Day 18 - January 28, 2012

We finished one longeron today, though it proved a difficult and slightly obscure process.

More work was done on the entrance step and their mounts.

More polysulphite phixiatrophic sealent (Proseal).  It is used to waterproof the canopy entrance steps.

More slow yet steady work on the center bulkhead section.

After my team finished on one of the longerons, we started on the rudder and the brake pedals.

More next week!

Day 17 - January 21, 2012

It was very gusty and cold at KHIO today, but the TeenFlight hanger was warm and alive with activity.  We did not get quite far enough in the construction proccess to mate the fuselage pieces and the tailcone together, but we got closer.  One of our donors and TeenFlight founder, Mr. Ted Millar, flew in to check on our progress.   

The team that I was on last week, finished the forward lower fuselage right after lunch.

A couple of the guys began work on the roll-bar that supports the canopy.  It will eventually be riveted across the fuselage.

The main bulkhead and fuselage section (below) is coming along slightly slower than the other pieces, but there is so much material packed into this area that it is expected to take a little longer.  The most important thing is to build and manufacture each and every piece as close to perfect as it can be, and although it may seem to take longer it always is better to take time doing it right than waste time doing it wrong. 

The "cockpit entrance step" mount was built and fitted to the main fuselage section.

Longerons! The long pieces of metal that provide the lateral structural support and rigidity to both sides of the fuselage.  The team that I am on began construction on these after finishing the forward lower fuselage.

Day 16 - January 14, 2012

There is still a lot of work to be done on the build, but we continue to progressively work on our group projects.  The right wing was finished (last week) and passed Q.C (this week).

It was then hung on the wing rack which is serving as our rack of finished control surfaces. 



The team that I was on had the privilege of beginning the forward lower fuselage and lower firewall section.

The center fuselage bulkhead section and seat ribs are coming together very well and are almost ready for the bottom skin.

 



We were introduced to (and I got to use) the helpful yet smelly substance of fuel tank and firewall sealant (known to some as Proseal).

  Another team worked on the servo mounting bracket for the anti-servo tab’s servo, and tail cone attach points.

We will hopefully be able to mate most of the lower fuselage to the tail cone next week.  Stay tuned for next week's update as we continue on our way towards our goal of flying by June.

TeenFlight 2

Although not much has been posted on the blog lately, the TeenFlight program has been steadily progressing through building its second RV-12 kit.  15 teens and at least a dozen mentors(adults and students who participated in the first TeenFlight build or have built their own aircraft) were gathered and a location was secured at the ASK building at the Hillsboro Airport.

  TeenFlight 2 began with an orientation and introduction by the project leads in mid September.  After the first few weeks of assembling toolboxes, name tags, and practice projects, we jumped into the empennage kit.  Early November saw the finish of the vertical stabilizer

 and the rudder.

 The tailcone and stabilator(and anti servo tab) followed in December.

 To keep all of us busy(and focused), the wing kit was delivered early December and we dove in.

 A few weeks ago we got the fuselage kit and have progressed on the center bulkheads and seat assembly(pictures on that next week).  The theory is that once we get farther along on the fuselage, the work becomes more suited for three or four people instead of  eight or nine, so the mentors have left the left wing, flaperons, and empennage assembly for that time.   

We recently had an article about us published in the Oregonian:  

Our goal is to have this plane flying by Airventure 2012 and last Saturday was build day #15.  You can expect more updates as the build progresses.  We build every Saturday from 9a.m. to 3p.m. Visitors are always welcome.