Building a Kit Plane – Part 6

When you first think about tackling any project, the end result motivates you to get started. As you progress, you might diminish your motivation by wondering what you’ve gotten yourself into. Next time you see me, ask me about gutting the plaster out of a room and drywalling. After I roll my eyes about that experience, ask me how it compares to building an airplane.

As usual, much has changed since the last issue. The fuselage and tail sections are painted, and the engine is on the plane. Those two items alone are monumental in the visual end of our progress. The wings and a few other associated parts are in the paint shop now, leaving only engine cowling to go in the paint booth.

Behind the scenes, the computer that controls the engine has been mounted. (The engine monitoring happens through a separate computer, which we haven’t forgotten.) Countless wires have been put in their place. The starting and charging systems are in the process of being wired, along with installing the fuel plumbing.

The picture makes it look like we’re almost done. We are, but there is still a long way to go with registration, ground testing, and finally 40 hours of solo flight testing to make sure all is well. That’s only the first 40 hours of motivation to build a plane.