Sierra 100 Kit Build Underway

[kgwilson]

Its a while since I posted anything. I have completed the ailerons and flaps and installed the hinges on them but these will not be installed on the wings until I have the aircraft fully assembled & the wings set to the correct dihedral & the main bolts installed.

 

I've been busy with other things in March so not much was achieved although I ordered the engine and have arranged for everything to get to the airfield. The engine was delivered today & the fuselage & wings should be there tomorrow so the process of assembly and all the important and fiddly bits begins.

 

Just to prove it is underway attached are pics of the flaps & ailerons & the trailer packed & ready to go.

 

 

 

 

[silvercity]

Its a while since I posted anything. I have completed the ailerons and flaps and installed the hinges on them but these will not be installed on the wings until I have the aircraft fully assembled & the wings set to the correct dihedral & the main bolts installed.I've been busy with other things in March so not much was achieved although I ordered the engine and have arranged for everything to get to the airfield. The engine was delivered today & the fuselage & wings should be there tomorrow so the process of assembly and all the important and fiddly bits begins.

 

Just to prove it is underway attached are pics of the flaps & ailerons & the trailer packed & ready to go.[ATTACH]21420[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]21421[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]21422[/ATTACH]

Looking good Kevin ... how would you rate the degree of build difficulty and overall quality of the kit?

 

 

[kgwilson]

Looking good Kevin ... how would you rate the degree of build difficulty and overall quality of the kit?

The kit is all good quality 6061 T6 Aluminium, American sheet, all AN aircraft nuts & bolts etc. Can't compare to other kits as I haven't built any thing else. Its not like a Savannah kit with CNC machined bits & pre-drilled rivet holes. There are a few preformed bits but mostly you bend, cut, drill & shape everything. The fibreglass mouldings are good & just need trimming & finishing. I picked my kit up & it took about 3 days to work out what was what. If you have some engineering knowledge & can follow the plans & the manual, plus photos & the construction video, build difficulty is not too bad. Garry or Tim Morgan are always available for advice when you get stuck so after sales service is ongoing.

 

 

[silvercity]

Thanks for the info ... I've spoken to Garry but it's good to hear the opinions of customers.

 

 

[kgwilson]

It seems to have taken forever but I have finally got the wings on and fitted the main bolts, locating pins and drag spar bolts. Then I took them off again as I need to build a 100 mm high ramp to get the aircraft into the T Hangar or re-model the hangar into a full size one. I plan to extend the hangar but finishing the build is priority 1.

 

I have installed the engine mount and managed to get the engine installed yesterday. It was a bit fiddly but with a borrowed engine hoist it all worked out well. Next I'll get all the wiring, battery, cables & fuel lines, airbox, oil cooler & other cooling bits done, install the centre tank and forward deck, instrument panel & instruments & then I might build a ramp or re-build the hangar. I forgot to take a photo after I'd bolted the wings in place so this is one with the supports before levelling etc in the big hangar on the left.

 

 

 

 

[kgwilson]

4 months since my last update. Anyway I have wired the engine & loom back to the panel, installed the cobra head, airbox, carb heat etc, put carb temp, EGT & CHT probes in, put an inspection hatch in at the tail to check & service the stabilator bell crank, installed the interior metal lining, (to be upholstered) installed the cabin air NACA ducts, pre-fitted the instruments & panel, installed the flaps & ailerons, installed the winglet tips, installed the cowling & added a few cosmetics like a curved fillet between the dorsal & tail fin. Still need to glass in the carb air intake NACA duct & oil cooler duct. next is the canopy, paint, interior fitout, brakes & wheel spats Rego & testing. There will be a bit of a delay while I rebuild the hangar. A few progress pics attached

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Virago]

Sure is looking good Kevin ... you're a great inspiration mate! John.

 

 

[Vince38]

Very nice so far Kevin.

 

How many hours do you have in this build so far?

 

 

[kgwilson]

Very nice so far Kevin.How many hours do you have in this build so far?

Total hours to date is 791. Due to other issues like building my hangar & refurbishing our Aero clubhouse I have only put in 22 hours this calendar year. The plane is ready to paint once I have fitted the canopy & installed the pitot tube & static. The panel has been done & removed but there is still cabin wiring & upholstery installation etc once painting is done. The last work was done in April but my Hangar is almost finished so I'll be back into it soon. These are the last photos taken in April in the borrowed hangar.

 

 

 

[Vince38]

Total hours to date is 791. Due to other issues like building my hangar & refurbishing our Aero clubhouse I have only put in 22 hours this calendar year. The plane is ready to paint once I have fitted the canopy & installed the pitot tube & static. The panel has been done & removed but there is still cabin wiring & upholstery installation etc once painting is done. The last work was done in April but my Hangar is almost finished so I'll be back into it soon. These are the last photos taken in April in the borrowed hangar.

OK I think I might just have to save my pennies and get Garry to do all the hard parts.

 

 

[kgwilson]

It is 4 years today since I started this thread and my Sierra is almost ready. After being 90% complete seemingly forever the final 90% is about 80% done. I decided that I wanted to do everything & that included painting so I bought myself a HVLP spray gun set & taught myself to spray paint, initially on my hangar door & then after rubbing down the aluminium & fibreglass bits with prekote & then etch priming I began painting with 2 pack paint. The problem was that I started when it got hot & humid so it took forever to get it all painted as I had no temperature or humidity control. Cutting & fitting the canopy seemed to take forever as did all the wiring for the panel especially the Dynon & radio as I made my own harnesses. Anyway I fitted the seat belts yesterday so the cockpit it complete apart from tying up wiring etc & now have to connect the throttle & choke cables, fit the prop & charge the brake system & it is ready for a startup. I also need to put my stripes on the side but won't worry about the wheel spats till everything is sorted. Now I need to get a Rego number & above all go flying & become current again before the next step of final inspection & testing.

