Jan decided he did not like the thin-walled wing tank design (not to mention any other problems that might be lurking, like the lack of sufficient venting and specifically a siphon break). This original design utilized a TIG welded rolled sheet of thin aluminum of a custom diameter. The custom diameter would maximize usable fuel for the tanks that rest in the wing rib lightening holes. Since abandoning the original design in the January/February timeframe, there has been little progress revealed to purchasers. He has implied the use of regular extruded tubing instead of the welded tanks, which will result in a significant reduction in tank volume and increase in weight.
His new project involving a Viking 135 engine, as he calls it, is a V-configuration motorcycle-derived engine of 135 horsepower. He is currently fitting the prototype engine on a highly modified Zenith Cruzer....and it is taking away from everything else. Combine this distraction with preparation to wow the Sun n Fun airshow crowds along with the recently "upgraded" oil tank for the Viking 110 (Honda) engine that appears to have some teething problems and you have delays upon delays. And I'm ticked! Texan speak for angry.
The only response so far to my email inquiries has been a single post stating wing tanks will ship at the rate of 1 per week. Don't know where I am on the list, but it's not for lack of asking. I hope to hear something soon. The one builder who has received his tanks, submitted a one sentence review to the Viking portal stating something to effect that the welds look great....okay, that's helpful - not.
Alright, enough of the negativism. I'm just mad about the lack of progress. I have done a few small tasks as follows:
First was the prep for the install of the landing light in the right wing leading edge. Apply the template to the leading edge skin, aligned with the appropriate rivet holes.
Next, go slow and make the initial rough cuts followed by the more precise cuts with some dremel metal working bits.
The finished cut out for the landing light!
Below are two of the mounting brackets with riveted doublers for the wing tip landing light.
Now, we switch over to the left wing because there is an existing inspection hole/cover for the stall warner installation. Below is a shot of the pitot tube with it's simple circular mount aligned with freshly drilled hole in the wing skin. It took a bit of head scratching to arrive at my ideal location, which was in relatively close proximity to the adjacent wing rib.
A profile view of the pitot tube's improper orientation. It will have to be "bent" such that it remains parallel to the freestream air and not pointing upward (remember, it is inverted in this picture).
Looking at the pitot from the other direction.
The pitot projects into a hole of a small angle bracket that will be riveted on the wing rib with a doubler (not shown).
Primed parts: wing rib doubler, wing skin doubler and the previously shown angle bracket.
Wing skin doubler from the inside, cleco'd into place.
Hole drilled and deburred.
Skin doubler with pitot mount riveted to wing skin.
Pitot angle bracket/rib doubler cleco'd into place awaiting rivets.
Final assembly awaiting the skins and pitot tube.
The next mini-project of this installment is stringing the wiring for the lights and stall warner to both wings. Shown below is the right wing and the mounting points for the stall warner.
And the root end of the same wing showing the termination of the harness about to be installed on the rib.
Full span shot of wiring of right wing.
The final installment of this blog is the second of two firewall stiffeners. The Vans upgrade was already installed on the passenger side of the aircraft and I elected to repeat one for the pilot's side. I never took any pictures during the process, so the finished product is all you get.
Hopefully the next blog will find me in a better mood with some real wing progress to report...otherwise it's back to other incidental stuff with the fuselage and cowling, which I was hoping to defer to the end of the project.
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