God gave us a glorious day here in central California.  Warm sunshine, some passing high clouds, and mild temperatures.  I volunteered at Oakdale Municipal Airport’s open house.  I was the cashier for our food stand.  On my breaks and after the event, I went over to my hanger and spent more time working on my wings.  Today I officially finished building the wings!  I still need to spray a clear coat to protect the fabric from the sun’s UV rays but other than that they are done!  I also need to paint a few small parts before I put the wings on.  I plan to do the painting this Friday.

We’re getting close!

Here’s a picture of the finished left hand wing:

Worked on the wings a bit more this morning.  I cut the control rod exits into the skins for flaps and ailerons. I also cut holes for the aileron and flap hinge hardware and installed the hinges.

Here is a photo of the exit for the flap teleflex cable.  This operates the flaps.  Also shown is one of the installed flap hinge brackets.

This is a photo of the aileron push/pull tube exit.  I’ll put the tube in when I mount the wings.

I started riveting the fabric onto my wings today.  I got the bottom of one wing down and started on the bottom of the other.

Was one of those magical afternoons.  The weather was sunny and cool, Scotty was wandering around the airport enjoying the day, and I got a lot of work done.   Perfect end to a perfect day of worship and rest.

Finally pulled the wing skin enough that I could fasten the top half to the root rib with screws.  I had to move carefully due to the thumb injury I sustained from a broken drill bit.  I’ll fasten the bottom half when I can flip the wing over.  This is all on the left wing.  I have not started the right wing yet.

I admit that I have been terrible at updating this blog.  It has been a busy summer but that is no excuse.  I really will try to update more often.  The update on my Coyote is that I am covering the wings this weekend!  I was able to pull the wing covering about 3/4 of the way on.

But then my buddy Dennis and his wife Kim and one of their workers happened along and were able to help me pull the wing skins on almost all the way…

I’m going to a friend’s house tonight to have him help me fab up some fabric pullers to pull the skins the last 4 inches.

Then I’ll put the wings back on.

I will start updating this blog again, I swear.  Right now I am finishing up the wings and getting my FAA paperwork ready.  I will begin updating the blog with my Coyote flying adventures very soon.  Stop back by in a couple of months!

I haven’t posted much on my aircraft progress.  If you are interested in following my progress, I have been logging everything here:

http://websites.expercraft.com/svanarts/

A little progress report on my airplane.  I’ve mostly got the fuselage done.  I need to add oil to the engine, run a few wires for the nav lights and strobes, and then get my cowling squared away and then that’s about all I can do on it.  I estimate about a good day’s worth of work and it will be time to run her out to the airport.  I may go ahead and spray a clear coat on the fabric before I take it to the airport.  That will add a couple of extra days.

Then I start on the wings.  Once they are done, it’s final assembly time.

I’ll post some pictures later.

Yeah, I need to update this blog more.  People are actually reading it from time to time.  The most exciting news righ now is mounting my engine to the airplane.  It’s going to keep me busy for a month or so and then I’ll need to install the avionics.  That will take another month or two and then it’s time to move the plane to the airport.

And in other news, I’ve been fairly busy at work.  Corporate has mandated that we all change our IP addresses.  Not on just a computer or two but for all the California newspapers that we manage.   That’s over 1500 computers, servers, and network devices.  Throw in some old computers that aren’t supported by their vendors any longer and no one still living knows how to change their IP addresses.  It’s going to make for some fun and games this Christmas season.

Church is going well.  I’m really trying to learn how to not sweat the small stuff.  I’m trying to be as merciful as I can because SO much mercy was shown to me in so many ways.

I shared on my Facebook page how I just can’t believe how blessed I am.  Flying, building airplanes, friends at church, a good job, a great family, a perfect wife.  I know I’ve done nothing to deserve any of this.  Thank God that in His divine mercy and grace He saw fit to bless me with all that I have and am.  It’s all Him.

Well with the help of two brawny men from our local Experimental Aviation Association Chapter 90 I was able to get my engine installed today.  There were a couple of false starts, some major head-scratching, and downright confusion.  In the end, we got the engine installed!  Thanks go out to Leon Schaeffer and Jim Davis!