Test-Fitting the Spars (Feb.22nd, 2004)

Today I did a test-fit of the cloeco'ed spar halves

Very impressive, viewing this for the first time... The spars occupy 3/4 of my workshop. It's a lot of aluminum (and not a single lightening hole in the whole thing). I remember a ~copmplete~ wing of the MCR-01 (composite) is about the weight of a single Sonex spar.

This is a close look at the mating section.

Not less than 14 !! angles of different sizes and shapes and 8 different sheets of metal are involved in this center section. The white sticker on the sparcaps tell me here forward is and lists the sequence of the 'sandwich'. Mine is a follows: (careful guys, thes spars intersect the opposite way of the holy sonex plans!)

list viwing from aft looking forward in direction of flight

left wing doubler web (2.3mm)

left wing aft web (0.8mm)

left wing center web (3.2mm)

left wing main sparweb (0.8mm)

right wing main sparweb (0.8mm)

left wing center web (3.2mm)

left wing aft web (0.8mm)

left wing doubler web (2.3mm)

Altogether it adds up to a solid 14.2mm of 6061-T6 aluminum. Then add another 4mm thickness of one of the angles then the clecos are not ableanymore to hold together this kaboodle. CAUTION! clecos not able to 'hook' at the rear side may shoot out like bullets at any time!

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Engine goes for Inspection (Feb.20th, 2004)

I handed over the partly disassembled Revmaster 2100D engine to Sauer Flugmotoren The company is only half an hour drive away. It is a certified aviation engine manufacturer. They make VW-based engines for many years. Most engines go into German motorfliders. I got a walk-through the facility. The plant is very well equipped with all kinds of machinery. They offer water-cooled heads as well as proprietary casted aircooled heads with 50% more area than the standard VW (which shall be good for 100 HP, according to an employee).

The wear limits of the R2100D will be checked now, then we will decide how to proceed with the rebuilding.

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Still more from the Mainspar (Feb. 8th, 2004)

I'm drilling and countersinking for 10 hours now the left mainspar, and the end is sill not in sight...

Countersinking at this location is tricky. I'm already using a slim bit extender, but the sparcap flabge is still in the way. So I grinded the extender conical. Because I cannot use the microstep countersink, some 'feel' for the right depht is required here (producing scrap here means kiss god-bye 800 $).