Final Prep

 

I am preparing for the first taxi and flight test. Its incredible how many little "final" jobs are left. I'm really up against a deadline, I am a guest speaker at the SSA western conference on Sunday Sept 2 at 10:30 am. I really would like to have a first flight before that speech!!!  If you are in Southern California on Labor Day weekends, you  are invited to the conference. I'm looking forward to the opportunity.
I started finishing out the design in anticipation of the first flight, I mean I really started getting serious!! The first problem is the canopy, the fwd hing idea is really bad. There were many reasons to scrap the idea, but the biggest was I couldn't run the engine with the instrument panel installed on the canopy. I finally got the engine running reliably. The gasket for the needle seat finally arrived and once installed, the engine rang smooth through the entire RPM range. I was able to put another hour running time on the engine. She should be fully broke in by now.

New Canopy hinge

I decided to hinge the canopy on the R/H side. I installed a 3 foot long piano hinge and a holding lanyard . The immediate result was to greatly simplify the wire routing. I removed all hardware related to the fwd hinge, and I realized the I needed a second latch for the fwd edge of the L/H side.  The existing design has a latch on the aft end of the canopy, but not one farther forward. I have calculated that there is about 100 lbs of lift on the canopy. To be safe and to keep the canopy from racking I decided to add a second fwd latch.

New fwd latch

 I used the existing latches and modified them for the Left side only. I added a compression spring to both latches so they will normally be fully latched. This eliminates the latch plate I had mounted on the inside of the longeron. I was worried that if I added a second latch plate it would make entry and exit into the cock pit difficult.

Rear latch

Another problem also reared its head and that's the need for a small sliding window to access the latches so the canopy can be locked down. I am adding that window as I write this. I should have it done tomorrow. I am adding the window right above the rear latch.

One of the cool things about being in the small world of aviation, is the small circle of friends you realize you actually have. My Friend Ed was in contact with a Pilot of Erickson Helicopter of Medford Oregon through his blog http://nc35447.blogspot.com/

Erickson was in the Midlothian Texas area setting a huge air conditioning unit on a local Walgreen's Warehouse.  Ed is actually from the Medford region and he had a number of mutual friends with Fran, but when the guys showed up here in Midlothian, the circle finally closed. Erickson has an operation in San Diego at Gillespie field. A few months ago I was there visiting my friends Mike and Neal Lafrance. This is where the circle closes, Fran is very good friends with Mike and Neal. Mike gave Fran a ride in his Luscombe a few years ago.

Fran Tebbe

I invited Fran to sit in the Robin.

If you guys are aver privileged to meet the guys from Erickson Helicopter, you are in for a treat. These are some of the nicest guys I have ever met!! I have to apologize because I am bad with names but another Erickson guy took a "ride" in the Robin

Mr Warren

There is Ed in the background















After the Erickson guys left, I decided to convert the Robin to a two place side by side

Gretta and Gracie

Eds girls Gretta and Grace took a quick ride in the Robin. Believe it or not, we were once this small.

Canopy Lanyard

So the final count down continues, I need to add the side window, finish the fuel door and route the Pitot static tube. Once that is finished, I will do one final assembly to catalog all of the assembly hardware and then break her down and take it to the airport