30/12/2008 - Fuel Tank Progress

Ok nothing new to be carried out today so I am just listing what went on.  Take a look at the right fuel tank for further details

30/12/2008 - Wing bottom skins drilled & Pitot mast fitted
Bernard came round to help today and he set about removing the blue strips from all the skins ready for when they are dimpled.  A lengthy task that one.  I drilled all the bottom skins to match the top skins done previously by Bob yesterday.

With a couple of hours to go before the end of the day I decided I wanted to work on something new; so I took out all the pitot equipment and set about the task of installing the pitot mast.

I cant remember or not whether I documented that I had bought an aluminium mast from SafeAir as they have recently introduced it instead of the steel version which I had previously bought.  The first picture shows the new aluminium gold anodized version which is very light.  The second picture shows the heated Dynon with AOA pitot tube I bought some time ago.

So the instructions that come with the mast are very good.  You first use the template and get it position on the outside of the skin.  I had to come one hole in from the rib as the pitot flange would of been to close to the rib and not 'squared' properly with the correct hole distance.  I drew a vertical line on the skin to match the lines on the template to get the right alignment.  The drilled some small holes followed by unibit larger holes as in the picture below.

The edges were then nibbled; files and smoothed using the Dremel with various bits in it.  It takes a little while to refine the edges to get it to fit.

I hung a plumbers line down to make sure that the mast and pitot were upright.  I am slightly out but there is enough play in the pitot head to get it perfect.  The pitot mast is not marked either I think the funny colouring was reflection from the flash from the camera.