March 2008

05.03.2008: Yes, I am still here. Last Saturday I built a trolley on which I put the fuselage, so that I can move it around in the garage when working on it. Then I have been busy for the rest of the weekend making the inventory and sorting bits and pieces into boxes according to subjects. I have found back the items I initially thought would be missing, as they were packet inside other, unrelated items.

I am still surprised by the workmanship and quality of most items. One such example is the throttle lever. Where many other kits are using plain friction throttles, the Sportcruiser is delivered with a nicely built unit made from solid aluminum:

The lever on the right is for the choke, the curved lever underneath the throttle knob releases the friction mechanism that prevents the throttle from moving by itself.

I am also still amazed by the screen of the Dynon. This is what it looks when pulled from the box and just switched on, running on the internal battery (no sensors attached):

The altimeter shows 1075 ft, whilst in reality the table top in my basement is at around 1470 ft AMS. The default setting is 29.92 inches / 1013 hPa, so the actual pressure should be around 1027 hPa. I checked the weather of Zurich Airport online, it is 1028 hPa. Physics still seems to work...

Tomorrow I will order the tools I need from Aircraft Spruce, so that the building can start. I waited with that as I had to see first what I really need. I anyway have to wait two or three weeks to start as the weather suddenly turned cold again, so I had to move the green plants back into the garage. It is therefore kind of crowded now in there.

05.03.2008: Today I went through the assembly manual to figure out what tools I need. I will try to find them over the weekend, what I can't find here I will order from Aircraft Spruce.

12.03.2008: I'm off to Sydney again, but only for a few days (!), so not much progress on the kit side. Anyway, I have to wait for the weather to get warmer again, so that I can throw the green-plants out of the garage again.

15.03.2008: I'm already on my way back from Sydney, having been there for less than 48 hours(!). I'm hanging around in Singapore Airport and I bought the Flight International magazine, 4-10 March edition. They had some articles on Light Sport Aircraft in it as a special feature, including a picture of the Sportcruiser!

21.03.2008: After returning from Sydney we had a friend visiting us for a week, so little progress on the Sportcruiser during that time. We also had an audit of the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation at our club's EASA Part-145 certified maintenance facility, of which I am the technical manager, an which required some time and attention as well. I continued with the inventory however and started making kits of the rudder and elevator parts for later assembly.

I also unpacked the propeller, just couldn't resist. We selected the one from Sensenich, available as an option, after having seen it at the Aero in Friedrichshafen last year. It just looks as great as any new composite propeller on a certified aircraft:

I also checked the wheels, which are from MATCO:

28.03.2008: Great News! Yesterday the Sportcruiser received the LAA (formerly PFA) acceptance as follows:

LAA Engineering are delighted to announce that the all-metal low-wing CZAW Sportcruiser is now an LAA accepted type, following a detailed investigation of this very popular new design from the Czech Republic. Two examples of the type have been flight tested by John Brownlow who reports very favourably on the aircraft. 36 Sportcruiser projects have been registered with the LAA, with three flying so far on test permits.

The information can also be found under the Light Aircraft Association's web page.

30.03.2008: Today I could finally move the green plants from the garage into the garden. Winter came back for a few days over Easter, with temperatures down to minus 5 °C and some snow, but now spring definitely seems to have arrived. Moving the plants finally allowed me to put order in the garage, so that we can start building as soon as I am back from my last trip to Sydney, Australia, which will last form the 9th April to the 23rd May.

I also finished my tools list, so that I can order what we need from Aircraft Spruce before I am off again. Like that everything should be here and ready when I am back. Rolf and I reserved 10 days for building in June, and once we start I do not want to spend time searching for missing items or waiting for deliveries.

10 days of building together with Rolf should result in approximately 150 working hours. If it takes us 1000 to finish the kit we need another 850 hours, or 55 days working building together. In July we are both on vacation, so if we spend 8 days a month (every Friday and Saturday) from August onwards we should theoretically finish in February 09. This is without considering that we are planning two or three full weeks of building during the second half of the year. Our goal to fly at the beginning of the flying season 2009 seems therefore reasonable.

I also continued sorting parts today. The following pictures shows what is for example required to build the rudder:

On top there are two drawings (overview and details) as well as the parts list, below the rudder skin, ribs, spar, front skin etc. The different types of rivets are nicely packed in small bags. The only thing missing on the picture is the top fairing, which can be seen on the following picture:

It is made from composite, with the holes resulting from the manufacturing already filled with putty and sanded.

The following picture shows from top to bottom the control lever, to which the rudder cables will be attached, one of the front ribs as well as a back rib:

Each part is nicely formed, primed and numbered.

The main skin is primed on the inside, as well as pre-drilled. I expect that the rudder can be assembled in a few hours.

I have to say that I am really impressed by the quality of the kit.

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