The Final Push – Week 3

This was a busy week capped by a conversation with my designated airworthiness representative (DAR). This is the guy who will look at my Bede BD-4C airplane, determine whether it is safe to fly, and issue the FAA airworthiness certificate. We are planning that inspection for the week of May 21.

The first flight will happen sometime after I receive the airworthiness certificate. This flight is 110% focused on safely flying the airplane. I will certainly be dancing the happy dance once the flight is complete but please understand that there will be so much happening around that flight that I need to minimize distractions. Because of that, I will not be inviting friends to observe nor will I announce when it will happen. Once the plane is flight tested, there will be lots of chances for all of my friends to get rides and see it fly, I promise.

On Friday, we towed the plane to St. Charles Flying Service, so that their mechanics can do some engine work. Their tow bar would not fit onto the nosewheel of the airplane so they threw a tow strap around the front strut. I sat in the plane and steered. It turned out to be really good practice for me, steering using differential braking for the first time. It also confirmed that the brakes worked.

May 8

• Baffling.
• Installed the last tee connector in the pitot line behind the instrument panel.
• Fabricated a 4 AWG cable to run between the current limiter and the battery contactor.
• Installed wiring for the primary and backup alternators.

May 9

• Baffling.
• Soldered pull-up resistors for warning lights for the over-voltage sensors in the voltage regulators and the pitot heater failure sensor.
• Finished connecting the backup alternator.
• Reassigned slots in my fuse block for the alternator field wires. I will need to add a second fuse block later to accommodate the stuff that got bumped.
• Connected both alternator field wires to switches on the instrument panel.

May 10

• Bled the right brake.
• Configured engine sensors in the MGL iEFIS.
• Fabricated and installed the crankcase breather tube.
• Dressed a few more wires behind the instrument panel.

May 11

• Baffling.
• Installed the nutplates for the access panel under the fuselage. This panel permits access to one of the autopilot servos. Installed the access panel and found that it does not sit perfectly flat. I will have to fix that.
• Replaced one spark plug. It was a loaner and needs to go back to the guy to lent it to me.
• Move the airplane to St. Charles Flying Service.
• Secured the push-to-talk button wires. Later that night, decided that I ran them in the wrong place and will need to reroute them. How to build an airplane: put it together… take it apart… put it together… take it apart… repeat…
• Torqued the bolts holding the backup alternator onto the engine block.
• Safety wired a cap in on the engine.
• Ordered the last fuel and oil hoses.
• Learned how and where to secure the wires for the spark plugs, cylinder head temperature sensors, and exhaust gas temperature sensors.

I was tied up at SCFS all afternoon so honorable mention goes to Dave Doherty, Rick May, and Rich Emory for cleaning up my work area in preparation for Young Eagles day. Thank you!