Finish Kit

Front Wheel Fairing ( 2 hrs )

Primed Standoffs.  Marked centerline per 46A-09, Step 4.  Since Fairings are not translucent (earlier versions were prior to Vans providing now with pinhole filler primer which is opaque), I explored using provided spherical magnets to locate holes in Fairing.  Drilled #40 holes in Brackets per Step 1 at 46A-10, then glued sph magnets temporarily using drop of cyanoacrylate.  Also made spacer block per Step 2, 46A-10.  Experimented with lifting nosewheel to 0 to 1/16" off ground (results in fuselage at 2.8 deg vs level, so need to compensate -raising "tail", or ? )

spherical magnets temporarily glued to facilitate
determining location of holes in Fairing (use sph
magnets on outside)

Finish Kit

Front Wheel Fairing ( 3 hrs )

Completed rounding edges of 2 Standoffs ( Sect 46A-09, Step 5 ).  Continued Front Wheel Fairing by fabricating wood "V" block, Step 4 at 46A-08.   Marked centerline of Aft Fairing, Step 5.  Then marked & drilled 8 screw locations per Steps 1-3, at  46A-09.  Started marking centerline at nose per Step 4 (but quit to go swimming!).

Standoffs.  Ready to prime and paint.

Finding centerline of Aft Fairing (it's not the joint line). 
Used stack of old magazines to hold steady.

Preliminary set up to mark center of nose on Front piece.

 

Finish Kit

Nose Wheel Fairing ( 2 hrs )

Started front Wheel Fairing per Sect 46A-08 Steps 1-3.  Lots of dremel small drum sanding to get good fit front to aft shells.

Finish Kit

Main Wheel Fairings completed ( 3 hrs )

Completed nutplates on both Main Wheel Fairings, and Machine C'sunk for all (18) 6-32 and (16) 8-32 screws per Sect 46A-07 Steps 9-11.   Finished cutting  to size two Standoffs for nose gear #U-1024 per 46A-09 (final smoothing and rounding edges remain).

 

Finish Kit

Wheel Fairing flox ( 2 hrs )

Removed Fairings after flox cured.  Relieved they came off relatively easy, except one of four hung up due to excess flox rolling over edge.  All 8 surfaces turned out OK, which is relief since essentially positioned blindly.   Ground off excess with dremel.  Started nutplates per Sect 46A-07 Steps 5-9.

RH with Aft Fairing installed.  Can see white
flox where Bracket interfaces with Fairing

Example result epoxy/flox mix on Fwd Fairing.  Smooth area is Bracket contact area.  Green is Turtle wax used as mold release.

First nutplate added between Aft and Fwd Fairing shells. 
Shows Aft contact area on left, and Fwd contact area on right. 

RH inner Bracket

RH outer Bracket

Finish Kit

Wheel Fairings mounted ( 7 hrs )

Completed 46A-03 for LH Fairing, so proceeded cutting Gear Leg openings per 46A-04.  Mounted LH and RH Fairings to Wheel/Leg assemblies.  Only small tweaks needed at Gear Legs to insure 1/16" clearance.  Marked 5/8" clearance around tire at bottom (this is challenging while laying on floor !).  Trimmed off and reattached to confirm good, uniform clearance to tire to complete 46A-06.  Final drilled #19 holes in Fairing aligned with Brackets/nutplates.  Removed Fairings ...again.  Mixed epoxy/flox mix, applied 1/16' - 1/8" thick layer on inside where Brackets contact Fairings per Steps 1-5 at Sect  46A-07.  Re-mounted Fairings to "mold" flox mix to internal contour vs flat Brackets.  This was very messy and difficult since hard to align and start screws with flox in the way.  Persistence paid off.  After cures, sure hope they all come off ! (tape layer, Boelube on threads, and Turtle Wax should work)

Completed LH drilling and cleco'ing

tweaked clearance at Gear Leg and brake line

Super pleased with fit and alignment

floor level showing tire clearance prior
marking/trimming for 5/8" clearance all around

final trim to 5/8".  (block used to mark & check when installed)

Finish Kit and Avionics

Wheel Fairings & delivery of Instrument Panel ( 3 hrs )

Cont'd assembly of Wheel Fairings per Sect 46A-03 Steps 1-5 for RH side.  Will repeat for LH side before continuing with remaining steps.   Received from Stein Air the crate with all instrumentation and Panel.  Really well packed.  Looks great !  Yay....Christmas in July!

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top is laser etched with my Panel design