Sling TSi - First Landing and Firewall Breakdown

We are staying busy over the holidays! Thanks very much to Holly, Eugene, Joost, Brandon, and Sarah who helped us tremendously in landing the plane, riveting the side skins, and making a magnificent luggage door!

[@AeroplaneBuilders]

Make sure the engine bracket will not interfere the gascolator (which was the problem in my case). I had to replace the gascolator to the right otherwise it doesn’t stay clear of the nosewheel / engine bracket. Good Luck!

[@slingalongblog8111]

Yes, thank you @TheUiwp, that is a good point! We test-fitted the engine mount onto the firewall, gascolator location seems ok; but will keep a closer look at it.

[@brandonhoughton]

Woo it's landed!

[@TheTigerpilot]

The hole in the fire wall next to the two that go to the heat exchanger that you thought didnt get used is where the throttle cable goes through.

[@slingalongblog8111]

Thank you!! This is one of the biggest reasons to post to KZbin - finding out our mistakes!!

[@ronwhite9117]

It's looking really great...the area where you dremeled out around landing gear leg... Do you think there might be a chance of it splitting? Just curious.🤓

[@slingalongblog8111]

Hey Ron! No, we don't think so - we didn't dremel the landing gear itself (which we've heard of some people doing to get it to fit in the channel), but rather the corner of the side rib that goes partially underneath the landing gear to support the wing fairing. It's a pretty small corner (didn't overlap with any rivets) so we think it'll do its job of supporting the wing fairing anyway :) We've added it to the list of places to inspect during the first 40 hours and at subsequent inspections.

[@ronwhite9117]

@@slingalongblog8111 That's fantastic, I can't wait to see the finished product, I'm watching the build, you two are very brave and daring. I'm very happy to see Individuals willing to do such a major project. Thank you for sharing it with us all.

[@notsure9552]

What primer did you use?

[@slingalongblog8111]

For internal parts we used AkzoNobel 2 component epoxy primer: www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/cspages/akzoprimer.php -- it is slightly darker green. For the parts that will be painted in the future we used Sherwin Williams High Solids Epoxy Primer CM0483928 -- it is slightly lighter green. The separation was not perfect -- sometimes we would be left with a bit extra of external primer, so we used it on internal parts that were ready for priming. From working with both, we prefer Akzo -- it is cheaper, a bit easier to work with (SW mixing ratio is 4:1, so you need to pour it in measuring cups in a particular order, and of course that order is opaque first, making it hard to read the measuring cup. SW also requires thinner for most HVLP guns, whereas Akzo does not), and the result is more durable. The main reason we are using SW is because it is compatible with the SW urethane paint (whereas Akzo may or may not be).