March 2020 Progress Report
Total Hours Completed: 696 (50%)
Hours To Go: 704
Wow that snuck up on me – this month, I passed the 50% point on my build!
What a month it has been though. We are still in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it has led the whole world to take unprecedented action. My immediate family and friends are doing OK, and I consider myself very fortunate. As I’ve stated in a recent post, I intend to keep my blog on topic, and to keep busy with the build as it helps me to cope with nearly constant barrage of news about the pandemic. Hopefully as you read through my posts, it helps keep your mind on more pleasant thoughts too!
This month I got to a satisfactory state with the wiring and wire routing in the center fuselage, which allowed me to return to building the structure. I built up the rear fuselage after receiving a long-awaited replacement rib from TAF. I recently began working on joining the rear and center sections. March also featured the return of the freight delivery van, this time bringing me the upholstery (UP) and undercarriage (UN) kits. These are the last of the basic airplane kits that I needed to buy; going forward, it’s all big-ticket items, namely: the engine, propeller, avionics, and ballistic parachute. I’ll also have to pay someone to paint the plane.
I had the opportunity to make further customizations this month as well. In February I designed a part for the center console to house the headset jacks for the rear seat passengers. This month, I iterated that design, adding a power point for USB devices. I am in the process of 3D-printing the latest version of this part as I write this.
I’m excited for the progress to be made in April. I plan to join the center and rear fuselage, build the front and rear seats, start to install carpeting and other interior finishings, attach the fuselage outer skins, and (hopefully) put the fuselage on wheels. Nice weather is also making its return to New England, so I’ll probably mix in a few more flying hours this month to keep sharp and current.
Happy Spring!