Diary 3
06/10/05
Andy Buchan came over to do the
majority of the wiring of the
instrument panel. Good job he
did it just looks like spaghetti to
me.
Anyway I was pleased with the
way I wired in the comms by
taking the cables back under the
floor and tying in the comms unit
under the s/board seat.
WOW what a great job Andy has
done! Thanks Andy
Andy Buchan came over to do the
majority of the wiring of the
instrument panel. Good job he
did it just looks like spaghetti to
me.
Anyway I was pleased with the
way I wired in the comms by
taking the cables back under the
floor and tying in the comms unit
under the s/board seat.
WOW what a great job Andy has
done! Thanks Andy
07-10/10/05
Loads of tidying up. Choke and
throttle cables in. Pitot and static
tubes in. Locktite all the
instrument screws. Re-fit the
cowling and make sure it still all
lines up. Tidy up dashboard and
fix fillets in place. Fit headlamp
etc.
Today 10/10 fitted the firewall
foam; used Silcoset 152 RTV
sealant from LAS to seal up all
the gaps around where the tubes
come through the firewall.
Paul Dewhurst is due over
tomorrow to give Matilda her
annual, hope he has time to
come over to the house and have
a butchers at GERTE.
Loads of tidying up. Choke and
throttle cables in. Pitot and static
tubes in. Locktite all the
instrument screws. Re-fit the
cowling and make sure it still all
lines up. Tidy up dashboard and
fix fillets in place. Fit headlamp
etc.
Today 10/10 fitted the firewall
foam; used Silcoset 152 RTV
sealant from LAS to seal up all
the gaps around where the tubes
come through the firewall.
Paul Dewhurst is due over
tomorrow to give Matilda her
annual, hope he has time to
come over to the house and have
a butchers at GERTE.
Building Gertrude
Tied down with front leg out
for spat fitting. NO SPATS!!
oh shit they were marked "to
follow"
for spat fitting. NO SPATS!!
oh shit they were marked "to
follow"
Late evening and leg is back
on. This is after trip to Sywell
to collect spats
on. This is after trip to Sywell
to collect spats
30th September and she is
really taking shape now
really taking shape now
Chuffed to
bits with the
veneer on
the
instrument
panel.
Found some
nice leather
gearknobs in
Halfords for
the throttles.
Sorry no
golfballs for
me
bits with the
veneer on
the
instrument
panel.
Found some
nice leather
gearknobs in
Halfords for
the throttles.
Sorry no
golfballs for
me
10th October and a
beautiful day to let
GERTE out into the
sunshine.
I think she is grinning!
beautiful day to let
GERTE out into the
sunshine.
I think she is grinning!
07/11/05
Not much done this month due
to trip to Scotland.
More tightening of the lacing.
Today finally got the fuel system
completed.
Not much done this month due
to trip to Scotland.
More tightening of the lacing.
Today finally got the fuel system
completed.
11/10/05
Matilda's annual test went well.
Paul came over to have a look at
Gerte he seemed quite
impressed with work done to
date. Especially the instrument
panel which he thought would
look horrible (as he said a
pleasant surprise).
Matilda's annual test went well.
Paul came over to have a look at
Gerte he seemed quite
impressed with work done to
date. Especially the instrument
panel which he thought would
look horrible (as he said a
pleasant surprise).
I made a huge mistake in buying
the AvMap EKP1V GPS system.
The hardware is superb but the
database, software and support
are crap. Take great care if you
are considering this system and
don't expect much support.
Luckily Roy Mendelssohn up at
Harry Mendelssohn in Edinburgh
has been superb in his support
and has replaced the system with
a full Bendix King system and
software. This system at least
seems to have a pretty
comprehensive database.
The service from Mendelssohn
has been second to none with
next day delivery and great
support with adjustments that
have had to be made to wiring
looms etc for installing the
Microair transponder and altitude
encoder that they also supplied.
GOTP www.gps.co.uk for their
website.
the AvMap EKP1V GPS system.
The hardware is superb but the
database, software and support
are crap. Take great care if you
are considering this system and
don't expect much support.
Luckily Roy Mendelssohn up at
Harry Mendelssohn in Edinburgh
has been superb in his support
and has replaced the system with
a full Bendix King system and
software. This system at least
seems to have a pretty
comprehensive database.
The service from Mendelssohn
has been second to none with
next day delivery and great
support with adjustments that
have had to be made to wiring
looms etc for installing the
Microair transponder and altitude
encoder that they also supplied.
