This is somewhat late (and actually post dated). I finally finished the annual inspection! I hired Shane, of Shamrock Aviation, to do the engine inspection as he has the professional expertise and tools. He had a fairly short squawk list that was easy to take care of. He said that the engine installation looked good, and that I should have a happy relationship with it. As is the case with darn near every phase of this project, the rest of the inspection took much longer than I anticipated. You may have read that I have paralysis by analysis when I have too much on my plate at any one time, and this was no exception. I finally got things in gear and finished up on 12/28/16, nearly 6 weeks after I started.
The only significant find I came across was evidence of a small leak at the fuel cutoff valve. I was able to tighten the fittings without any trouble, and I think that they were a bit loose as these were the first flared fittings i had ever done.
fuel leak at shut off valve.
all taken apart :(
on sawhorses for wheel checks
I got things buttoned up the week before Christmas. It was a bit cold and icy on the ramp. When I applied power to the warmed engine to try to balance the carbs, I started to slide on the ice. In my fear driven state, I must have really punched the brakes, as the L brake line suddenly went soft and bottomed out. By the time I had the power back to idle (almost instantaneous) and the ignitions killed (about 1 or 2 eternities later) and the plane stopped without hitting anything, I instinctively must have pumped the L brake 3 or 4 times before I realized what that meant. Sure enough, got back in the hangar and there’s a puddle of brake fluid dripping on the floor. It took 2 days to clean that up. I tried reproducing my Rube Goldberg nozzle & fill system, then borrowed a vacuum brake bleeder that is meant for car systems before I finally borrowed a pressurized brake bleeder system (meant for airplanes) from Shane. (I try to avoid relying on him for tools and expertise, but since I’m currently one of his top customers with N7623V, he had no problem lending me the brake filler.)
blew a brake line!
missing rivet!
On 12/28, I mechanically balanced the carbs (foregoing the pneumatic sync for now) and returned to the air. I flew 3 touch & goes, then headed over to Marion to deliver the plane to AV8 Paintworks for painting!
The following Service Bulletins were verified as completed and/or accomplished during kit assembly: SA 3-17-11 by inspection on 11/20/2014; SB 04-02-01 NA by shipping date, SB 10-03-17 during kit assembly 4/4/15; SB 10-04-28 NA by shipping date; SB 10-12-14 superseded by SB 16-05-23; SB 11-09-13 by inspection 4/17/16; SB 11-12-14 NA by shipping date; SB 12-01-30 NA by shipping date; SB 12-8-09 NA by shipping date; SB 12-09-26 superseded but SB 12-11-09; SB 12-11-09 NA by shipping date; SB 13-02-06 NA by shipping date; SB 13-03-21 informational only; SB 13-04-05 NA by shipping date; SB 13-08-29 NA by shipping date; SB 13-12-12 NA by shipping date; SB 14-01-17 NA (SLSA only); SB 14-07-23 superseded by SB 14-09-10; SB 14-09-10 superseded by SB 14-12-16; SB 14-10-14 superseded by SB 15-03-15; SB 14-11-03 complied with by installation of doubler 6/4/15; SB 14-12-06 complied with by removal and replacement with improved F-1206 bearing bracket brace 6/11/15; SB 14-12-16 complied with by replacement of throttle return springs 4/4/15; SB 15-03-05 complied with by replacing carb floats 4/4/2015; SB 16-04-10 complied with by testing correct wiring of com radio 12/10/2016;SB 16-05-26 complied with by adding “USA” to data plate 12/10/16;
SB 16-04-23 complied with 12/10/16 by inspection with no cracks around/in WD-1230 nose fork, next due 12/31/17; SB 16-08-01 complied with 12/10/16 by inspection and no looseness found in stabilator bearings, next due 12/31/17; SB 16-08-24 complied with 12/10/16 by inspection with no evidence of loose rivets on engine mount WD-1204, next due on 12/31/17.
I certify that this aircraft has been inspected on 12/28/2016 in accordance with CFR 14 part 43 appendix D and found to be in condition for safe operation. TTAF 25 hrs, David B. Hill, RLSA 3132802
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