rv10.stephensville.com

For the last 6 months I’ve been training for my Instrument Rating off and on. I had been signed off by my CFII to take the practical for a couple weeks. Weather and scheduling issues prevented me from doing the flying portion. Yesterday finally worked out and I passed my checkride.

It has taken away build time here and there, but it was worth it. Not only did I want to get the instrument ticket, but I also wanted to regain some proficiency in general before the RV-10 was completed. Both goals are now checked off. I am a much better pilot than I was before starting the training. I also flew my entire training with a Garmin 430, so I now know how to navigate that piece of equipment. The stress levels were at some times high studying for the written and oral, but have dissipated immensely as of today.

Next up is a few sessions in an Archer III to learn how to do coupled approaches with an autopilot and a Garmin 430W which will give me an additional head start with my avionics.

Now back to pounding… errr… wiring… errr… sanding fiberglass…

Match drilled the door halves. They are match drilled while on the fuselage/cabin top to maintain shape. Next step is to epoxy the halves together.

Cabin top is match drilled to the fuselage. I am going to deviate from the plans a bit and mount the doors next. The holes in the door well are just match drilled to #30 and not final sized to #12 and #19 yet. That way I can just keep them cleco’d and adjust if needed while doing the doors. Doing the doors first will also let me remove the cabin top one last time to add the Aerosport overhead console and finish the inside before attaching it for good.

Single cat whisker NAV antenna in tail goes into Garmin splitter. From there, one goes out to Comant CI-507 diplexer to split NAV and Glideslope signal for 430W inputs. Other goes out to SL-30 NAV input.

Brad was over the last couple weekends to help with getting the cabin top trimmed and fitted. We got everything done except for trimming the door wells. Have I ever mentioned that I hate working with fiberglass? I’d rather do a few hundred proseal jobs on the fuel tanks.

Testing most of the interconnects between the avionics. So far the two 4500s are talking to each other, the 430W, SL-30 and VP-200. Had to RMA the GTX-330 transponder back to Garmin for a suspected internal short.

Nice to get to this step. Still quite a few bits to hook up yet, but making progress. I wanted to get all the wiring done before the top skin gets put on.

The prop arrived via FedEx Freight this afternoon. No engine to hang it on yet. That should show up sometime around February.

Finished wiring up all the “stuff” that heads up front from the right side of the tail. All the ELT connections (power, ground, GPS serial, RJ11 to head), autopilot pitch servo and autotrim, pitch trim servo.

Haven’t decided yet if the EFIS magnotometer wires will come back through this side. There may also be some Oxygen system tubing runs up this side in the future.

I swapped out the hard brake lines for flex lines. Had quite a hard time with Bonaco getting the lines back after they were sent back for shortening. I used the recommended length they suggested for the brake lines which was too long, so I sent them back. Well, after a month and a half, multiple phone calls, etc. I finally got them back. This isn’t the first time I’ve had delivery problems with Bonaco, but it will be the last. I won’t be using them again. Too many hassles and delays. It’s a shame because they do good work. I just can’t deal with the other nonsense. I’ll go to PHT from now on.

It was hard getting at the fittings that exit the tunnel, then I realized that I could torque the hoses to the 90 degree fittings while they were off and then just insert them through the hole after. Much easier than getting a wrench in there when the fittings were already in place.

Got the ELT mounted today. Just two pieces of flat stock aluminum across the bottom stiffeners with 4 nutplates to attach the tray. Waiting on a wire order for the power, ground and GPS serial feed run to the front.