High Country

Yes I know its an old post but things still seem to be a problem. My last order for parts took over 3 months. Now I've been waiting for two wing tanks that were going to be ready for local pickup by July 10th I am stuck and cannot go any further without them. I have left several messages on Brett's business phone and cell. he has yet to return my calls. I hate to complain but I took time off work this week because my wife is out of state and I have lots of time to work uninterruptedly and here I sit without parts. grrr. I know some of you know Brett if you happen to speak with him maybe you could put in a word for me. I would at least like to know what the hold up is and how much longer i should expect to twiddle my thumbs.
sorry for the rant, I will get off my soap box now.

-Robert-

Thanks for the reply Ed, I have already wiped them down with the red scotchbrite pads about 1" wide. My Hysol is new just got it from Kitfox. So it sounds like I will probably be good to just wipe them down with alcohol and acetone. If anyone else thinks otherwise please let me know why and what else I should do.

-Robert-

Negative- the front portion from my "tailgate" forward has thin plywood and is covered up by thin plastic sheeting i found at Home Depot use for lining shower walls. it was pretty light flexible and water proof. I will have about 16 small D rings riveted to the front portion for tying down my gear. I tried to make the pics smaller but seem to still be having problems doing so.

Still making progress.

Did you every start a post and later while looking around the boards go OH hey forgot about that.
After doing some research and talking with Brett I will easily get 1050 gross after several changes including new wings but It will be well worth it in the end.

I've replaced LOT's more races than I care to count from when I owned my mechanic business. try tapping on them with a punch if they don't come heat up the race real hot with a torch keeping the flame just on the race. once its real hot it may just fall out if not it shouldn't take much tapping to get it out.

Ed here is what I found in the FAR's regarding windshields it didn't specifically say how "dark" it could be there is a link at the bottom to where I copied this from. Someone else may have better info than I do, if so lets hear it. hope it helps. I saw a real nice home design in idaho city recently that had a nice smoke windshield first time I had actually seen that. It was a real lite gray and seemed to work great for the front. While on the topic where might one look to get the smoke lexan?

FAR's

Sec. 25.775 — Windshields and windows.
(a) Internal panes must be made of nonsplintering material.

(b) Windshield panes directly in front of the pilots in the normal conduct of their duties, and the supporting structures for these panes, must withstand, without penetration, the impact of a four-pound bird when the velocity of the airplane (relative to the bird along the airplane's flight path) is equal to the value of V C,at sea level, selected under §25.335(a).

© Unless it can be shown by analysis or tests that the probability of occurrence of a critical windshield fragmentation condition is of a low order, the airplane must have a means to minimize the danger to the pilots from flying windshield fragments due to bird impact. This must be shown for each transparent pane in the cockpit that—

(1) Appears in the front view of the airplane;

(2) Is inclined 15 degrees or more to the longitudinal axis of the airplane; and

(3) Has any part of the pane located where its fragmentation will constitute a hazard to the pilots.

(d) The design of windshields and windows in pressurized airplanes must be based on factors peculiar to high altitude operation, including the effects of continuous and cyclic pressurization loadings, the inherent characteristics of the material used, and the effects of temperatures and temperature differentials. The windshield and window panels must be capable of withstanding the maximum cabin pressure differential loads combined with critical aerodynamic pressure and temperature effects after any single failure in the installation or associated systems. It may be assumed that, after a single failure that is obvious to the flight crew (established under §25.1523), the cabin pressure differential is reduced from the maximum, in accordance with appropriate operating limitations, to allow continued safe flight of the airplane with a cabin pressure altitude of not more than 15,000 feet.

(e) The windshield panels in front of the pilots must be arranged so that, assuming the loss of vision through any one panel, one or more panels remain available for use by a pilot seated at a pilot station to permit continued safe flight and landing.

[Doc. No. 5066, 29 FR 18291, Dec. 24, 1964, as amended by Amdt. 25–23, 35 FR 5676, Apr. 8, 1970; Amdt. 25–38, 41 FR 55466, Dec. 20, 1976]


http://www.risingup.com/fars/info/part25-775-FAR.shtml

Ahh home sweet home. Gotta love it. Thanks for sharing these awesome pics Joey, Can't wait to see your video. Glad you made it back safely.

Is there not enough room to widen the hole up a bit to make it fit? another option may be to still replace the slip indicator move the gauge on the far left into the spot where your slip indicator currently is so that you can put your radio on the far left of the IP and then mount the transponder where your radio currently is.

I would have to agree with Dave B on this otherwise you will have to have it hanging down in the way. Dave where would one go about purchasing one of these add on slip indicators? part# ?

Nice work, I made an instrument panel for my truck back in 2007 just like yours and covered it with the clear as well and it still looks great so you should be good. the glare shield on the top would be a good addition though.

pics would be great thanks. so it sounds like you just wrapped it around the lower cap strip then onto the exposed tail is this correct? I already have some aluminum as i have mentioned and also have some 2x2 twill carbon fiber, still trying to decide which would be best.

I do have a piece of fairly stout aluminum that was supposed to be for mounting the side radiator but I plan to relocate it down under the belly so I will not need it. Also have the aluminum door panels for the lower part of the door that I plan to replace with lexan so I could use this as well, Would that do you think. If so should I just slit the lower cap strip slide it in and glue/rivet it in place?

-Robert-

That's kinda what I was thinking, just trying to decide do I wrap it out and around the bottom cap strip and back into the webbing or do i cut small slits in the bottom cap strip against the webbing to allow the layers to just go straight through into the webbing? also I've never worked with carbon fiber before so I'm not to sure how many layers I need I'm thinking two layers per side, does this sound about right.

-Robert-

Thanks for all the input. After pricing the aluminum that the Kitfox mod used ouch!!! I've decided to use carbon fiber to reinforce them. I'm wondering if I should just layer each side or wrap a layer over the edges as well. hmmm. Hey Bandit you wouldn't happen to have any pics or input on how you fiber glassed yours by chance would ya? I will post up some pics when I get that far. I've been at POST academy for more training for the sheriffs Dept for the last couple weeks and another to go so it will be a little while.

-Robert-

Thanks alot and yep one day closer, hopefully just a couple months left till I hit the sky. Yea!!! Did git to take my wife out in the club cessna the other day had a great time.

did you just reinforce the tails or should i cut slits in the lower cap strip and continue them up into the web of the rib? what type and thickness of aluminum or how many layers of fiberglass was used? I'm now thinking of carbon fiber. hmmm the possibilities.

-Robert-

Thanks for the info I will give Brett a call, I need to order some wing tanks anyways

-Robert-

Off the top of my head I want to say around 9' but will have the check to make sure. they are the short tubes.

-Robert-

sorry I decided to go ahead and use this fabric