Researched rudder & elevator cables tension

Initial investigation of the required tension of the control cables led me to this coment by Chris Ayer on the Zenith.Aero Builder's Site:  "around 20 lbs on the rudder cables and around 30 lbs on the elevator" whatever that means. But like Ralph pointed out if you give full right, forward elevator the up-elevator cable will tighten and loosen when left turn pressure is applied. I put mine in the neutral position and tighten it only to the extent I could get that full right deflection (thats the top cable). I tighten the turnbuckle on the bottom cable until it was almost straight.(slight sag). My rudder cables are spring loaded so its a mute point (I recommend spring loading the rudder cables). I have flown my 701 for 25 hours thus far with excellent results."

Warp Drive Propeller (Ser. # 19433)

Warp Drive Propeller Assembly

The Warp Drive Propeller arrived today via UPS from Warp Drive, Inc., Ventura, IA 50482.  Serial # N1943.   It is a 3-blade, 68" diameter with ground adjustable pitch with an HPL-R Hub Assembly.  Also included in the packaging is a set of Stoneguard Leading edge Protection tapes and an A&P type protractor tool for setting the pitch of the blades.

Install port rear spar strut fittings (7V4-4)

Rear upper strut fitting (7V4-4) install at trailing edge of rib #3

Installed rear upper strut fitting (7V4-4) to rear channel at rib #4.  Difficult assembly (pg 7V5).  Requires 12 A5 rivets through 7V4-4 into rear channel, a short L-angle doubler at the rear channel and flaperon mount; and a longer l-angle bent to match the bottom surface of the wing lying along the rear channel.  All require A5 rivets in tight spaces.  Angle drill required.

Complete port rear spar channel installations

Port wing rear spar channels

Finished installation of the rear channel (spar) components.

Started installation of rear channels to create rear spar

Rear channel (spar) installation)

Rear channel (spar) installation

Install the rear channels (prepared with the stb wing build) to create the rear spar.  Used the template from the stb wing construct & same method.

Port wing ribs installation

Port wing ribs behind the nose ribs.

Install (silver) port wing ribs behind the nose ribs.  Assure vertical placement with square.

Install port spar doublers & nose ribs

Port wing nose rib install (silver)

Port wing nose ribs in place

Using the station lines as references, installed the 3 front spar L-angle doublers at stations 480, 1160, & 2760.  Installed all 6 nose ribs in their proper locations assuring vertical placement with square.

Prepare fpr Port wing build

Collected all components for construction of the port wing.  Labeled all parts and scribed all center-lines in preparation.

Fabricated wing wiring harnesses

Wiring harness parts

Grounding busses

Positive & Negative Busses

Added Molex pins to various lengths of cables for later electrical installations.

22 AWG, 2-conductor, shielded (Radio Shack):
(1) 18' tail-light assembly connector to inst. panel
(2) 6' stb wing-tip light connector at wing root to inst. panel
(3) 6' port wing-tip light connector at wing root to inst. panel
(4) 6' AOA vane to port wing root connector
(5) 6' AOA vane port wing connector to inst. panel (indicator)

22 AWG, 3-conductor, shielded:
(1) 4' AOA indicator (inst panel) to buses 

28 AWG, 5-conductor, shielded:
(1) 18' elevator trim servo to inst. panel & pilot stick grip

Fabricate wing storage cradle

Stb Wing in Storage Cradle

Stb Wing in Storage Cradle

Used scrap lubber to fabricate a cradle for upright wing storage.  This will save space and allow the wings to be moved into the storage shed along with the empenage, flaps, and slats.

Fiberglass Wing Root Nose Skin Install

Fiberglass wing root nose skin in place

Fiberglass wing root nose skin in place - wires are for lights & fuel sensor connections

Added epoxy resin with micro-balloons to the nose skin and sanded smooth.  Removed skin from the form and trimmed to fit for installation.

Will try the aluminum sheet nose skin (7V9-3) again on the port wing, but will probably require a port side form for another fiberglass skin.

Wing root leading edge top skin mold (fiberglass)

Wing root nose skin poly-urethane foam mold

Wing root nose skin on mold

Wing root nose skin ready for release from mold

After several attempts to get the nose portion of the aluminum skin to fit the compound curve of the stb wing,  I decided to try mold a fiberglass part.  Made plywood copies of #1 nose rib and root nose rib.  Fastened into position on another piece of plywood.  Used 2-part poly-urethane foam to construct the compound curve of the part & laid-up the skin with 4-oz. fiberglass cloth using West System 105 marine epoxy resin.