 

A few pics of the progress after 976 hours.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Virago]

Looking great Kevin! Can't wait to see pics of the finished product! Mine is very much on the back burner due to a domestic meltdown and I have to sell my house and buy another one with a big shed. At this stage I'm looking forward to 2016! John.

 

 

[kgwilson]

Looking great Kevin! Can't wait to see pics of the finished product! Mine is very much on the back burner due to a domestic meltdown and I have to sell my house and buy another one with a big shed. At this stage I'm looking forward to 2016! John.

Cheers John,

No pressure but personally I'd be looking for a big shed. Be nice if it came with a house as well.

 

 

[bexrbetter]

Yeah great build KG, a credit to you, must getting excited with anticipation these days.

 

 

[Steve L]

Great job Kevin, looks excellent you should be proud. I'm just starting a kit, rag and tube don't want to take 4 years though.

 

 

[graham brown]

Great job Kevin. The gas struts are on I see. I'd be interested in your testing schedule as I'm about to do mine. I have the benefit of being at Garry's with all the experience but I'm still going to do a test schedule and stick to it. There have been too many 1st flight disasters with homebuilts recently.

 

Cheers

 

Graham

 

 

[Nobody]

There is some good background reading on flight testing in this reference in canse you hadnt seen it:

 

http://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Advisory_Circular/AC%2090-89A.pdf

 

 

[kgwilson]

Great job Kevin. The gas struts are on I see. I'd be interested in your testing schedule as I'm about to do mine. I have the benefit of being at Garry's with all the experience but I'm still going to do a test schedule and stick to it. There have been too many 1st flight disasters with homebuilts recently.Cheers

Graham

My plan is to follow the EAA test procedure to the letter after I have spent some time in Taree with the Morgan team & gaining currency. Originally I had decided I'd get someone else to do the test flying but I am now determined to take the process from from piles of aluminium, nuts, bolts, fibreglass etc to a flying machine with me at the controls from the first bunnyhop to many hours of flight around the country. You were right about the gas struts. I got a pair of 100N struts 570mm long & they work great. Wouldn't want them any stronger though. $25.00 delivered to my door. Great value. Thanks for the advice.

 

 

[Garry Morgan]

When we sell a kit we also send a USA test flying file ,The problem is most people just dont take any notice. One has to be VERY current total at home flying the aircraft of the same type. From what i see about 75% of first take offs end in a bent aircraft. But people say they are very experienced , may be so but not current. The last guy to die hadn't flown in 2 years apart from a BFR its not good enough. If any one wants a copy of the test flying just e mail me and ill send it on .we are losing to many.

 

 

[kgwilson]

There is an RA-Aus Flight Test guide on the website at http://www.raa.asn.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Flight-Test-Guide-Issue1.pdf but the EAA test guide is more comprehensive and can be downloaded from http://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Advisory_Circular/AC%2090-89A.pdf

 

 

[magishme]

Good work Kevin, great to see more of these flying around soon. I would love to go for a fly in one of these, all the feedback I hear is always good.

 

 

[Guest asmol]

From what i see about 75% of first take offs end in a bent aircraft.

WOW, they must be a really hard aircraft to fly when even the manufacturer expects an accident in 3 out of 4 first flights !

 

Seriously, how can you expect to sell any with this sort of claim ?

 

 

[reggie]

Now read all of what Gary wrote.

 

 

[Guest asmol]

Now read all of what Gary wrote.

I did read it all.

 

If the guy had completed a BFR then legally he is qualified to fly any similar type aircraft without needing super human skills above the average pilot assuming he did a BFR on similar type.

 

If he did complete a similar type and goes on to crash on 3 out of 4 first flights then obviously the examiner is incompetent and the BFR system does not work or you need exceptional skills beyond what 75% of the pilot population has.

 

I would be saying that all first flights and up to say 5 hours must be conducted by the factory with this level of carnage (note: this is the manufactures quote, not mine)

 

 

[Nobody]

I did read it all.If the guy had completed a BFR then legally he is qualified to fly any similar type aircraft without needing super human skills above the average pilot assuming he did a BFR on similar type.

 

If he did complete a similar type and goes on to crash on 3 out of 4 first flights then obviously the examiner is incompetent and the BFR system does not work or you need exceptional skills beyond what 75% of the pilot population has.

 

I would be saying that all first flights and up to say 5 hours must be conducted by the factory with this level of carnage (note: this is the manufactures quote, not mine)

I suspect that Gary was exaggerating slightly when he says 75% but...

 

Being legal doesn't mean that you are always safe under all circumstances. A good pilot will always need to exercise judgment to operate in a way that minimizes risks. You can be legal having not flown all that much in the previous 12 months but just completed a BFR. Safe to fly a few circuts in an aircraft that has been tried and tested, sure. A first flight. Perhaps not...

 

Gary's caution about first flights in any aircraft is warranted, I can think of 2 fatal accidents on first flights in recent times.,the one in the Hunter recently and the one at Lismore a few years ago, the aircraft is untested and the pilot if the builder is extremely excited and nervous.