Tag Archives: project deliveries

Plans in Hands

The workshopThursday was a pretty good day. First off, I managed to get down to the workshop and finish cleaning up. I remodeled the shop about a month a go and have been moving everything back in ever since. Because it is such a small space it has taken a lot longer than I had hoped it would to get everything organized and stowed. There are still a few containers that need some sorting, and I need to add a couple more of those small-parts bins, but all-in-all it is a usable space once again.

When I did the remodel I included an internet connection for parts look-ups, ordering, reference materials, and to have some audio visual stuff available. One thing I haven’t gotten around to just yet has been the installation of ventilation fans. It is a really small space and it gets hot in there really fast. Besides, if I am going to use any resins, do any soldering, blah blah blah, it would be a good idea if I had some air-flow.

A package? For me?On Tuesday I placed an order with Aircraft Spruce for some stickers, a patch, and… my set of Volksplane VP-I plans. My wife and I had something going on Thursday night which just happened to be when I was expecting Mr. UPS Man to come by with my package containing the plans. I was hoping that he would come early so I could take the plans with me, but time was growing short and we were about to head out. I was writing a note to authorize my son to accept the package for me when low and behold, who should appear? Mr. UPS Man! Package in hand, we were out the door in a couple of minutes.

My wife and I run a group called Grave Mistake. The group participates in the annual “Thrill The World” world-wide simultaneous Thriller dance event. My wife teaches the Thriller dance and I take care of the audio as well as manage the web and back office stuff for the group. So while she was teaching Thursday’s dance workshop, I was reading; well flipping through. I perused my way through the “VP-I Volksplane Plans and Pilot’s Handbook” and the “Evans Lightplane Designer’s Handbook” before the workshop ended.

VP-I plans and HandbookThe plans are on 8.5″ x 11″ sheets in a comb-bound volume. Everything is there but a lot of it is crowded on to the sheets and doesn’t seem to be organized in what I would consider a logical order. Looking at the plans a little closer now that I am home, I am thinking I need to make some copies and lay everything out so I can look at it all with my Big Picture eyes. I might need to do some blow-up prints too. I will definitely need a couple of working copies to make notes on.

While my wife and I were driving to the dance workshop I was talking with her about possibly building a 1:4 or 1:8 scale model using veneer sheets and pine. At 1:4 scale I might be able to build it from one (1) or two (2) sheets, and two (2) or three (3) pine 2″ x 4″s. Looking at the plans, I’m thinking it might be a really good idea. If nothing else it will be a good way get really familiar with the plans, and if I screw something up it wont cost me hundreds of dollars. Another good thing about building the model is that it will give me a better idea what materials will be needed for jigs, fixtures, and tooling. By building a model I should be able to prevent time and money consuming problems, and I will have a better understanding of the airplane over all. I will also end up with a really cool scale model to boot!

Looks like I have some planning and shop-office stuff to get done. I need to come up with a task list and sub-budget for the model. I think I might need to build a bench-top frame for my RotoZip tool to use it as a router/cutter for the model. I have some 1/4 and 1/2 particle board, some cheap 1/4 plywood, and some Masonite available, and lots miscellaneous hardware. That should get me started. The next two weeks are really full, but I will find some time to get some work done and report back to you.

Until next time, blue skies and tail winds.
~FlyBoyJon

Thank you Mr. UPS Man

Greetings Intrepid Aeronauts!

Less than an hour ago our regular UPS delivery guy came by with a package for lill’-o’ll-me. It was the Amateur-Built Certification Kit (ABC Kit) I ordered last week from EAA. This makes my second delivery on the project this week. I feel like I am off to a good start.

Much of this week has been getting myself organized and geared up. I like to document projects early on in the planning planing phase, so one of the first things I did on Monday was order log books for the project: airframe, engine, and propeller from Wicks. I wanted to have them well in advance so I could take a look at what all was included in the log books. Also because I should have a log book available once the engine and propeller are sourced. Now I know what information is of particular importance. They got here on Thursday along with a shiny new Wicks catalog, which I looked over cover-to-cover.

To prove what an AvDork I am, I used the FAA’s online N-Number reservation page and reserved one. I don’t want to post the number until I get a confirmation from the FAA (which will be 1 to 3 weeks), but you can be sure I will post is as soon as that happens.

A bunch of time this week has been spent searching out information on Volksplanes and amateur-built aircraft construction in general. I download a lot of ACs, manuals, and other documents from the FAA, so I needed to check and make sure I had current releases of them. Good thing I checked too. The last time I downloaded AC 20-27 Certification and Operation of Amateur-Built Aircraft it was 20-27F, the current edition is AC 20-27G. Since this is one of the ACs on the list of stuff the FAA wants you to know, I read the new version cover-to-cover finishing it Tuesday night a little after midnight.

Another AC I am re-reading is AC 90-89A Amateur-Built Aircraft and Ultralight Flight Testing Manual. I hadn’t read this one in over a year so I picked it up and started again. Tonight though, I am going to read through the EAA ABC Kit.

The next purchase on the list is the Plans Set from Evans Aircraft. I’m not sure how soon, but I am hoping to order it before the end of the month.

I think I’m going to call this a short post tonight, I just wanted to bring the log up-to-date.

Until then, blue skies and tail-winds,
~FlyBoyJon