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.

Researched Zenith CH-750 Dial-Sticks Option

CH-750 Dual-Sticks Kit

George's Sticks require additional tunnel & a pedestal panel

Purchased and received the Zenith CH-750 Dual-Sticks Option Kit.  Researching modifications required to install in the 701.  George's method requires considerable modifications to the structure also (addition of a "tunnel/pedestal).  While the pedestal would provide additional instrumentation space (relatively small 701 panel), the modes required seem excessive.  However, I will probably go with the linear actuator for smooth flaps control rather than just the one 15 deg. manual down position.

Researched Dual-Sticks configuration & Linear Actuator for Flaps

George Rice's Dial Sticks Configuration

George Rice's Dual-Sticks - note Linear Actuator for flaps

Purchased drawings for 750 Dual Sticks Option.  Spoke with George Race about his dual sticks installation in the 701.  George suggested that the manual flaps actuator be discarded and replaced with a linear actuator under the pilot seat. George says that he used a the Ray Allen Electric Elevator Trim indicator and switch.

The dual sticks installation allows for a single, centrally mounted throttle and a small console running from between the seats to the bottom of the Instrument Panel.  Panel is a nice pace to mount the Viking View EIS & the dual VDO Fuel Gauges.

Actuator/mounting bracket from www.CentralSupply.com

Install stb wing tie-down fitting

Tie-down in stb wing (inverted)

Install stb. wing tie-down to Rib #4 with five A5 rivets.  For port wing, determine slot location and rivet before final skin placement.  Should be easier.

Fabricate tie-down fittings (7F8-0

Optional Tie-Down fitting (7F8-0)

Laid-out and fabricated both optional tie-down fittings from 0.125" 6061T6 stock per 7V8-0. 

Strap wing to curve nose-skin (7V7-1) into position

Nose-skin strapped into position around ribs

Nose-skin at rib 1 (leading to root rib)

Remove the clecos from the top-skin/front spar.  Strap the wing to curve the nose-skin (7V7-1) around the nose ribs (passing the slat brackets through the pre-cut slots which needed to be extended by ~5mm to fit).  Slide the nose skin UNDER the top-skin at the front spar to the 20mm line.  Once in position, drill and cleco (silver) into position.  Lots strapping/unstrapping to make alignments.

Pepare to install nose-rib skin (7V7-1)

Nose ribs re-installed - ready for Nose Skin (7V7-1)

Re-cleco nose ribs to front spar.  Remove clecos from front spar/bottom-skin. Unroll nose rib skin (7V7-1) into position, sliding nose rib skin UNDER bottom-skin to 20mm line. (This is for positioning & drilling only as nose skin will OVERLAP both top- & bottom-skin at final assembly.  Allow skin to droop over nose ribs noting positioning of the pre-cut slots in the skin to accomodate the slat mounting brackets.  Once positioned, drill through bottom-skin holes thru nose skin into front spar (silver clecos).

Flaperon Arm Positioning Jig & Arms (7V4-7)

Flaperon Arm Positioning Jig

 

 

 

Flaperon Arm installed at rib 6 (typical)

Flaperon arms installed

Build Flaperon Arm Positioning Jig (7V5).  Use jig to position and install (#40) flaperon arms to brackets (ribs 1, 3, 4, & 6).  Will eventually be drilled out to A5.

Bottom skin trailing edge (7V7-4 & -5) & strut fitting

Bottom trailing edge with flaperon brackets positioned

Fabricate, position and install Rear Upper Strut Fitting (7V7-4) to rear channel at rib # 4.  Install bottom skin trailing edges (#40): 7V7-3, inboard section and 7V7-5, outboard section.  Note clots cut in trailing edges for flaperon brackets.

Locate & position flaperon brackets

Prepare and install (#40) flaperon brackets (7V4-6) at ribs 1, 3, 4, & 6 (wing underside).

Install stiffeners in bottom skin & structure.

Much unrolling/rolling of center wing skin to position and cleco (silver) longitudinal stiffeners in place.  Method follows that of top skin stiffeners installation.

Position bottom skin on structure

Position bottom skin on wing structure

Un-roll & position bottom skin on wing structure, locate. drill (#40) , and cleco (silver) in place

Corrosion protection of interrnal (top) wing skin & structure

Applied Rust-Ox corrosion protection to internal wing structure in preparation for adding bottom skin.

Position and prepare stb wing for bottom skin (7V7-3)

Prepared to unroll bottom center skin (7V7-3) for trial positioning.  Much rolling/unrolling to adjust proper positioning on front spar.

Stb wing top skin in place (7V7-2)

Vertical view - Top Skin with stiffeners clecoed

Stb Top skin clecoed in place with horizontal & longitudinal stiffeners in place.