Started the Couger

[Sloper]

Goodaye All

 

l have made a little progress.

 

Elevators are finished, skinned, caped and waiting for paint.

 

Still need to do the mass balance later in the week.

 

Reasonably happy with the result, l have to get used to ripples in the Aluminium from rivets and forming.

 

l know a handbuilt aircraft will have them, just trying to minmize them.

 

 

They are easily removable, l can see me making another because at some stage it will get a ding in it.

 

 

Lines up perfectly and each side is within 2mm of size.

 

Skins are Sikaflexed as well as the rivets.

 

 

Only thing is you can hear the rivet heads ratteling inside or is that inside my head.

 

regards Bruce

 

 

[Guernsey]

Good to see your progress Bruce, these photos certainly show how strong a Morgan aircraft is.

 

A few days ago my Son and I landed with a flat nose wheel tyre which was ok when we did our pre-flight.

 

No dramas with the landing however we damaged the wheel spat because when the tyre is flat the spat touches the ground so my son Martin, who is good at fibreglassing, repaired the spat and re-drilled the holes so that it is higher from the ground. We also fitted a new tyre and inserted that green gunk to protect against further punctures. You may wish to do the same.

 

Alan.

 

 

[kgwilson]

Hi Bruce,

 

I had the same issue with my elevators, dimples in the skin from the rivets. I tried to make sure the ribs were all perfectly lined up with straight edges etc but I am not a CNC machine so there are human variances & these little things make it uniquely mine. I went back to Taree a few weeks ago and noticed the same on Garry's aircraft. It's only when you are doing things yourself that anything less than perfect seems unacceptable & once it's painted you don't even notice these minor things. I bonded the trailing edge of my elevators with 24 hr araldite so at least that part is smooth & straight.

 

Kevin

 

 

[Sloper]

Goodaye all

 

Have been tinkering a bit more and now need some input.

 

 

l had my eldest help me today, he is about the same size as me now.

 

So we set up the seating postion with the controls fixed into there final position.

 

It seem the joystick is very close to your crotch on full movement of the elevator, is this common???

 

l was thinking of having 40mm off the length and the vertical handle set back on a 20 degree incline.

 

Any thoughts????? ( oh thats the joystick not the crotch)

 

 

Set the dash up to give me an idea of the postion, and am happy with the distance.

 

However l am not going to use Gary's cluster l am going to do my own.

 

(l suppose l have the one shown forsale)

 

 

l am still hoping to put the throttle between the seats as well as the flap switch.

 

regards Bruce

 

 

[Guernsey]

You may also want to consider making the right hand seat joystick removeable for when you have passengers that don't like the stick between their legs. (not trying to be funny here ). It also allows your passenger to help with map reading if they are able to do so.

 

Alan.

 

 

[facthunter]

That's a good idea. You can easily make it removeable any time with a pin and clip. Fit one piece of tube inside another is common. Nev

 

 

[Sloper]

l like the removable stick idea.

 

Found a problem this morning, l watched Ben get in and out.

 

Thing is the floor brace was bent, so l havew spent the morning working of another brace to really strengthen the floor.

 

Will post a pic tonight.

 

regards Bruce

 

 

[Sloper]

Here's a pic of the floor brace.

 

 

Used ply as it can move whereas aluminium would have been to ridged l think, added 600grms.

 

You could now use the floor as a dance floor.

 

regards Bruce

 

 

[Guernsey]

I may be wrong on this one Sloper but I would have thought that provided the aluminium was not too thick, it would act as a 'crumple' zone and lessen the impact whereas the

 

timber plywood would have no give in a heavy 'pancake' landing.

 

Alan.

 

 

[Sloper]

Hmmmmm, have to think on that, the seat frame and rear of the floor are ridgid.

 

Any side loading and the ply will split.

 

The landing gear points are on the frame under the seat, that would be more of a problem first.

 

The trick is to not find out.

 

The frame around the floor is light and l split the floor into two pieces.

 

regards Bruce

 

 

[Sloper]

Goodaye all here's a pic of the Viking fuel pump module.

 

 

Being a fuel injected motor it requires 40+psi to run.