GOTP www.gps.co.uk for their
website.
15/11/05
The Windscreen has gone in a
treat. No real issues and very
pleased I used screw bolts
rather than rivets around the front
of the screen. The vistavents
look O.K. too.
I fabricated a piece of aluminium
rod to hold the cockpit frame in
place during the fix.
Started on doors, once again the
Cleco pins have come in handy
for holding the frame together
until it is time to fix the Lexan.
The Windscreen has gone in a
treat. No real issues and very
pleased I used screw bolts
rather than rivets around the front
of the screen. The vistavents
look O.K. too.
I fabricated a piece of aluminium
rod to hold the cockpit frame in
place during the fix.
Started on doors, once again the
Cleco pins have come in handy
for holding the frame together
until it is time to fix the Lexan.
12/02/06
Well a very Happy New Year to
one and all!!
We have been away in New
Zealand for the last couple of
months, so no I have not given
up.
Door and window frames are
now in and this evening I have
started on rivetting in the Lexan.
Well a very Happy New Year to
one and all!!
We have been away in New
Zealand for the last couple of
months, so no I have not given
up.
Door and window frames are
now in and this evening I have
started on rivetting in the Lexan.
15th February
and the doors
and windows
are in.
Time to trim
and tidy.
and the doors
and windows
are in.
Time to trim
and tidy.
18/02/06
Ordered fuel tank markings and
go faster stripes from Jason
Williams.
Called Bob re moving her to
Caunton for final bits before test
flight and arranged trailer from
Hazel in the village.
Placed her name plates on.
Ordered fuel tank markings and
go faster stripes from Jason
Williams.
Called Bob re moving her to
Caunton for final bits before test
flight and arranged trailer from
Hazel in the village.
Placed her name plates on.
18th February
and she is
nearly ready
for the trip
over to
Caunton
and she is
nearly ready
for the trip
over to
Caunton
21/02/06
Bugger the name plates do not
stick properly!!
Just my luck there is a posting
on the SkyRanger group today re
this.
I have now ordered Dacron
letters from Jason Williams who
incidentally is also doing the fuel
tank markings and cowling
stripes etc.
You can contact Jason at e-mail
plates@tesco.net
SEE PHOTO's SECTION FOR
TIPS ON INSTALLING FROM
JASON
Bugger the name plates do not
stick properly!!
Just my luck there is a posting
on the SkyRanger group today re
this.
I have now ordered Dacron
letters from Jason Williams who
incidentally is also doing the fuel
tank markings and cowling
stripes etc.
You can contact Jason at e-mail
plates@tesco.net
SEE PHOTO's SECTION FOR
TIPS ON INSTALLING FROM
JASON
25/02/06
It's moving day!!
Sad to lose my baby from the
garage but proud that she is now
taking her first tentative steps out
into the big wide world.
Thanks to Philip and Lisa and
especially Jonathan, she loaded
up onto the trailer a treat for her
journey over to Caunton's
beautiful new hangar, which will
be her home until test flights are
completed.
Oh well now onto tidying up the
wings.
It's moving day!!
Sad to lose my baby from the
garage but proud that she is now
taking her first tentative steps out
into the big wide world.
Thanks to Philip and Lisa and
especially Jonathan, she loaded
up onto the trailer a treat for her
journey over to Caunton's
beautiful new hangar, which will
be her home until test flights are
completed.
Oh well now onto tidying up the
wings.
01/03/06
Finished the wings. The
tensioning rods need quite a lot
taking off from the ends to stop
them defacing the wing skin.
03/03/06
Started on the propeller over at
Caunton but could not finish the
job as I left the setting tool at
home! Old age does not come
alone.
04/03/06
Today it was the turn of the
wings to take the trip over to
Caunton. Thanks to Philip and
Jonathan and Val all went
smoothly and now G-ERTE is
nearly complete in her temporary
home. This next week I will do a
tidy up and tighten up of all the
bolts etc in readiness for Andy's
return
Finished the wings. The
tensioning rods need quite a lot
taking off from the ends to stop
them defacing the wing skin.
03/03/06
Started on the propeller over at
Caunton but could not finish the
job as I left the setting tool at
home! Old age does not come
alone.
04/03/06
Today it was the turn of the
wings to take the trip over to
Caunton. Thanks to Philip and
Jonathan and Val all went
smoothly and now G-ERTE is
nearly complete in her temporary
home. This next week I will do a
tidy up and tighten up of all the
bolts etc in readiness for Andy's
return
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