Brief Description: Flight controls and aileron trim
More progress to report on the bird. I have included a couple pictures here of the tasks completed today. It doesn't look like much but actually, there was significant progress today in a few short hours. The primary work today was in the flight control area much of which will be hidden beneath the cockpit floor. I installed the electric aileron trim system which consists of a servo (same as the one used for pitch), a control rod that moves laterally, and heavy springs that attach the control rod to the torque tube. When the servo pushes or pulls the rod it applies spring pressure moving the stick left or right. It is not meant to correct an out of rig airframe but rather adjust for fuel imbalance in the wings.
I then made some slight adjustments to the molex connectors for the stick wiring so they would connect and disconnect easier and installed the rear stick permanently, hopefully. I expected a hassle trying to get the bolts into the stick and control rods with their washer/spacers but it wasn't bad. I did have one problem that took a few minutes to diagnose. One of the specified bolts in the stick was just a shade too long causing it to limit full movement of the stick fore and aft (couldn't get full up elevator). It was a simple fix requiring another washer under the head of the bolts and a thinner nylock nut. After getting the stick installed I anchored wiring with an Adel clamp and check to be sure there wasn't to much flex in the wiring or any chafing. I then turned on the master switch and checked the pitch and roll trim and they both look good.
My last task for the evening was to trim one of my interior panels and install it. The panel covers a bunch of wiring associated with the headsets, music input to the intercom, and map lighting for the copilot.
This thing really is beginning to look like a bird. I think it's about time to attach the wings and attack items like match drilling the rear wing spar, fabricating fuel lines (wing tanks to fuselage valve and lines), fitting the flaps and checki
