Cotton Waiex 191 - N191YX

[Bryan Cotton]

Adam and I closed the right wing tonight:


The second set of leading edge holes did not line up quite as nice as they did on the left wing. We got clecoes in and it will be fine when we updrill but I do wonder what was different.

[ScottM-Sonex1629]

Looking great guys!

Can't wait to see the wings joined in the fuselage.

[Bryan Cotton]

Tonight Adam updrilled the whole bottom of the wing. Here you can see I have marked the LE landing light cutout.


Adam continues to updrill. I have made the big scary cut, and I also hacked out the middle of the root rib (not shown).


Here is our $25 ebay real aircraft compass.


I gave my buddy Buck back his 110 silver clecoes tonight. We are done with them!

[Bryan Cotton]

No progress this weekend. We took advantage of the nice Illinois spring weather to go camping with the boy scouts.


They got a good campfire lit and going in extreme winds and intermittent whiteout snow conditions. Methinks the Scouts are learning something. Adam and I are going to the hangar later, but not to work on the Waiex. The Saturn needs new pads and rotors. He is interested to do it and learn.
So, this is all off-topic stuff. I include it in my build as an example of not everything is homebuilding but we progress anyway. Also Adam's interests are spilling out wider than the airplane. He knows he has to make his hands smart. You only get that by doing things.

[Bryan Cotton]

Ok, back to the main topic. I cleaned up the landing light hole and fit the lens. Outside view with a cool effect provided by blue tape and a HF flashlight:


Inside view:

[Bryan Cotton]

Adam installing the forward root rib:


Setting trim lines for the lens:

[Bryan Cotton]

I like my Fresh Aero lights. Here is some detail on their Sonex lens kit. The lens retaining brackets have a step milled in them to match the lens thickness. The bottom retainer they mill straight across and the top retainer they leave a bit at the ends. This holds the lens captive left to right.


Here is a shot of the upper lens retainer holding the lens:


There is one thing I will change from their kit. They tap the holes in the retainers. I am going to use nutplates and flush #6 screws.

Onto the wingtip!

[Bryan Cotton]

I have tamed the right hand wingtip. I think I will scrap the left one and start over. Done right they are not too bad.

I still hate fiberglass.

[ScottM-Sonex1629]

Cool Bryan. Fiberglass can be your friend!

It's never completely messed up with fiberglass. Do some wet layup trim, sand, a little filler and something you cut off is reattached and you would never know it once painted...

[Sonex1243]

Looking good Bryan. I am hoping to start my tips when the weather finally warms up enough to play with fiberglass in the garage! I also plan on fitting the light pods and lights at the same time which will hopefully complete the wings for good.