This worked well, but I'd have to make the mirror image form for the port wing.  I decided to give the two part aluminum skinning process another try and was successful on the port wing.  I now have one wing root nose in fiberglass (stb) and one in aluminum (port).

Trial fit of wing root top skin leading edge - No Joy

After many hours, could not get the  wing root top skin leading edge to make the compound curve.  Decided to make a male mold to lay-up a fiberglass part.

Trial fit of wing root top skin (single piece - 7V9-3)

Wing Root Top Skin (7V9-3) cut into 2 pieces ... rear

Wing Root Top Skin (7V9-3) cut into 2 pieces ... rear

Spent several hours trying to bend/fit the compound curve of 7V9-3 to conform to the wing root.  Could not make the difficult compound curve around the tapered nose skin.  Decided to try Jon;s method of cutting the piece (7V9-3) into two by cutting along the position of the front spar. 

Rear portion of the top skin fell into place nicely.  drilled and clecoed (silver).

Layout Wing Root Top Skin (7V9-3)

One-piece wing root cover

Plot coordinates from plans table for compound curve of wing root top skin (7V9-3).  this is a higly complex set of bends to curve the nose portion around nose rib #1 and tapered into the root rib.  Used nibbler to cut out the part. 

Preparation of wing root angle (7V9-3A)

Wing Root L-angle flattens at rear

Wing Root L-angle in place under top skin

Compound curve crimped into flat wing root L-angle and fitted to the wing root at rib # 1. 

For the stb wing, the bay between the root rib and rib1 will have quick connect/disconnect fittings for the nav/pos lights, the fuel sensor wires, fuel line to header tank, and vent line from header tank.

Completed twing tip and nav/pos light fixture install

Wig tip gap - will add epoxy filler

Wing tip gap - will add epoxy filler

Wig tip gap at trailing edge - will add epoxy filler

Passed the fixture wire through the mounting hole. Crimped & soldered the power wires to the fixture.  Sealed the connections with heat-shrink & riveted a strain-relief clamp to the spar tip (7V3-3).  Secured the fixture to the fiberglass tip with two #6-32 mounting screws then verified that operation of the fixture by py adding power to the connector in the wing root bay.

Completed the installation by fitting & clecoing (silver)  fiberglass tip in place.  The tip flange slides ~20mm under the end of the compound curve of the nose skin.  Could not get perfect alignment of the 7V9-1 or 7V9-2) due to the compound curves of the win tip structure.  Will fill the gaps with epoxy fiberglass resin & micro-balloons to sand smooth.

Install wing tip sheet (7V9-1) & fiberglass tip (7V9-2)

Tip structure with light fixture

Used duct-tape to position wing tip sheet (7V9-1)into place on tip angles (7V8-2 & 3).  Drilled and clecoed in place (silver).

Prepared fiberglass tip (7V9-2) for mounting nav/pos light assembly (PSA green) by drilling 1" hole in the tip and installing 3/16" rivnuts for the two #6-32 mounting screws. 

Some small gaps in mating the two structures.  Will fill these with epoxy resin & micro-balloons at finishing.

Prepare to install wing tip sheet (7V8-1)

Upper tip angle (7V8-2)

Upper tip angle (7V8-2) positioned

Upper & lower (7V8-3) tip angles positioned

Crimp, bend & fit the upper (7V8-2) and lower (7V8-3) wing tip angles to fit the curve of the wingtip.  Position, drill, and cleco (silver) in preparation for attaching the wing tip sheet (7V9-1).

Routing Navigation/Position Light cables through nose ribs

Nav/Pos Lights Cable at wing tip (note strain relief)

Lights cable runs thru nose ribs (note fixture to each rib)

Install 22 AWG, shielded pair cable through open nose ribs.  Riveted nylon cable routing clamps for strain relief and stand-off to prevent chaffing.  Added/labeled quick connect/disconnect plug at root bay end for folding wing.

Fuel Tank Filler neck cutout in top skin

Tank filler neck thru top skin

Used matched hole pattern method to locate/position hole in top skin required for fuel tank filler neck.

VDO Sensor Installation Complete

Fuel level sender installed.  Note grounding wire & liquid gasket seal

Liberally apply Form-a-Gasket compound between the rubber gasket and the tank wall to assure a tight seal.  Add additional liquid gasket material around the outside perimeter of the tank/sender.

Make the sending unit and grounding electrical connections.  The ground is made at both the aluminum wing ribs/spar structure and at the folding-wing mechanism hinge plate at the bottom of the wing at rib 1.

