Jun 27, 2015 Build Report

Another build day bites the dust! The airplane is starting to look like an airplane. This week there was a definite lack of kids- Josiah and Anthony were it. Its vacation time and warm so most of the young builders families have other endeavors like barbecues, weddings, fishing or just enjoying being warm and dry and just goofing off.

John W and Josiah installed the engine mount permanently. They spent a lot of time trying to figure out torque values for the bolts. 4313 does not address torque values for wood structures. After much searching on the internet by myself and Jerry F no real way was found to access what to torque the mount bolts as to not crush the wood. Pat W and Ken P worked on installing the tail feathers. Again how tight is tight enough on wood? Standard torque values will crush the wood. Interestingly after much searching we found Composite torque values in the Cirrus maintenance Manuel and they are about half the normal published torque values. even the Hawk build Manuel’s we have do not address this that we could find.  I started calling around and as usual Don Coleman has the answer and also confirmed what we found- nothing published even he could find. INTERESTING!. Anyway here is the answer per the pro Don C.- with AN hardware Snug the nut up. then on soft material (which is what we have on the tail) add 1/2 turn. On hard wood (our mount) add one full turn. The old way of tightening bolts to max and leaving off the 1/2 turn before you strip it is definitely out on wood – it just keeps crushing! Armed with this info the tail ins on. Josiah, Anthony, Pat and Ken P got er done. The mount is also installed with no innocent wood damaged in the process.

(As a side note when Tres brought his Pietenpol out to our dry climate from California all the bolts and nuts became slightly loose, When he went home they tightened right back up. according to Tres Composites also do this, that is one of the reasons for white or light colors on composites. Even on metal airplanes the cables tensions vary with temperature but not so much with moisture).

While the airplane was being properly( I hope) put together Bill Derose, John C, Anthony and I worked on the engine. Everything went smoothly until the last clamps on the push rod tubes were being installed by yours truly. A new – and I quote – new clamp decided to fail (with a loud snap) when compressed ( with the proper tool) to install it. and as usual it was on the last cylinder installed and 2nd from last clamp to install. (Murphy). So we had to loosen the cylinder to install a new clamp, When Brian brings one back from Colorado airparts.

I will be flying balloons in Provo this weekend for the Freedom Festival, so i will not be in the hanger. I have check in Wednesday 2-6 in Provo, so will not get anything done with regard to the HAWK or the Mooney. (I would rather stay here but have flown Provo for the past 31 years). I will be back Sunday because there are no flights on the sabbath due to it being Utah.

There is plenty of work to be done even without me. The baffling can be trial fit on the engine. The control installation can proceed. Hopefully Rodger will have his work of art finished (the beautiful carbon fiber instrument panel), and it can be put together. The wiring can be installed etc.

Anyway the build continues- Sorry for no pictures as my finger could not remember to find the shutter button.