Project 5 build thread

[Geek]

Panel looks great Alex. Like the space shuttle switch guards! I too had a couple of those eBay banjo fittings and they did leak. I did the same as you and ordered the ones that Kitfox uses. No issues now. (knock on wood) I didn't have to drain my tanks to change it. Just folded the wings and the fuel in the tank sat down on the lower edge. The upper age of the tank where the fitting is was dry.

Geek

[alexM]

Alex, the engine run sounded super cool. I hope you can get the leaks sorted out quickly.

Your panel looks nice. Food for thought. I see the "Certified for Day VFR use only" that you plan to engrave on the panel. Are you sure you aren't ever going to equip it with approved nav and position lights to make it night compliant? For night you only need to comply with FAR 91.205 (c) requirements to make it night compliant. I initially had non-TSO nav/strobe lights and upgraded to a set of AeroLED which met the TSO standards.

Phil,
I threw that limitation on the panel to head off having a DAR force me to make an ugly sticker, but you're not the first person to ask why I would put that on there. Maybe I'll omit that before I visit with Laser Bob. Then I could put that day VFR limitation on one of the extra removable panels in the middle to make DAR happy.

Panel looks great Alex. Like the space shuttle switch guards! I too had a couple of those eBay banjo fittings and they did leak. I did the same as you and ordered the ones that Kitfox uses. No issues now. (knock on wood) I didn't have to drain my tanks to change it. Just folded the wings and the fuel in the tank sat down on the lower edge. The upper age of the tank where the fitting is was dry.

Geek,
I was researching pipe fittings last night and think I might have figured out why those ebay fittings don't work. They're being sold as NPT but they may actually be a British standard (BSTP?). They are still a 3/8" thread and twist together perfectly, but the angle of the taper is different so it results in a single point of contact. Either that or they are just eBay garbage. My left tank fitting is dry, but I'll be replacing both when my Kitfox order arrives.

[jiott]

Good to hear the engine finally; what a beast!

Regarding the panel: I think you might want a couple of eyeball fresh air vents on that panel. My opinion is they are mandatory, and need to be up on the panel where they can blow in your face.
Also, agree with Papua Pilot, and wonder about using the word "certified". Not much about an experimental can be called certified.

[alexM]

My panel is back from the laser engraving. Finally, I'm able to move forward with the wiring.
PXL_20240405_000342712.jpg
I used flush rivets to hold the structure I designed for the forward side of the panel.
I would like to have done them before powder coating, but the laser engraving place was concerned with the overall height and keeping it all still.
PXL_20240405_000406293.jpg
I took my time on the rivets since I'll be looking at them for a long time

[Geek]

A conundrum for certain. Trying to figure out what looks better; panel or the engine. Both look so good Alex!! But have to say the engine sounds better than the panel. Nice job mate and good work on the ATP test!

Geek

[Kitfox Pilot]

I tried to get my panel power coated and lasered but mine was during covid and no one would do it. Yours looks first class!

[jrevens]

That looks beautiful to me. Very nice, Alex!

[Jez]

Very nice indeed

[Shadowrider]

Thats cool! Whats ram air switch for and why don't I have it?

[Eric Page]

Whats ram air switch for and why don't I have it?

You have to remember that Alex was a Boeing engineer. That switch opens the Ram Air Door at the base of the vertical stabilizer to ventilate the cabin in the event that he loses both air conditioning packs.

Panel looks fantastic, Alex!