Brief Description: Final wing install, first engine run.
Installed the wing access covers that I painted over the weekend. Not a perfect color match, but close enough until Rob and I get a chance to redo. Installed the wing root seal foam strip to the lines I scribed on the fuselage last week.
Bob Sob came by to help install the wings he helped rivet together a year and a half ago in the workshop at the lake. We inserted both wings but could not get the pins in – even the tapered pin Bill and I made last Friday. Called upon Bill once again and he put the tapered pin back in the lathe and turned down the tapered end a bit more. After that we were able to get the tapered pin in one side, then the real pin in the other, then the real pin to replace the tool. Only required some light tapping with a plastic hammer.
Tested the lights – left wing was dead. Oh well, off with the left wing again. Just a quick fix needed to spring out one of the little contacts. Wings back on the second time – went easier – probably the foam is already conforming to the wing skins.
Tim Pearsall came over after lunch for the planned first engine run. We tidied up the airplane and moved it outside where we secured the tail to the pickup. The first run is at low RPM – 2500 maximum – to bring up oil temperatures above 50C. Start was instantaneous and all gauges were in the green. Ran the engine for about 5 minutes, then shut her down.
Back in the hangar we removed all the valve covers and checked the lifters for firmness per instructions. Hardest part was finding the torque values for reinstalling the covers – hidden in the Rotax Heavy Maintenance manual. Valve covers HEAVY maintenance? I guess that’s the way they do it in Austria.
Next – get through tomorrow’s snow storm, install the lower cowl, and make the carburetor synchronization engine runs.
