5 hours.
This is for Monday, Sept 2.
I really need to do these log entries directly after I do the work. Makes for an easier time remembering what went on. Without the EFIS in place and having wires everywhere, I wanted to stay out of the cockpit as much as possible. I tightened up the canopy strut attach points, and completed the left aft spar bolt. Yeah, I forgot to put the nut and cotter pin on there earlier, when we mounted the wings. I guess I was so focused on getting that bolt in there while I had help, I didn’t think much about it afterwards. I’m really surprised I didn’t notice it when I put the flaps on. It would have been way easier that way. Every time I go to some region of the plane, I keep finding things to do, but the items are quick tasks and detail work. I also installed a couple more heat shields on the exhaust near the throttle and mixture cables, plus I torqued down the spark plugs and the plug wire attach nuts.
No fuel smell in the cockpit, so it appears my fixes to the fuel lines and boost pump have worked, which is nice. I also have no leaks in my fuel tanks, as far as I know, with the paltry gallon of gas in each one.
I reworked the tailwheel chains again, because last time, I had the steering link on backwards. This meant that I cut the chains about 3/4″ too short and had to replace them. Worked out OK, except for the fact that I overtorqued the nut on the tailwheel fork. I might have to order a new one, which would suck, but what’s done is done. But other than that, the tailwheel is good to go.
I should get the EFIS back this Friday, and should be able to reinstall it Saturday or Sunday.
Sunday I had more instruction with Mickey down at KTOA. I keep making noob mistakes like trying to steer the plane with the stick, flaring too high, landing too slow, and flubbing radio calls, but considering the amount of hours I have, I actually am a noob. I now have something like 8 hours of tailwheel time, which means I’ll crack the 100-hour total time mark during my next lesson. I expect to solo the Citabria some time in the next couple of weeks, 3-point landings only, but that’s enough for me to build up some time. I need to get good enough with all the basic airmanship and solidify my taildragger mojo enough to take on wheel landings. This is important, because RV-7’s like to be wheel-landed. The 3-point attitude is actually less than stall angle, so supposedly 3-pointing them leads to “The RV Dance,” which is a slight bounce, on the first touch and settling down after. FA you can do, it’s just like that.
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