More tank fabrication - 2 hours

My first anti-rotation bracket attempt didn't sit well with me, there was just a small amount of play in it. I told myself that it would be just fine with a little proseal. But I just couldn't let it go. So I threw it out, and went to work on another one, The kit comes with 4 brackets, so I still have extras to work with. So i went to work, cut, file, file, check, file, check...and so on and so on. Nailed it!!!

Quite pleased with the fit. So now both L and R brackets are rock solid.
Then I started to fabricate 0.025" material for the trap door and for the fuel vent clips and for the anti-hangup bracket on rib #2. I also cut 0.032" material for the anti-hangup bracket on the access plate. I'm scratching my head on the 0.025" material for the trap door. Plans call for 0.020" material, but the kit does not come with scrap that thickness unless i want to cut into my trim tab or rudder skins. I decided to use 0.025"...can't possibly make too much of difference.

Outboard T-410 reinforcement plates and aerobatic tank fabrication - 5 hours

After a few days break from the build I mustered up the nerve to put in a good day finally. I started with the easy stuff. Using the old T-410 plates I drilled the outboard T-410 reinforcement plates and fitted them to the outboard ribs.



Next step was to fabricate the blanks that cover off the large hole on the #2 ribs. To me a while to figure this out as the plans don't call for it, but I decided to do this as most RV8 blogs use this modification for their areobatic tanks. Helps keep fuel in the inner cell longer while doing aerobatics obviously. I choose 0.025" thick material and a 2" x 2" dimension. It allowed for good edge distances (although not critical in this non-structural part).

Of course trying to get the plates centered took some figuring. Not quick and easy....took me a while to check, check and re-check.




Next on my agenda was to fabricate the anti-rotation brackets for the flop tubes. Again the plans don't call for this, but I do believe it to be a good idea to help stabilize the flop tube and minimize the chance of the bulkhead AN fitting rotating while tightening. I cut and filed the T-715 brackets that come with the kit to fit the AN fittings. Took lots of time but I managed to grind away with the files.



After, Mike came over and we put a good much of work in on the S-51 horizontal stabilizer. A full plane building day!

Fabricated new T-410 plates and fuel stiffner rings - 2 hours

One of the fabricated items that I need is stiffener rings for the fuel senders that now get mounted on the rear tank baffle. I thought it was best to use the ones that are on the tank access plates I no longer need.


While the band saw was out, I zipped off two pieces for the new T-410 out of some scrap 0.063" material that I borrowed from my buddy, Mike.

Once I had the rough outlines cut, I drilled the 9/16" hole and then set up for the final trimming. The sanding station made very short work of getting them into the correct shape. A few passes in the 3M wheel and I was done.

I carefully set up the assembly and match drilled the #30 holes.

I then took a little time and cleaned up the fuel stiffener rings and made sure they were round.

Drilled the fuel supply fitting hole - 2 hours

Well, This is a bit more tricky then I thought. The hole size that I ended up with is 9/16"
 but I did not have a drill bit that big. So I dug out my unibit and went to work. Well, It opened the hole nicely, but the material is so darn thick that you can do it in one shot. altogether.

I managed to accidentally go too far in the right T-410 reinforcement plate.
.
The hole in the left T-410 reinforcement plate was just off a few thousandths. I guess when I took the assembly apart and upsized the holes from 1/2" to 9/16" it ever so slightly was off center.  So I decided to fabricate new reinforcement plates. The left one could have worked just fine, but since I needed to make a right one...It was easy do again.

Drilled the tank T-405 angles - 1.5 hours

Next I needed to drill the rivet holes on the T-405 angles. This bit took me some time as I wanted to make sure all was correct. (I do not want to build another T-405 angle!). So check, check and recheck, I match drilled the assembly with #40, then upsized to #30. All turned out extremely nice.

I drilled one angle on the drill press to #40, I placed the pieces back to back and clamped them together. I then drilled the other angle using the first as a drill guide. Perfect

Then I drilled them to them to the rib and the T-410 reinforcement plate.

Drilled T-708 tank access stiffner rings - 1.5 hours

Being on holidays has zapped my routine. It was a couple days to get things going.
Knowing that the edge distance was not an issue with the tooling holes, I clamped and drilled the holes for the T-708 tank access stiffener rings.

Officially started flying lessons

Well, March 30, 2016 marks the official date that I have started flying lessons. I was looking to go up in an Extra like I had done before on a past trip, but I decided that it was time to get serious about starting my license. So, I had booked an into flight with Airworx in Las Vegas, based out of KVGT. The CFI for the first session was Aaron Root. I though him to be a great instructor right away. We did the walk around, talked a bit. Then we jumped into the Piper Cherokee and started going thru the preflight checklist. I started the engine, listened to the ATIS, Contact ground, and soon I was taxing out to the runway. Soon we were off to the southern practice area, with me in the left seat practicing level flight and turns. It was a challage that day as the weather and winds where all over the map being that the area is right next to the mountains.

I was immediatly hooked! So I booked another session April 1st. Back at it. Walk-around, Checklists, Taxi, Run-up, more checklists, take-off (by the CFI) elevating and decending turns, slow flying, powered stalls, Landing (by the CFI). And then followed with some ground school on aerodynamics. Beautiful!!

So its official..2.6 hours logged.