6/30/11-Day ten of the build

Today Eric helped out on the plane in the morning and then I took him to the airport so that he could fly back to Michigan in the evening. I want to thank Eric so much-he was great company and a HUGE help during the last two weeks.

Eric helping to install the autopilot servos

The wingtips with landing lights and strobes installed

Engine control cables being installed

Alternator going on

6/29/11-Day Nine

Finally the instrument panel goes in!

The inside of the panel

The doors being fitted

This is the last full day that my helper will be with me-he heads back home tomorrow afternoon

Flight control cables and electronics cables beginning to get tidied up

6/28/11-Day eight of the build

We spent a good part of the day making sure that the wings would fold

View of the wing fold from the rear of the plane

Eric wanted to go flying-so I sent him up with Alan. This is his first take off!

Eric taxiing in after his flight

Look at the grin on our newest pilot!

6/27/11-Day 7 of the build

Spent a couple of hours "rigging" the elevators and flaps

Getting ready to mount the prop

Why can't wiring be easy!

I'm flying with Alan Negrin working on my tailwheel endorsement

6/26/11-Sunday our day off!

On our day off we got a visit from my brother Dennis and his family and we had a little time to drive around and do some sight seeing.

Den checking out the build

The obligatory family photo

Some Washington scenery

6/25/11-Day Six

Today was a short day devoted to finishing up the wings and getting them mounted to the fuselage for the final time.

Completed right wing

Completed left wing

Right wing mounted for final time

Both wings on!

6/24/11-Day Five

More detail work. The engine cowling got fitted and mounted. The wings continue to be finished out and the rear stabilizer and elevator got mounted.

Ed working on the rear stabilizer

The engine cowling is fitted

Eric working on the elevator

Control cables running to the back of the plane

6/23/11-Day Four

Not a lot of major changes today-but we were working on detail work to the wings like installing the gas tanks and detail work to the fuselage area like installing the control sticks and the seat pans.

Eric working on the seat rails

I installed these (4) CHT (cylinder head temperature) thermocouples into the engine-it took about an hour because of the tight spaces (no room to get a wrench in)

One of (4) gas tanks ready to be installed into the wings

Rudder installed

Bottom of the cabin with some of the wiring installed

Seat pans installed

Control sticks being synchronized

6/22/11-Day Three

Today was devoted to putting on the top skins onto the wings (approx. 1000 rivets) and mounting the front landing gear and tires and braking systems.

Eric and Mike finishing up some engine work

Beginning to rivet-one down, one thousand to go!

Eric showing me how it's done!-He's really good at it-and fast too!

How it looks from inside the wing when you're "bucking" rivets

N449MF lands on its own three wheels for the first time!

A finished wing section-not bad for a couple of rookies

6/21/11-Day Two of the Build

We completed the wiring and running of control cables and tubing inside the wing sections today and then temporarily mounted them to the fuselage to set the wing angle of incidence and dihedral. After those were set we then fabricated the wing struts and drilled them in place. Once that was done the wings were taken into the rivet room where tomorrow we will start to rivet on the upper skins. This should take about two days to do.

Eric and Mike worked on the front of the aircraft and got the firewall fabricated, mounted the engine mount and finished up the rudder pedal assembly. Ben and I also finished the tailwheel assembly that we started yesterday. A pretty good days work!

Justin finishing up the inside of the LH wing

LH wing temporarily mounted

Both wings mounted

Break time!

Engine mount assembly

Rudder pedal assembly

Tailwheel assembly-notice the laser line for alignment

6/20/11-Day One of the Build

Got to Glasair at 7:00 in the morning and met everyone and was given a tour of their facility-very impressive-most of their components are built in house or are in the process of being brought in house. It's nice to see American products being built by American workers.

Am extremely impressed by the organization set up for the build. Every task has written instructions, a complete set of pictures and a complete bill of materials of all parts required. All the parts for a task are already sorted into a plastic parts bin and you don't have to go searching for anything.

The mechanics that we're working with are top notch (Ben, shop foreman-Joe and Justin, wing specialists-Devin, rear empennage' (tail section)-Mike, engine and cabin compartment). These guys are very knowledgeable and willing to share their knowledge and are fun to work with too.

Cabin weld fixture.

My engine!

My panel frontside

My panel backside

Me sitting on my fat butt caulking the oil cooler

My fuselage with the fiberglass halves already mated to the steel cabin cage