6 year anniversary of my Sportsman project. It all started 6 years ago today with the rudder.
What has been accomplished in 6 years...???
- Slow build tail (rudder, horizontal stab, elevator). Purchased used (unopened) in Canada, saved a bunch of money.
- Tail complete except for tips and paint
- Slow build wings. Purchased new from the factory. At the time, this kit was $17.5K USD, now its 25K USD (43% increase). Quickbuild wings are now 47.5K USD. OUCH.
- Wings complete, except for wing tips, paint and fuselage wiring integration. Wings closed, struts cut, etc.
- 'Ultra quick build fuselage'. Quick build fuselage, that had a bunch of work already done (doors, firewall blank, control cables, bulkhead A, horizontal stab mounts and closeouts, etc. Got a really good deal. Purchased in 2019, but the real work started in early 2021.
- Tail dragger conversion complete (T3, Pekola Tundra Light Tailwheel, tailwheel service bulletin)
- Interior completely repainted. This took 2 weeks of disassembly, prep, masking, paint, cleanup and reassembly.
- Tail pull handle. Such a cool feature... but I dont want to do this again.
- Vertical fin spar service bulletin
- Brake master cylinders, park brake valve. Still need to run the lines from the valve to the callipers.
- Seat tubs cut and fit (plus Zach's seat pan inserts)
- Overhead console / light / tailwheel lock.
- Rear seat assembly and tunnel covers (100% made from scratch)
- Rear baggage floor. Zach special... but needed a lot of fitting and other touches to complete. 2 weeks last Xmas.
- Forward tunnel covers
- Header tanks and fuel line plumbing
- Overhead cable cover
- Instrument panel design, fitting, cutting and wiring (90% complete).
- Control sticks, grips and wiring
- Autopilot servo tray, mounting and wiring. Control cables not complete.
- Glareshield fitting complete, holes cut for fans, fan wiring complete. Needs upholstery and to mount compass.
- Temp engine fitting
- Firewall frame - custom frame for batteries, coils, fuel pumps, filters, gascolator, etc.
- Cowl extension (still lots of work to do, but the cowl is extended)
- Front / rear seat fitting (front done, rear not fully complete)
- Static ports installed, and static line run - still need to finish pitot and AOA
- Wiring schematics - 80% complete.
There is probably more, but those are the big items.
Other non-aviation projects completed during the same timeframe:
- Full bedroom set (bed, headboard, side tables, dresser)
- Kitchen nook
- 3 years of quarter midget racing with my son
- 2 year build of a street stock, and 1 season of racing
- Small amounts of flying... like 15 to 20 hours a year small.
- Hanger purchase and remodelling (floor paint, mezzanine completion (new stairs, new railings, flooring, drywall, wiring, solar power)
- Full time job plus business travel (travel non existant during COVID...)
OK - thats enough. No wonder I am always tired LOL.
Reflecting on the decisions I made. What would I do differently...
- Tail: I wouldn't change anything. Saved money, and learned a lot.
- Wings: Same as the tail. The slow build kit is half the price of quick build. Building both wings at once was the right move - but takes more room.
- Fuselage:
- I am questioning my decision to go UL power (not backing out now... but...). I had to design everything, and countless modifications are required. This added 6+ months to the build minimum.
- Panel: I thought going advanced would save me time, and if I had done a standard install that would probably be the case - but everything I did was custom. The wiring between the avionics and UL ECU is 10 lbs of poop in a 2 lb bag. Took a long time to figure it out. If I had to do it again, I would have gone Garmin. Canbus is soooo slick.
- Buying a 3rd hand fuselage saved me money (like about 40%), but I ended up redoing a lot of things already done - or at least taking apart and checking everything.
Keys to success:
- Tools:
- Bandsaw is huge. I use it a lot.
- Tablesaw is super handy for building jigs. Takes up a lot of room in the shop, but I used it a fair bit especially during the wings.
- Rivet squeezers. Having multiple is awesome and saves changing bits all the time.
- Pneumatic rivet squeezer: Super awesome. Dont use it much, but when I do it saves lots of time.
- Right angle drill adapter. I'm on my third. They are cheap with plastic gears.
- Belt sander. I do not know where I would be without this. Use it all the time.
- Break and sheer. I have access to one, and would not have done as many parts myself without it. Its a 20 min drive each way for me. If I didnt have that, I would have bought a small bench-top version.
- Work Space and Storage
- Having the project at home has been great.
- The mezzanine in the hanger is Sportsman parts storage for big stuff. So helpful.
- I took over a room in the basement for part storage. Nice to be able to store finished parts and just parts close at hand. I need to get better at organizing.
- Amazon!
- I cannot understate how awesome Amazon has been. If I need something that just broke, a tool, drill bits, etc being able to find it and order while you are in the shop and go right back to work on something else is just massive. I have saved so much time not having to drive around and find stuff. They dont have everything needed, but for common stuff its just awesome.
- Supportive family
- This is huge. If the family is not on board, building will be slow and progress difficult.
- Local knowledge
- I am very lucky that I am surrounded by other builders. Having access to knowledge, sharing tools (works both ways), and getting help when needed is massive and cannot be understated
- Specific knowledge
- I did not want to pick an orphaned kit (where the manufacturer is out of business). Having access to parts and support is key.
- Having an active forum comprised of other builders is key. Both being able to search for solutions, or ask specific questions when you get stuck.
- Local EAA chapter or the like. Huge resource that can help with knowledge, tools, experience, etc
- Plan the work, work the plan
- When you start a project (you need to consider building an airplane 1000 small projects, and not a single large one), do as much research as possible in advance. Order parts, ask questions, get advice. Doesnt always work, but works more than it doesnt.
- Document, Document, Document
- Have a build log, and keep it up to date. It's useful for some many reasons:
- Helping others
- Keeping motivated
- Remembering what you did
- Lots and lots of pictures. Being able to look back and see where you were 3, 6 or 12 months ago is huge for me to keep motivated. When I get stuck on something, knowing that I have solved problems in the past and gotten through it is key.
The big question I keep asking myself: Would I do all this again? Maybe. While I have never bought an airplane, when i see other people that have purchased a used airplane there is always a list of things they want to change, dont like, upgrade, etc. Hopefully i am getting what I want and the compromises will be minimal. What I regret the most is the time spent not flying. I like working on projects, but this is by far larger than anything I have ever done. I am convinced I will not build another airplane (famous last words).
OK - I have blathered on a lot. I wrote this more for me than anyone else as I need some motivation. 6 years is a LONG time (almost 12% of my life), but the end is near and I need to keep pushing through.
Happy holidays. Going back to the shop...
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