TeenFlight Build Update: Thursday, Feb 25th, 2021
Last build session of the week for Teams 1&3 on the wings for TF7.
On the left wing, students Bryce, Nora and Seb finished riveting the first few rows of the leading edge as called out in the plans and riveted the two flaperon hinge brackets to the rear spar. They then did their least favorite thing in peeling off the blue protective film on the inboard top skin, deburd all holes and clecoed into place and got started riveting.
On the right wing, students Bhrugu, Anthony, Nathan an Eryk are finishing up riveting the first few rows on the leading edge.
As a reminder to the students, mentors and parents, we have our weekly debrief zoom call Friday night at 7pm. As usual, there is a picture slide show that starts @6:50pm with all the photos taken during the week as we wait for everyone to connect.
TeenFlight Build Update: Wednesday, Feb 24th, 2021
Tonight was day 1 of Teams 1&3 2 day weekly build sessions.
The left wing crew consisting of Nora, Bryce, Nathan and Seb were able to finish riveting the first few rows of the leading edge of the top skins as per plans and then started working on installing the flaperon hinge brackets. Much of the evening was just getting the leading edge to match up with the ribs holes using our custom hole alignment pins and then clecoing in place. This eliminates the need to re-drill holes due to alignment issues.
The right wing group consisting of Bhrugu, Anthony, Nathan and Eryk were able to get their leading edge clecoed in place and ready to rivet.
Like to thank Marv Scott and Donald Edwards for helping mentor tonight.
TeenFlight Build Update: Monday, Feb 22nd, 2021
As usual, Teams 1&3 focus was on the fuselage for TF7, but primarily tonight it was on the hydraulics fittings for the brakes on the main gear leg that are now buried in the fuselage and the various control assemblies.
Nico finished assembling the L&R WD-01214 flaperon control tubes while Mayzie installed the L&R WD-1215 control brackets that these control tubes will eventually be match drilled to when the wings are fitted to the fuselage. They also ran the control cables forward and coiled them to be run aft once we rivet the tailcone on which is the very last thing we do after engine/avionics are all installed.
Emmalynn and Mariel continued on with fabrication of the two control column mount assemblies that get riveted to the F-01203A-1 floor bulkhead and then the control column assembly gets bolted to each via a bolt through a bearing which allows it to rotate as the control sticks are moved.
Nadia and Lexie finished up with the long push rods that are attached to the flaperon controls and then started working on the control assemblies that is attached to the flap motor.
Nico also assembled the two spring locking fuselage pins that are used to secure the wings in place.
Micah and Donald continued working on the hydraulics for the brakes. The lower landing gear cover plates got riveted on before they got the the elbow fitting installed on the the gun drilled landing gear making it a nightmare getting them installed due to limited access. Thank goodness these kids still have small hands!
I would like to thank Marv Scott, Joe Andre, John Smutny, Dario Salischiker and our youngest mentor, Donald Edwards, for volunteering tonight to help mentor our students. Actually, these are advanced students so we get to pretty much stand back and enjoy the show and fetch things for them!
Op next this Wed/Thur night is Teams 1&3 who will continue working on TF7 wings.
TeenFlight Build Update: Sunday, Feb 21st, 2021
Tonight was session 1 of the 2 day weekly build sessions for Teams 1&3 who are focusing on the finishing kit on TF7.
It was also a special night in that Donald Edwards, a former student who graduated last year, has come back to help mentor this year. Donald enrolled in Clover Park’s A&P program last year and is working on finishing his Airframe portion of his certification. It makes us proud to see our former students progress in their career aspirations, but it especially makes us proud when they want to come back to help pass on what they have learned to fellow students. In the case tonight, Donald worked with Micah on fabricating/bending the brake lines for the main wheels.
Nadia and Lexie finished the main gear attach covers and then started fabricating the flaperon control rods.
Mayzie finished riveting the lower fuselage corner skins and then installed the flaperon control horns.
Nico fabricated the flaperon attach arms and then started working on the wing locking pin assembly.
Mariel and Emmalynn installed the nose wheel and then started working on the control column assembly.
TeenFlight Build Update: Thursday, Feb 18th 2021
Teams 2&4 got their one build day this week after letting teams 1&3 have their Wednesday night build session due to the Valentine’s/President’ days holiday on their usual Sun/Mon build nights.
Tonight, the left wing group finished riveting the bottoms skins and flipped the wing over and attached the tube to the AOA port that was installed in tthe the leading edge skin.
The right wing group have a couple of rivets they need to drill out and replace and they will also be finished with the bottom side. In addition to installing the flap brackets, they will need to make the cutout for the optional dual landing light configuration that we have chosen.
It was good to have mentor John Smutny back with us tonight!