By the river

We have registered the Ultracruisers now and are flying off our 40hrs. I finished the first polish pass on mine and we hope to have Rick's done soon as it is such an embarassment to fly with an unpolished UC :)
I am also designing and soon to be testing a secondary Magnetron-based ignition system.

Building Ends, Flying to Begin!

Build Hours: 1263

Both UCs are complete as much as a homebuilt ever will be.

The 32hp UC on the left has flown but the pilot was suffering sensory overload.

A full flight report will be posted in the future.

Rick's Panel

Below the panel - Notice the parking brake nob, heel brakes and absense of clutter around the feet.

Charles' Panel

Rick's 37 hp Cassler Engine with Slick mag, 54X22 Tennesse prop, 3250 static rpm with 175 lbs thrust. Both engines are instrumented with oil temp, oil pressure and a Tiny Tach.

Charles' 32 hp Cassler Engine with Fairbanks-Morse Mag, 52x22 prop, 3050 static rpm with 140 lbs thrust.

Wing Tip

Build Hours: 1101

A few preparations for installing the wingtips.

Set the spacing on the wingtip aft rib.

We made a pattern from 1/4" Luan plywood the followed the wing rib profile. The plans pattern did not line up properly. The angles were also used to make sure we didn't droop the skins in the process.

As always, a form is needed for forming the tip.

The first attempt was a form without flute positions. We formed the edges, removed the tip and then began the fluting process. The outcome was a very warped tip with unsightly fluting depressions.

The second attempt was to notch and bend the tip. The notches made the tip very floppy and difficult to fit and peaked out from under the skins at every opportunity.

We had the best success with the third method. We made fluting positions every inch around the form (except on the bottom from the spar position back). With the tip formed and fluted, it is much easier to fit.

(Add tip skinning and finish pictures here!)

Weighing the completed wing - tip and aileron attached - 29lbs.

Ailerons

Build Hours: 1080 Hrs.

Aileron Folding

One set ready for final fold.

Dowell to finish fold around.

Dowell taped in place.

When only the best equipment will do - a 2x4 hinged to the workbench.

Installed! Now wasn't that easy?

Wing Construction

Build Hours: 1080 (we're sloooooow)

Support the ribs while skinning.

Use the vacuum method to preform the nose skins.

Wrap fit and trim

The shop is maxed out!

A worm gear drive winch allows the planes to be swapped as needed or this is the beginning of The World's Smallest Airplane Museum.

Picture Day

Build Hours: Don't Matter

Rick

Charles