 

The module has a tank return, presure relief valve and points for the pressure guage.

 

Its also designed to mount through the firewall so as to put teh regulater and lines to the engine in the engine bay.

 

This comes with the engine.

 

regards Bruce

 

 

[Guernsey]

I'm looking forward to how this engine runs in your Cougar and only time will tell, however, if looks are anything to go by it certainly seems to have good quality components.

 

If I were building another aircraft I would certainly be giving serious consideration to the Viking engine.

 

Alan.

 

 

[Sloper]

Here's some pics of the module installed.

 

 

 

l will put a high pressure filter on the firewall just before the injectors as well, just in case if a pump fails and put junk into the fuel system.

 

The low pressure filters will proberly move, could be a real pain to replace there.

 

But still havent decided where to put the fuel tanks.

 

Wings are looking like the place, any body fiddled with tanks in the leading / D section of the wing??

 

Just a thought, a section forming the edge and being a fuel tank.

 

regards Bruce

 

 

[sfGnome]

Would leading edge tanks give you CoG change issues as the fuel is consumed, or is it close enough to the CoG to not matter?

 

 

[Sloper]

It shouldnt matter too much, l have wriggle room with the battery and a WATER heater.

 

regards Bruce

 

 

[Sloper]

Goodaye all

 

Been plodding away and need some insperation.

 

 

The horizontal brace shown in the middle of the picture needs to move out of the way to let passengers in the back.

 

The original one has a pin in the end so it could pivot.

 

l cant get out of my mind setting it up as a over centre clamp.

 

Both sides pivot already , all l have to do is cut the brace fit a sleeve and pin for the clamp so it cant release.

 

l cant see past this at the moment as its firmly in my mind.

 

So does anybody have any other suggestions?

 

l have also set my mind on using 2 60lt fuel cells, l had the opptunity on the weekend to weigh a 55lt aluminium aircraft tank and its the same weight.

 

Has the fittings l need and will mount easily fore and aft.

 

regards Bruce

 

 

[Litespeed]

Hi,

 

Please don't forget to use proper clamps on the filters- never use cable ties, sure they are just trial fitted right?

 

Phil

 

 

[Sloper]

Goodaye all

 

l have had my test pilots helping today.

 

 

And my oldest in the backseat also, all 6ft of him.

 

He said it was comfortable but l dont beleive him.

 

 

The front seat brace inplace, locks the fron seats in position as well.

 

 

With two pins removed the brace folds down out of the way and both seats can fold forward.

 

 

There is a little force placed on the sides from the overcentre function of the brace and in conjunction with the seat brackets it all locks up solid.

 

l decided to have the brace fold down just in case the cancopy ever comes down, that would be expensive.

 

The rear seat will have a centre armrest?????

 

l will slot some some 25mm square tube and fit the elevator cable inside, bit of padding and its done.

 

l may put the rear wiring down the tube as well.

 

regards Bruce

 

regards Bruce

 

 

[Guernsey]

It shouldnt matter too much, l have wriggle room with the battery and a WATER heater.regards Bruce

So where exactly are you fitting the shower Bruce ???

 

All jokes aside your Cougar is certainly coming along nicely, well done Bruce, keep the progress reports coming, it's what this Forum is all about.

 

Alan the Morganite.

 

 

[eightyknots]

:idea:Where is the mini bar going Bruce? (:cheers:for the passengers only, of course)

 

 

[Guernsey]

With all this talk about Wheel Spats, will you be fitting them to your Cougar Bruce ?

 

Alan.

 

 

[Sloper]

Not sure on that, l will be out of a grass strip.

 

l will look at it and maybe do something clever later.

 

regards Bruce

 

 

[skeptic36]

Not sure on that, l will be out of a grass strip.l will look at it and maybe do something clever later.

 

regards Bruce

So are we talking fiber-glassing?

 

 

[Guernsey]

So are we talking fiber-glassing?

Stone the crows I had forgotten about that.

 

He could just order a set from Gary Morgan I suppose.

 

Alan.

 

 

[Sloper]

l have aset of Fibre glass ones thankyou.

 

And l am not sure if l have mentioned this but l hate fibre glassing.

 

regards Bruce