Plane Shows Up Tomorrow!

[Esser]

Partain is showing up tomorrow evening with my kit and I cannot wait. I feel like a kid at Christmas. Although my build is going to take a year longer than planned due to the fact that I now have to pay for a wedding before an engine!


http://i1042.photobucket.com/albums/b423/joshesser/580019_721408591514_393967635_n.jpg

[Agfoxflyer]

Smart move to buy the ring before the engine. You need her on board. Congrats on both.

[DanB]

Woo Hoo! Congratulations!!! You gotta be flyin high already and you don't even have the plane yet :D
Have fun

[GWright6970]

Congratulations on "ALL FRONTS!!" Enjoy the journey!

[Dorsal]

Oh boy Oh boy!! and getting a plane is cool too.

[Av8r3400]

Congrats on both achievements, Esser! :D

[DesertFox4]

I think it's an FAA rule here that if you accept a ring you have to help build.
Not sure about Ontario though. I hear Poly-Tak does not damage diamonds.;)

Congrats on both very big events.

[inzersv]

Smart move! All of the important things in life in one smooth operation. You have my utmost respect. Smooth operator!!:D

[Esser]

Thanks everyone! I am very excited about both. She is already very on board with the airplane as she flies a Cessna Conquest II for a living. BUT she is very busy in the summer so I won't be building when she is home. In the winter she plans on giving me a hand.

In other news Partain was delayed and wont be here until tomorrow now! As he can't deliver to Canada I am meeting him with a truck in Michigan. It was almost impossible to find an available truck to rent. I had to settle on a 26' Uhaul even though John recommended against it due to the wheel wells. But because the truck is SO long I may have 16 feet before the wells. I will have to play around with it once I get the truck. I also ordered a dozen extra mozing blankets.

[Av8r3400]

I moved my IV project from new York to Wisconsin in a 26' uhaul. It worked great and rode terrible. You will be fine. Extra blankets will help.

[WWhunter]

Yep, I think you'll be fine. I should find and post the picture I have of a 12' (maybe it was 14') crate with amphibious float kit int he crate that I had shipped to Germany. I made an extension on the bed of my little Nissan compact pickup to haul them home. Looked funny as the crate was probably longer than the truck.
Congrats on the new acquisitions!!! ;)

[Dave S]

There's a million ways to move something you really want to move.......see attached. Yup - the truck had 300,000 miles on it and the 8.000# trailer was a little short - but it worked.

You'll get it done:)

DS

[Monocock]

That's a VERY cool truck!!!!

[cainbird]

I second Monococks motion! I have a 69 GMC pickup the same color. Very Cool

Cain B

[Esser]

Well she is here! Due to me misplacing my passport, my good friend Sam Schauteet(Who also has his private pilot license) and my new fiancé Natalie went over the bridge to meet Partian's driver Michael. Michael was very thorough and was extremely meticulous in his unloading and helpfulness in loading my plane into the Uhaul. On the Uhaul note, it works fine even with the wheel wells. We were able to strap the wings to the walls off the floor. We had to cut up some moving blankets to slide under the straps but everything went well.

http://i1042.photobucket.com/albums/b423/joshesser/Kitfox%20Build/20120624_163242.jpg
Partain's Truck



http://i1042.photobucket.com/albums/b423/joshesser/Kitfox%20Build/20120624_161637.jpg
Michael Unstrapping my Kitfox



http://i1042.photobucket.com/albums/b423/joshesser/Kitfox%20Build/20120624_160543.jpg
Sam ready to help load the Uhaul



http://i1042.photobucket.com/albums/b423/joshesser/Kitfox%20Build/403803_10150866566076415_1510244837_n.jpg
Wings nestled in the shop



http://i1042.photobucket.com/albums/b423/joshesser/Kitfox%20Build/20120624_193948.jpg
Compulsory Airplane making noises picture.


So now the hard work begins. It is a little daunting at this stage I must admit. But I am flying back to work today so I won't get to touch her for 2 weeks until I fly back home. The life of a tradesman has it's ups and downs. Updates to follow!

[inzersv]

I am so glad that I am retired. I could not stand to be away from my kit for two weeks. Since Memorial Weekend, I have been away twice for 4 day stretches and about went bonkers. Did nothing but worry and fret. :o There is no addiction in the world better than a kitfox build. Now the adventure begins.:D

[HighWing]

Quick note. If there is nothing on top of the steel wing support stands, I would cover them with strips of carpet or soft wood to protect the aluminum spars.

[DanB]

Esser, Not sure if you are looking to start on your wings right away or not...but if you would like to save a little room when not working on them, John McBean gave me the idea of building the tall "saw horses" as in the pic below. I eventually cut the top pieces to about half of what you see there. The wooden lengths resting on the saw horse are about 4' long and inserted into the leading spar tubes.
Have a blast on the build!

3611

[Esser]

Highwing the sawhorses have rubber tops to them. But thanks for the tip anyhow. I'm pretty anal about dissimilar metals touching even if there is paint.

DanB. The sawhorses are a good idea. I'm not sure where I am going to start. Any judgestions? Space is one thing I have lots of. My shop is 110 x 90 feet. The room with the wings is just the one area I will heat

[jiott]

I would start with the fuse. It fairly easy and you make progress fast! Good for the ego and personal accomplishment factors.

Jim

[DanB]

DanB. The sawhorses are a good idea. I'm not sure where I am going to start. Any judgestions? Space is one thing I have lots of. My shop is 110 x 90 feet. The room with the wings is just the one area I will heat[/QUOTE]

Jiott had the answer I have heard several times concerning where to start. One thought is if the wings are finished first, then needing to move them around for what ever reason might put them at risk. Others may see things in a different light. :)

[inzersv]

I started with the fuselage and then went back and forth with the horizontal stab and elevator and fuselage. I am saving the wings for the very reason mentioned. Handle them once if at all possible. I am working on the door frame currently.

[jiott]

One other comment: the stab, elevator and rudder are certainly fairly easy to assemble (ribs, hinges, etc.) but I would advise not covering them with fabric until after the fuse and wings. The reason is they have some curved edges which are not real easy to get right until you have some covering experience. The wings and fuse are large but are all straight edges (except the vert stab) and fairly easy to do. I thought the wings were actually the easiest to cover, which agrees with the Polyfiber Manual.

Jim

[Brandon Petersen]

Congrats on the plane!!! I built those wings and it is cool to see them in your shop after just seeing them leave the wing shop at Kitfox the other day. Thanks for posting the pictures!
Brandon

[Esser]

Hey Brandon very cool. Thanks for building my wings!

As for everyone else thanks for the suggestions. I originally was thinking to do all the hysol of the vert and horz stab first but I may take the advice of starting with the fuselage.

As for the covering, in Canada the MD-RA (ie big money grab) requires a pre cover inspection so I pretty much have to go as far as I can on everything before I cover.

[rwaltman]

... was thinking to do all the hysol of the vert and horz stab first but I may take the advice of starting with the fuselage.

A long time ago I read the recommendation to start with the wings, specially if you don't have a large work area. (Tony Bingelis EAA books?)

The rationale given was that later it was easier to get the wings out of the way while working on the fuselage. Hang them flat from the roof, or vertically against a wall, etc.

Roberto.

[Jfquebec]

Great ,happy for you...do you think md-ra certified your project with quick built wing??. He said the builder need to make 51% of the aircraft,,
...

Jf

[Esser]

Yeah the MD-RA will certify with the quick build wing at 51%.

[Jfquebec]

Good,,,thank's josh