A composite builder's life

For those of you entertaining the idea of building a composite aircraft, there are some choices to make and ultimately accept. Once you have committed, your past the first.
Just before that happens, keep a few things in mind. If you are blessed with a heated hangar and you are well healed enough to pump fuel to it, you are in great shape. Mixing, sanding, micro, flox, epoxy you name it requires heat. If the sun won't provide it, you need to come by it artificially.
The good thing about working composites in warm weather is warm weather; the bad thing about working composites in warm weather is warm weather. Yes, mixtures set fast and you can do things to prevent rapid deterioration like constantly mixing the batch if you need more time and not mixing more than you need, and keeping a refrigerator in your hanger for pre-mixed waiting to be wiped on micro - LOL...
The good news is flox and micro set fast - yes, you are soon ready to sand with barely enough time for a beer and a walk with the dog. Composite builders are on a time clock. Once summer is over, you are done working (on the body anyway). My goal here this summer is to work every minute possible and finish up with something which will allow me to fiddle with hardware all winter - oh god!. In PHL that is about 3-9. Three months of epoxy weather surrounded by 9 months of I can't do much today weather.
The beauty of composite work is that it beckons the laborer to take one more step to make it even smoother, sharper and cleaner than before. Don't like it, sand it, rip it off or whatever you like until its right. Actually if you don't like the body at all, you can tear every piece off and start over. Most folks will spend a lot of time in this category. After you get over the poor factory tolerances, you begin to mold an incredible shape or your own. Be of good cheer and keep each piece in perspective. It's a great trip. BTW, did I mention that if you intend to finish this project in your lifetime, don't take too many summer vacations.
Make a goal, stick with it and make each day count. Will I change things when I am finished? You bet I will!

Those factory tolerances

My hats off to those guys in the Phillipines. They build an incredible aircraft. What really matters in flight is perfect, the rest is well.... sometimes crap. Forget the wheel pants, there is much more. For example the gear door covers close a hole and leave you with 1" or more of body work. The empennage inspection doors are purely custom. Lancair basically punches a hole for you. I guess you need to do that 51% somewhere. The canopy fits depending on how the weather was the day they fit it. Expect to do a lot of tailoring. It's all fun!

Have rudder will travel

Ok, after deciding the safest setup for the bell crank, the next challenge is actually installing it in the aircraft. As the instructions say, you can assemble the whole thing and then just install it. Yeah, right - ok I did install the rudder tube first as not doing so would require hiring a 5 year old to crawl back and setup the bolt/nut configuration on the bell crank. As it was I crawled head first into the tail with arms forward (too wide even at the elbow to turn your arm). The result is being able to install the two AN3 bolts holding the entire mechanism and then being able to torque them in place. Before doing this wait until the temperature is at least 93 degrees F. as that will make you experience more enjoyable. Yes, at the same time I installed the rudder cables and fished then forward to the pedals. Not bad as Lancair has already set the guide tubes for us.

Rudder Management

I am always impressed when a plan comes together. This was not the case with the rudder bell crank. Devoid of all directions, the hardware did not align with the aircraft mounting point. After some investigation, I learned Lancair decided to follow a different route (read: reduced liability) of taking the core nut plate out of the fuselage mount and securing the center stud (holds virtually everything together) with a castle nut and a cotter key. One thing you don't want to lose is this center bolt - you'll be flying with Jesus if this cuts loose. In any event, Lancair did not include a drilled bolt of the design (drilled) , so I ordered one off Chief and we're on our way.