Finish Kit (and others...for Final Assembly)

Rudder installed (3 hrs )

Installed Rudder with Nancy's help.  Confirmed Elevator Trim works, and LED strobe/taillight too,

Let there be Light.  Functions as Strobe too.

Finish Kit (and others...for Final Assembly)

Hangar Set Up & Empennage Assembly ( 5 hrs )

Set up benches and tools in hangar.  Mounted Horiz Stab, then Vert Stab, and Elevators per Sections 11 and 36.

Empennage assmbly...only missing Rudder.

Finish Kit (and others...for Final Assembly)

Moving to Hangar Day

Friends Tom Imhoff, Tom Itschner, and Jeff Lyons we HUGE help moving Wings, Empennage, tools and benches with 26' U-Haul truck.  Both Tom's also used their pickups with flat space to safely transport flaps, ailerons, etc.  Thanks guys !  And Nancy too!

Done unloading at the hangar.   Yay!

Terrific help.  From left:  Jeff, Tom, Tom and myself 
(Nancy's took our pic, and was super help too)

Shop Set Up

Fuselage moved to Hangar

Hired Dependable Towing to move Fuselage from home shop to hangar at 3MY (Mt Hawley) with a "rollback" flatbed.  They did a great job, with lots of care for my "baby".  Cost $180 for 2 hrs. Railing on this truck was 1/2" higher than one I measured, so needed boards under wheels to clear Wheel Pant brackets.  But rails were expected 1.5" wider than outside wheel to wheel...so just enough clearance.    Next mission:  rent U-Haul to move Wings, Tail, tools and benches.

First time out of garage shop in daylight (the airplane, not me!)

Rollback in process winching up the incline (paused -- as I was
 off ramp to take pic).  When moving up ramp, I steered 
w/ towbar since close fit between rails.

Ready to go.  I used bolts (sheathed in plastic---from original
 QB delivery) in Wing Spars as anchor points on LH & RH side.
We took it easy at 45 mph, but I did secure any loose wiring
at Wing Roots, tail area.  Seemed very stable w/o any bounce.

Tah Dah !   Unloading was quicker.
 I steered with towbar as crew let out the winch.

Hooked up engine dryer to insure no moisture inside engine.

Avionics & Finish Kit

Rear Window and Joysticks ( 6 hrs )

Completed switch of Black wire in Pin 1 with Orange wire in Pin 2 (Orange is now Pin 1, Black now Pin 2) on LH Joystick Tosten grip.   Now the pitch trim works in correct direction, equal to RH Joystick Tosten grip.  [ seems out of synch revisions to Common Fuse Harness and Tosten grips are culprit - or Stein Air just plain messed up LH harness assembly ]    And confirmed Canopy Warning works while stationary, so tightened micro-switch position.  Final test will confirm audible warning starts above 1700 RPM. (...once engine is running).  [ note: Vans has error in Read Me file:   file name that appears on G3X screen when uploaded is "RV-14 g3xT options config rev1"  NOT the file in their instructions "Canopy Warning R2.gca.  Took several emails & calls to Van's builder support before they finally noted that is how Garmin shows the Canopy Warning file.  Completed jumper wire (yellow) from Pin 9 in LH Joystick (actually mating connector in Common Fuse Harness) to Pin 9 in RH Joystick  - so now AP/CWS switch works on LH Joystick/grip.  [ this was option proposed by Stein Air, since essentially the original wire takes same route, but very circuitous - and huge challenge to determine where the fault was...)   Finally, the Rear Window is installed.  Nancy climbed into baggage area so she could assemble the washers and nuts on inside while I added screws from outside.   Messy job getting sealant into gap between Aft Fuse and Window, but got 'er done.  Thanks Nancy!   Tip:  remove inside plastic covering on Rear Window prior to installing.   The fore/aft brace to Rollbar is close to window, making removal difficult.  Sect 38-04 Steps 5-9 instructions are good, but don't mention that detail.  Seems obvious after installing of course!

Orig positions of wires in LH Joystick grip

After switching Orange and Black 

After several fixes with harnesses, re-assembled Interior. 
(Didn't mount iPad on RH side in RAM mount for this pic)

And with G3X, G5 backup, AP and Radio all "on"

Rear window mounted. Sure glad Nancy fit into baggage area

Other side....
Yay! ...getting ready to move to hangar! 
So I can put the Wings and Tail on (and
then lots more Avionics to Config, Test, etc)

Avionics

Discrete #3 for Canopy Warning, LH Joystick fix (3 hrs)

Received extractor tool from Stein Air so I could switch wires in connector J244 on GEA24.  Switched wires at Pin 41 and Pin 42, so Purple/Blu wire now at #42 = Discrete #3.  (and Purple/Grn is now at Pin 41, for Discrete #2).  Needed to align Discrete #3 with code within Canopy Warning program from Vans  (recently uploaded into G3X).   Also checked all 9 pins in LH Joystick connector:  confirmed need to switch wires in Pin 1 (black) and Pin 2 (orange) for correct Trim Up vs Trim Down to be same as RH Joystick.   Kevin (owner of Tosten grips) has been helpful, and is sending new Molex pins to crimp on when I switch wires.   Confirmed AP/CWS switch failure to work is not in joystick, but LH Common Fuse Harness.  Josh at Stein Air helped explore fix.  Seems best option is to install jumper from LH 50 pin connector Pin #3 to RH 50 Pin Connector Pin #18.   OR...run wire from Pin 9 in Common Fuse Harness at LH Joystick to RH Joystick Pin #9 wire (ie joystick to joystick).  Learned this wire sends signal to AP servos...not IP...so not connected to anything at panel.   tbd....!

J244 connector at GEA24 partially dis-assembled, but prior
 to swap Purple/Blu with Purple/Grn. 
 This aligned Discrete #3 w/ Canopy Warning program.

Success!  Canopy Warning appears as "Check Canopy".  Flashes
 for about 5 seconds, then steady on.  Above 1700 RPM, should
also hear audio warning.   (Other warnings due to engine
 not running, etc.) [sorry- hard to get focused pics of display]

Notes documenting Pin and wire color

for LH Joystick

Avionics

Instrument Color Markings ( 3 hrs )

Surprised limited info in Lycoming manuals, or via Vans, or VAF postings to recommend green, yellow and red color markings on G3X instrumentation.   So I gathered from those resources as much as possible, consulted with local experts Terry Moushon (Tech Counseler and builder RV10) and Bill Lane (RV 7 builder).   Lycoming test results for my engine were helpful (showing max and min Limits on several parameters).  Included pics below from powerpoint I created.   Setting up on G3X is almost fun.  I can refine these after first flights...but seem good starting point.

Camera doesn't focus well on display.... 
W/o Wings attached, don't have fuel tank senders connected, etc.