Darick's Sonex #1646

[Darick]

It's been a rough summer with a personal medical problem and unanticipated passing of my father. In a few weeks I'll be back on track, full time. Thank goodness for all the "first flight" videos and the new Sonex Foundation video threads from everyone in the Sonex family, to keep the enthusiasm level high.

After a short learning curve with the fluting pliers on some scrap aluminum, I satisfactorily smoothed out areas on the upper firewall flange where the southco fasteners and rivets will be located. Also figured out how to drill stainless efficiently.

[Darick]

Finished top firewall. I considered several brands of fasteners but after ordering the Southco receptacles with a small selection of the quarter turn fasteners of various lengths and trying them in a mock up, I had no problems making them work.



My intent is to use the white plastic cup washer to prevent scratching the paint on the finished cowl.

[Darick]

Finished aft tunnel web assembly, SNX-F16-03. Thought I could do without a micro stop, but countersinking without it produced a sub standard finish, in some scrap aluminum.

[Darick]

Finishing both left and right cockpit sides. I might have it on the gear by the new year.

[Bryan Cotton]

Looks good Darick! I have heard that battle cry somewhere before.

[Darick]

Moving along with forward fuselage. I ran into a common problem, a piece of angle with a large inside radius, the motor mount angle, into which the cross tie must mate. So I just put a larger radius on the cross tie. However, if you were not really detail oriented, it may be possible to overlook it until too late to easily change.



This is the part I'm talking about.


You can see where I've put a big radius on the cross tie.

[DCASonex]

[quote="Darick"]Moving along with forward fuselage. I ran into a common problem, a piece of angle with a large inside radius, the motor mount angle, into which the cross tie must mate. So I just put a larger radius on the cross tie. However, if you were not really detail oriented, it may be possible to overlook it until too late to easily change.
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From best I have been able to find out, the industry standard for aluminum angles was changed to a larger inside radius after the Sonex was designed. Most everywhere a part nests into an extruded angle, the mating radius will need to be made larger than called for on the plans.

David A. Sonex TD #1327

[Darick]

I really enjoy designing my instrument panel. After many iterations, I've come to this current, but I'm sure, not final design.




All the items are just "cutouts" that I printed from various web sites. In addition to the Stratomaster package I've added an analog ASI and oil pressure gage.

After a lot of thought about a master switch, my intention is to have the keyed switch on the far left, be the Off/On/Start switch. The avionics switch will power the two stratomaster instruments, transponder and radio. The group on the right would be round rocker switches with an integral LED green indicator light.

The GPS is the iFly 520. I will probably mount a slip/skid ball right above the AOA on an extra mount as yet to be designed. I still have to add a cig lighter socket and USB port somewhere. At this point I'd like to put the headset input sockets somewhere behind my head, like some Sonex owners have done.

It's 9/21/2017 and I just added this picture of the finished panel.

[Darick]

Back to the forward fuselage...disassemble, deburr, deburr, deburr

[Darick]

Turned the fuselage right side up and now (finally) up drilling. Ok, I said on the gear in the new year and you may have mistaken that for January 1st. I'll definitely have it on the gear this year but I've also given my DAR a July finish date....no...not finished because I've read that it's never finished...I mean flying by July!