VDO Fuels System Sensor Install

VDO Fuel Sensor Parts

VDO Fuel Sensor Level Signal Check

Located and prepared tank/sender components for installation: DX2021 Finger-screen, CAV-110 Quick Drain, F124-4B nipple fitting (to screen). F124-4A nipple fitting (vent line), VW fuel sender (317004), VDO Fuel Sender Mounting kit (226-451). Put aside screen, nipples and drain for installation AFTER tank is in place between ribs 1 & 2 wit appropriate holes in the ribs to allow access/connections.

Wing Rib used to locate the location for the VDO Unit Cut-out

VDO Sensor prior to arm mods for tank levels

Bent fuel sender float arm to provide optimal levels range and prepared the mounting ring/gaskets per the instructions in the build manual & DVD. Tested the range with ohm-meter to assure that the unit was operating (10 ohms/full - 70 ohms empty).

Bend arm for EMPTY level

Bend arm for FULL level

Final configuration of VDO level sender

Followed the DVD/manual to insert the mounting ring into the 59mm hole in the side of the tank noting the position of the sender plate (top/up/full). IMPORTANT to note that the mounting screw holes are NOT symmetrical!! Made many tries to complete the mating of the internal ring/gasket/sender before this became obvious. Used liberal amounts of Form-A-Gasket to seal the rings/gasket/sender/screws. NOTE for Port Wing Tank install: wait until the assembly is ready for final closure before adding the "gunk" sealer.

59mm hole dimension is critical

Tight fit to assure a seal between the tank wall and the gasket& compression ring

Prepare Stb Fuel Tank (7V11-1K) for Installation

Located and cut 59mm level sender hole on fwd/inboard side of the tank using fly-cutter.  Slow drill/cutter speed important.  Scored hole and broke out with needle-nosed pliers using center hole.  Clean/deburr circumference of the hole.

Located and prepared tank/sender components for installation:  DX2021 Finger-screen, CAV-110 Quick Drain, F124-4B nipple fitting (to screen). F124-4A nipple fitting (vent line), VW fuel sender (317004), VDO Fuel Sender Mounting kit (226-451).  Put aside screen, nipples and drain for installation AFTER tank is in place between ribs 1 & 2 wit appropriate holes in the ribs to allow access/connections.

Bent fuel sender float arm to provide optimal levels range and prepared the mounting ring/gaskets per the instructions in the build manual & DVD. Tested the range with ohm-meter to assure that the unit was operating (10 ohms/full - 70 ohms empty).

Followed the DVD/manual to insert the mounting ring into the 59mm hole in the side of the tank noting the position of the sender plate (top/up/full).  IMPORTANT to note that the mounting screw holes are NOT symmetrical!!  Made many tries to complete the mating of the internal ring/gasket/sender before this became obvious.  Used liberal amounts of Form-A-Gasket to seal the rings/gasket/sender/screws.  NOTE for Port Wing Tank install:  wait until the assembly is ready for final closure before adding the "gunk" sealer.

Fabricate & install jury strut fittings

Jury Strut Fittings

Fwd Jury Strut Fitting Installed

Aft Jury Strut Fitting Installed

Fabricate all 8 Jury Strut Mounts (7V10-4SP front & rear) & install starboard wing mounts.

Fabricate & insall upper strut fittings

Upper front strut fitting (ecternal)

Upper front strut fitting (internal)

Upper front strut fitting with doubler & longitudinal brace.

Bolt front upper strut fitting (7V2-5) to the front strut with three AN3 bolts.  Fabricate and install front strut fitting doubler (7V8-1SP) & angle (7V8-4-SP).

Researched & built "Hartsell Slide Stick" as dual sticksmod

Hartsell Stick Components

Handles in place in horizontal sleeves (wires are for pulling stick grip electrical wires)

basic Hartsell Stick

Further dual-sticks research.  Found a "Hartsell-Slide-Stick" solution on the 701 builder's website (www.Zenith.Aero).  The solution utilizes the std 701 Y-Yoke, but adds a horizontal bar across the top to which L-shaped "handles" are welded into position where a normal dual-stick would be positioned.  Seems to be the best solution. 

Modified the kit Y-yoke with the horizontal bar welded wit adjustment bolt (AN3).  The L-angle grips have 4  holes drilled ~3/4" apart for adjusting the position of the gip to suit the pilot/co-pilot.
The 6" of the vertical rod of the std Y-yoke was removed and is replace by a 6061T6 tube fitting inside the yoke pieces and is also drilled with several holes  3/4" apart to adjust the height of the sick to suit the pilot/co-pilot.