Day 65 (TF3) & Day 10 (TF4) - March 21, 2015

We worked on some final details on TF3 before the aircraft heads off to a different hangar for awhile.  We calibrated the fuel voltage into the EFIS (Electronic Flight Information System), and the interior upholstery was permanently installed.  It looks great!
 The gascolator bolts were safety wired to make sure they would not come loose and the empennage fairing was trimmed in order for it to clear the horizontal stabilator.

As for TF4, the main center section assembly was completed.  The baggage ribs and skin were also riveted together to the assembly.

  

The seat ribs and skin were finished and they are ready to be attached to the main center section assembly.

The step ribs were also prepared and riveted to one of the forward bulkheads.

The control column mount assemblies were assembled and are ready to be attached to the bulkhead where the control sticks will be.  The longerons were incrementally bent every one inch, to fit to the shape of the canopy decks.

Check back soon for more progress!

 

Day 64 (TF3) & Day 9 (TF4) - March 14, 2015

Today was a very exciting day at the hangar for TeenFlight 3!

The RV-12 underwent its final inspection, completed by Gary Brown (DAR). 

Great news, TF3 is legally airworthy and is safe to fly!  Mr. Brown presented us with our Airworthiness Certificate and all of the TF3 students received a letter of recognition for the build. 

 

 

 

As for other TF3 tasks today, the remaining interior plates and panels were screwed into place and the baggage bulkhead was installed.  The inspection plates were also installed to the underside of the aircraft.  The TF3 students even signed the tunnel cover to show who built the aircraft. 

Very cool!

 

 

 

On TF4, the main center section was further continued with the assembling of the center section aft bulkhead.  As for the seat assemblies, the seat floors and the seat floor supports were riveted to the seat ribs and the seat hinges were riveted to the seat floors. 

 

 

 

The roll bar frame was also prepared with a lot of deburring and the forward lower fuselage needed to have two extra plates installed for more strength.

 

 

As for the underside of the plane, the doublers were cut and deburring began on the doublers for future assembly.  One of the main bulkheads was also prepared for assembly. 

 

See you next week!

Day 63 (TF3) & Day 8 (TF4) - March 7, 2015

A lot of progress was made between TF3 and TF4 today. 

As for TF3, the canopy seal was applied to the underside of the canopy frame for an air-tight cabin and the exterior of the plane was cleaned with acetone and denatured alcohol to remove any pen marks, tape marks and finger prints.  The upper forward fuselage skin was screwed into place as well as the panel which needed a few more screws.  Lastly, the plane was lightly cleaned in the inside for the final inspection taking place next week on March 14, 2015! 

 

On TF4, the seat ribs and skins, the forward lower fuselage, and the main center section assembly were all continued.  On the seat area, the crotch strap brackets and the flaperon mixer arms were riveted to the seat ribs which is looking great! 

 

 

Also, the seat hinges were cut and were being prepared to be riveted to the seat floors.  The seat floor supports and the seat floors were also being prepared to be riveted to the seat ribs. 

 

 

As for the forward lower fuselage, the firewall shelf and the rudder pedal support channels were riveted to the firewall and some of the students were required to apply Pro-Seal to the firewall bottom.

 

 

On the main center section assembly, most of the rivet holes were countersunk for flush rivets and work on the forward bulkhead side assemblies was also continued. 

 

 

Stay tuned for next week as TF3 comes down to the wire with the final inspection!

       

Day 62 (TF3) & Day 7 (TF4) - February 28, 2015

Today was a great day as we near the finish of TF3 and keep digging into the new project of TF4.  On TF3, we worked on the fine tunings and adjustments that will be checked in the upcoming inspection possibly occurring in two weeks.  The magnetometer or compass was calibrated, and the brakes worked a lot better than before due to the bleeding of the brakes that occurred last week.  Work on the stall warning kept progressing and areas on the horizontal stabilator were trimmed in order to fit the empennage cowling correctly. 

As for TF4, they worked on the baggage bulkhead, the forward lower fuselage, main bulkhead, and the seat ribs.  The baggage bulkhead and ribs were deburred and the small rear spar receptacles were riveted to the baggage bulkhead. 

The forward lower fuselage was riveted together involving the tunnel ribs between the pilot and the passenger, as well as the firewall bottom, side fuse skins, and center fuse skin.

The main center section assembly was riveted together and drilled.  This is what the baggage bulkhead will be riveted to in the future.  

The seat ribs were deburred and prepared for future assembly with the seatbelt attach lugs installed. 

The flaperon mixer arm was also finished which is used for moving the control surfaces.

Tune in for more next week!