract is a little about one of those symptoms, a little about how to make flying more fun, and about making flying safer.

There is a vicious circle, a fully developed spin that we must recover from. Something that used to be ordinary, but is now feared.

Something that is fun, but potentially…

Sunday,  April 10 2016 marked the second year anniversary of the first flight of my 601.  The celebratory flight on Sunday ticked the Hobbs to 400.6 hours. In two years, from my home base in the northeast,  I've had my 601 as far west as Oshkosh and as far south as South Carolina.  I still have a big grin on my face after every flight! 

The airframe and engine have performed well and I couldn't be happier.  To those of you in the building process I say keep at it and do…

Special Thanks to Doug Dugger for performing the First Flight on my 701 this last Friday.  He and Steve Smith flew down to my cow pasture runway to perform the first flight.  All Went perfectly.  What a joy to see five years of work go airborne.

While doing layouts for the fuselage side skins earlier today, I decided to throw together this little bit of javascript

to help me calculate rivet spacing's. Not everything is a nice multiple of 20 or 40 millimeters.

I have a web server on my home network so I can bring this up in my IPad while I am in the shop.

Enter the distance and the desired rivet spacing. The page will print out the hole locations at or under

the desired rivet…

I just moved to a new house and my workshop and tools are still packed in boxes, so the best I could do to keep myself sane and say "I'm doing something" is get to Kinko's and have a working copy of the plans made. I also had both sets spiral bound with a clear front cover and plastic back cover. 

It's not much, but it's a start! :)…

Just received the Tail Kit today.  Will start building this weekend.  pictures to come.

A couple of pics of my engine choice

Found it on barnstormers

Had been looking for a cam100 and found this one with 250 hours on it.

Older Honda civic EW2 engine core - good reliable engines

The 2.4 - 1  PSRU is a really beefy titanium,…

1. 
   
   Back at it after a two years away form the project
   
   Skinned the horiz stab.
   
   plans building, so I oversized the skin to start
   
   Will trim and clean up skin once removed for deburring and priming of mating surfaces

Had a bit of runout on the forward spar top rivet line. (2.5 mm)

Checked the zenith construction…