View of the Lancair Build Shop.
View of the Lancair Build Shop.
Rich and Adam discuss the finer points of closing the elevator.
Counterweight in place in elevator horn.
Elevator being prepared for closing.
Adam and Rich position the elevator skin.
Elevator skin nailed in place with clamps, clecos, and bags of lead shot.
The closed elevator with a carbon “belt” along the leading edge seam.
Rich removes the peel-ply from the elevator’s leading edge once the carbon layup has cured.
Rich removes the peel-ply from the elevator’s leading edge once the carbon layup has cured.
I work a small glass lay-up in the closed elevator’s inboard rib.
Horizontal stabilizer’s leading edge being prepared for reinforcing carbon layer along the seam.
Reinforcing carbon layer along the H stabilizer’s leading edge.
I sand off the area (inside of the wing’s top skin) where the fuel cap will go.
I cut a hole on the top skin for the fuel cap.
Fuel cap in place, second fuel cap being anointed with Hysol.
Close-up of the installed fuel cap being held in place with a special clamp while the Hysol cures.
Micro-balloons smoothing out the fuel cap – wing skin interface.
Glass lay-up around the fuel cap.
Initial cutoff on the wing’s top skin for installing the spoiler box.
Now the hole goes through the wing’s top.
Dummy spoiler box being prepared for temporary installation.
Flocks that will be the anchoring base for the real spoiler box.
Dummy spoiler box gets installed.
Dummy spoiler box gets installed.
Dummy spoiler box gets weighed down.
After the flocks cured, we drilled holes and riveted nuts in it for holding the real spoiler box.
Holder for the spoiler box about to be glued to the bottom skin.
Holder for the spoiler box glued to the bottom skin.
Holder for the spoiler box glued, micro-ballooned and glassed to the bottom skin.
Sanding of the wing spar in preparation for wing closing.
One fuel cell had to be “dried out” for spoiler installation.
Detail of the closed holes in the fuel baffles.
Cleaning of the bonding surface prior to wing closing.
Adam demonstrated shimming of the aft skin contact point for perfect fit.
Adam whips up some Hysol and flocks for the ultimate (and extraordinarily expensive) adhesive.
Hysol being spread along all contact surfaces.
Rich “wetting” the bottom skin with Hysol.
Wing fully anointed with glue.
Bottom skin now in place.
Hundreds of pounds of lead shot will keep the skin in place while the glue cures.
All the lead shot bags in place. Each is approx 25 lbs.
Rich, Adam, and Chris wipe off excess Hysol.
I prepare leading edge for installation of reinforcing carbon layer along the seam.
Micro balloons go along the seam.
Rich cuts some carbon cloth for the leading edge reinforcement.
I wet the leading edge with epoxy prior to carbon lay-up installation.
I install the carbon layer (2-ply).
Seam reinforcement in place with (white) peel ply in place.
Fuel tank is checked for leaks by pressurizing the wing.
Windows masked with the edge sanded and cleaned for bonding.
Adam and Rich bevel the front windshield.
Rich tries the top of the fuse for size.
I cut off excess material for window installation.
Rich sands down the window holes.
Now the fuse is ready for window installation.
Adam and Rich apply Hysol to window edges.
Adam applies Hysol to window edges.
Window installation in progress.
Window installation in progress.
Window installation in progress.
After the window is in place, it gets cinched down with washers while curing.
After the window is in place, it gets cinched down with washers while curing.
After the window is in place, it gets cinched down with washers while curing.
I cut some glass strips for the 4-ply lay-up that will help keep the windows in place.
I prepare the 4-ply lay-up for the window perimeter.
Window perimeter has been filled up with micro balloons.
I install glass reinforcement around window perimeter.
Detail of window perimeter with partial glass reinforcement in place.
View of the inside of the fuse. Pressure bulkhead can be seen.
Adam repositions hardware on the door frame.
Big hole where the door will live.
Door in place for fitting.
Rich inside the fuse helping Adam fit the door.
Rich gets a special turban.
Gluing of the door frame.
Gluing of the door frame.
Rich during door frame gluing.
I cut off excess material in the wing/fuse fairings.
I sand wing/fuse fairings.
Adam and Rich fitting the fairings.
Fitting of the wing/fuse fairings.
Fitting of the wing/fuse fairings.
Micro balloons and flocks for fairing installation.
Detail view of the wing/fuse intersection.
Wing/fuse fairing installed and clamped for curing.
View of Rich’s fuse and Kevin’s plane.
Kevin, Arnie, and Rich by Kevin’s plane.
A 4P parked outside the hangar on a snowy day.
A 4P parked outside the hangar on a snowy day.
4Ps usually have cool paint jobs.
A 4P that the factory was building for the military. Lots of secret antennae and stuff on it…
Note that the square-section tubing where the lead shot bags are rests on top of the spar, obviously.
For whatever reason, Rich was hesitant to cut holes in his new wings. I, on the other hand, had no problem.
Rich closes holes in the fuel baffles.
Note that the gray areas coincide with the fuel cells (basically the whole wing minus spoiler box).
Square section tubing being placed above contact areas (spars, etc…)
The bluish tint is the polypropylene film used to handle the lay-up. Later it is removed.
The peel ply had the effect of absorbing excess resin and leaving an easier to prepare surface behind.
This is Rich’s area of prior research and expertise ;)
Note that the edge on the fuse has been “wetted” for proper bonding
Note that the edge on the fuse has been “wetted” for proper bonding.
Note that the edge on the fuse has been “wetted” for proper bonding.
It is a pressurized cabin after all…
Now the door has been fitted and the frame will be glued. The guy inside the fuse needs protection from the errant epoxy/flocks.
This is such a cool sanding table… I want one!
