Why I fly...

Thanks to Harry another wing top skin is riveted on! Harry stopped by on Friday and it only took us 2 hours and 45 minutes (including a break in the middle) to finish riveting the right top skin.  I finished up the aileron brackets and the inboard nut plates on Sunday as well as got started on the leading edges of both wings.  Things are moving right along now.

I got to do a little flying this week as well.  Martin's RV-4 is at Synergy Air in Eugene Oregon and he needed to deliver a few parts for them to work on so we flew down.  It was  a great flight both up and down but we had a nasty headwind on the way back so it took a little over an hour.

As you saw in my previous post Harry, Jeff and I flew to Sandpoint Idaho on Saturday so its been a great week in Darin's little aviation world.  These two flights epitomize the reason why I like to fly.  The trip to Eugene would have been a 7-8 hour trip on the ground and we were able to do it in just over 2 hours.  The trip to Idaho took us 4 hours and a drive of that length would have taken probably 10 hours minimum.  Both trips had some spectacular views and while I often complain about the backward political stance and the horrible traffic in the Puget Sound you can't deny its one of the most beautiful places in the world.

A picture as the sun set over Portland as we flew north.

The right top wing skin with rivets loaded and taped...ready for riveting.

Pretty hard to see but the second wing with the top skin riveted on sitting on the stand with the two leading edges on the tables for work.  Aluminum can certainly be a challenge to photograph at times.

One of the modifications I am making to the airplane is the ability to add extended range fuel tanks to the outer leading edge of the wings.  Part of that process is installing access covers to the bottom of the inboard bay of each leading edge skin.  This is where any pumps and plumbing will be installed to move fuel.  This is a picture of the hole I cut out of the bottom of each skin.  Still lots of trimming and filing to be done yet as this is just the rough opening.

This is the hole after I had cleaned it up and cleco'd the backing plate in place. Actually this is the other wing from the first picture.

And here is the cover plate sitting on the backing plate. When complete this will be fastened to the backing plate flush with the bottom of the wing.

And finally, here it is riveted in place with cover screwed on.

Oh and guess what?  We have a "WHITE CHRISTMAS"!!