Marty d's CH-701 build log

[Blueadventures]

Hi Marty  Just for info, these are the fuel tank vent covers I use and the Pitot tube cover.  (You can see the start of a wasp mud nest on the Pitot cover, the idea of the paper element is a carryover from my gliding days.) Wasps and bugs can't get in.

[Marty_d]

Thanks Mike, that's a great idea. 

[Marty_d]

Second jury strut done.  

(Which is when I discovered I've run out of AN3-6A bolts, and the AN3 washers.  Where's the best place to get these in Aus?)

[Thruster88]

You could try your local LAME. CJ Aerospace may be an option.  

[Marty_d]

Been a while since I had a day on the plane. Today I riveted the end cap and pivot/horn plate on the starboard flaperon, riveted the pivot pin on, sleeved the rod end for the AN5-10 bolt on the bellcrank and cut the slot in the fuselage.

I seem to have lost the nuts for the ball ends so will have to source those, but it moves up and down (the right way) which is a good start 🙂

 

Edited July 28 by Marty_d

[Marty_d]

Second flaperon on yesterday.  Still have to adjust the fuselage slots a little to allow for full up/down with and without flap.

 

 

[Marty_d]

On with the Bolly!

Not final fit, not torqued up and not pitched. (Definitely not lock wired!). Just to allow me to manually turn the motor, since I installed the round nuts my old wooden plank "prop" won't fit.

230mm (9") clearance to ground.

 

[kgwilson]

Why does it need to be lock wired? Bolly normally supply AN nylocs. That way all prop bolts can be torqued exactly the same.

[Marty_d]

2 hours ago, kgwilson said:

Why does it need to be lock wired? Bolly normally supply AN nylocs. That way all prop bolts can be torqued exactly the same.

Nylocs on the outer bolts, but the bolts that go to the prop flange go into press fit round nuts and are drilled head.

[facthunter]

Lockwire done correctly is  common in that location.  Nev

[Marty_d]

Wing root top skins done.  Starting to look like a real one!

[planedriver]

Marty you should be very proud of your achievements and the hurdles you’ve had to overcome along the way. It’s looking great and is a credit to your dedication to the task you set yourself. What I’m curious to know is does a bit of blaspheming help when things do not go as intended? 😜Rgds planet.

[Marty_d]

Thanks Planey!

 

I tend to stick with normal foul language on the occasion that things don't go as planned. Have to say though, that's a reasonably rare event as the Zenith plans are generally spot on - any f-ups are my own fault!

[Marty_d]

Spent an hour with some mildly soapy warm water... I want to start making the cover so thought I'd better start with a clean plane!  

In the end I went thru 6 buckets and the water in each one was brown when I finished.  Amazing how much dust gets on it in the shed.

So now she's the cleanest she's ever been since the sheets of aluminium were unpacked 14 years ago!

Next job is to get a big roll of paper, lay out and cut, then cut the car cover up and sew it together.

Anyway, thought I'd share a pic or two of the clean plane!

 

[sfGnome]

Looks like a bought one*! 😁

 

* as the leading hand used to say when I was an apprentice…

[Marty_d]

Finally finished the cover. Took many hours of sewing - in fact I'd be happy to never use a sewing machine again!

 

I should have just paid the money, it's given me an appreciation of how much work goes into these things.

 

Quite happy with the results though.

 

 

 

[Moneybox]

The prop 9" from the ground? I'm new here but that sounds very close considering you have suspension travel to come off that. Not much margin for error.

[Marty_d]

Not much travel on the nosegear, it has the rubber "hockey puck" suspension so pretty stiff.

[skippydiesel]

On 20/11/2023 at 12:55 PM, Marty_d said:

Yeah fuel spills are a big worry especially as there's a top window as well and the wing root skins fair down onto it.  So any fuel spilled will go there.

I've been thinking that perhaps I should put a gate on the first full rib to stop any leaks from getting past it, they can just run to the leading or trailing edge and drip to the ground.

Thoughts?

Acrylic supposed to be far less reactive to fuel spills/splashes .

Sonex use polycarbonate on the front windscreen, as its supposed to be more resistant to in flight damage/birds. The main canopy is acrylic. You might want to consider a similar strategy.

[Marty_d]

56 minutes ago, skippydiesel said:

Acrylic supposed to be far less reactive to fuel spills/splashes .

Sonex use polycarbonate on the front windscreen, as its supposed to be more resistant to in flight damage/birds. The main canopy is acrylic. You might want to consider a similar strategy.

If I get a spill and it damages the top window I might - but I'm not going to change it out just in case.

[IBob]

Marty, FWIW, while the Savannah wing root skins do not fair down like the 701, I don't think I have ever had a fuel spill anywhere near that area.
I routinely fuel from a 20L container via a funnel. I thought it would be clumsy, but it has worked out to be quite straightforward and manageable.
Typically I do the starboard tank first, with the full container resting on the main spar (after first running my hand under the container to make sure it is free of dirt and grit). I am able to bend the nozzle over into the funnel, so delivery there is very clean. I get 10L into that tank, with the heel of the container resting on the main spar.
I then move to the port tank, and here I must lift the container to deliver the remaining 10L. Occasionally I do get a small amount of splash just initially when doing this but certainly not any quantity, and nowhere near the wing root.
 

Perhaps drape a cloth on the wing while you get your system worked out?
But do remember to shut the doors......there have been a few doors damaged due to that oversight.

[planedriver]

Great to see good tips shared amongst our flying mates.

[Marty_d]

Thanks Bob.

And looking at that last photo, I've just discovered where I left my glasses...

[Moneybox]

10 hours ago, IBob said:

Marty, FWIW, while the Savannah wing root skins do not fair down like the 701, I don't think I have ever had a fuel spill anywhere near that area.
I routinely fuel from a 20L container via a funnel. I thought it would be clumsy, but it has worked out to be quite straightforward and manageable.
Typically I do the starboard tank first, with the full container resting on the main spar (after first running my hand under the container to make sure it is free of dirt and grit). I am able to bend the nozzle over into the funnel, so delivery there is very clean. I get 10L into that tank, with the heel of the container resting on the main spar.
I then move to the port tank, and here I must lift the container to deliver the remaining 10L. Occasionally I do get a small amount of splash just initially when doing this but certainly not any quantity, and nowhere near the wing root.
 

Perhaps drape a cloth on the wing while you get your system worked out?
But do remember to shut the doors......there have been a few doors damaged due to that oversight.

 

I'm a little long in the tooth and not as strong as I used to be. All my plastic jerry cans have self destructed in the heat so I've replaced them with 10L steel cans. They are so much easier to handle and definitely feel less than half the weight of the 20L ones. Best to buy good quality ones my best are Willow brand. 

[BrendAn]

5 hours ago, Moneybox said:

 

I'm a little long in the tooth and not as strong as I used to be. All my plastic jerry cans have self destructed in the heat so I've replaced them with 10L steel cans. They are so much easier to handle and definitely feel less than half the weight of the 20L ones. Best to buy good quality ones my best are Willow brand. 

you can buy good electric petrol pumps cheap now. make yourself a trolley with a drum on it then no more holding cans up.