Introduction

In October, I inspected and bought a Viking Dragonfly built by Walter Tippet and first flown in 1987. The late, Walter Born bought the plane and it was hangered since 1993. In November, I trailered it to Huntsville AL where I am planning to spend 12 to 18 months rebuilding to make it airworthy again.

2012/01/01 - Wing Ladder Working!

The wing ladder is a light weight, pair of "A" frames that have a span of rug liner and padding between the apex, "A".

The cross pieces at the bottom are sized to allow the hydraulic lift platform to fit under them. The wing or canard is put in the apex web and the lift platform rises to whatever height is needed.

Here the wing is lifted and moved adjacent to the canard:

One pair of bottom cross pieces is held with wing-nut secured bolts so the two "A" frames collapse like a folding ladder, for storage. Now I can move anything in the workshed to where ever it needs to go at any time.

The work shed, left side is free for a 16" by 24' work table:


The hydraulic lift table is a dandy bench seat. Adding the blue pads makes it almost a recliner. Also, you'll notice the lights are now mounted facing down where the table will go to improve evening productivity.

Here we see the Prius that powers the lights and hand tools:
I still need to figure out how I'll store 'stuff' and in particular, nuts, bolts and various hardware bits. But now I have a trash can, broom and pan . . . the key to making a place to work.

2011/12/29 - Wing lift frame

I need to be able to weigh, raise, lower, and move the wing and canard around the shed safely. This light-weight, 2x2, stud frame will have four, posts from which straps can hang to hold the wing or canard safely. The cut-off sections provide compression holding the cut-off "A", more like a 'bridge' at a fixed ratio. Tension cables will make each frame rigid:

Not shown, lateral bracing between the two bridge-like, "A" frames will keep them from colapsing either way. They will also have two bottom width settings:

The operational scenario is each "A" frame will be permanetly assembled but the inter-connecting struts and wires between the "A" frames will be removable. This allows the two frames to collapse for easy storage or rapidly built into a rigid structure to hold a wing/canard.

The top ends will support webbing to serve as the bed holding the wing/canard. This should distribute the load and not cause paint or structural issues. The lower, horizontal, compression strut will be high enough the lift table can fit in when low. Raising the table will raise the wing lift frame and load to the table limit. The lower compression strut is high enough that the scale can be slipped under both "A" frame lower struts.

2011/12/25 - Shed work, engine mounts, and weights

I've put both sets of lights up:

Power is supplied from the Prius:

I've started documenting key elements including some of the engine mounts:

Lessons learned, use the tripod and 'timed' snap to make a clear photo. The mounts must be throughly cleaned so we're seeing the bare metal and all defects. A drill bit shank will provide a reference for hole roundness. We'll get a dye test kit to use for the next set of photos.

Initial weights:

part,net lbs, net lbs
original prop,4.9,
seat back,3.0,
new prop,,3.9
seat cushions,6.3,
spinner hw,2.5,
elliison EFS2 throttle body,1.3,
right gear+wheel,11.9,
left gear+wheel,11.8,
exhaust manifolld+carb heat,7.0,
cowling,7.1,
elevators,15.1,
wheel pants,3.8,
tail wheel,53.2,
right caster,103.7,
left caster,98.7,231.8
canard-mount dolly,-23.8,
,306.5,352.5

2011/12/24 - More FAA Regulations

FAA Amateur-Built Aircraft are the guidelines I'll be following. Furthermore, I've got a copy of Airframe & Powerplant Mechanics General Handbook EA-AC 65-9A, my first study guide. However, a quick review shows it is a summary of highschool physics with specific, aviation details.

I plan to treat N19WT as a 'kit' that first I will disassemble, document, and then rebuild using all of the 'lessons learned' since 1980 about the Dragonfly. Fortuantely, the FAA has new procedures used to quantify how much work of what type was done on the airplane. It is also my roadmap for how to rebuild N19WT.

2011/12/23 - Mounted Dolly and Refurbishment Checklist

The dolly weighs 23.8 lbs:


The canard-fitting, dolly makes moving the fuselage easy so I was able to rearrange the shed:

I've decided to use the 'Tarzan' method to move the wing and canard from side to side. A new loop is put around the wing and the old strap is loosened. The old loop is relocated to the new location and tightened with the wing/canard lifted to move it under the new loop.

Using Google, I found a copy of the FAA checklist, excel workbook. Thanks to Rick at "EAA Chapter 774" who entered the checklist into an excel spreadsheet. I've reworked it to put each subassembly into separate worksheets.

2011/12/22 - Research FAA Checklist

It turns out the FAA has a checklist that scores airplane construction by: Each of nearly 200 items is ranked using a scale of 0-1.0 by 0.1 increments to determine how much of what was done by the builder versus someone else. In some cases, an element is "N/A" such as a metal versus composite versus wood spar or wing. Regardless, the checklist procedure calls out for extensive use of photos and the builder log to document how much was done by who. It provides a credible, basis of estimate about whether or not a plane meets the educational goals of the 51% rule.

As the FAA pointed out, if a kit provider sells completed wing, fuselage, engine and only requires the buyer to 'bolt them together,' the kit provider has become an uncertified, airplane manufacturer. A manufacturer who is by-passing the requirements a certified airplane maker must comply with.

My plan is to transcribe the checklist into an Excel spreadsheet. Then I will test exporting and importing the spreadsheet into my Dragonfly pages. This allows me to document my rework making sure every part I touch and the work done is properly documented.

There is some FAA documentation requirement that I have yet to find that covers how to handle modifications to an Experimental/Amateur built airplane. I need to know what this is and make sure I provide enough documentation for the rework N19WT needs.

2011/12/19 - Dolly Ready

Completed the canard-dolly:

The dolly shown below has the canard, drag-spar, stand-in, 1/2" plywood:
The fully castering wheels are each rated at 450 lbs. Not shown, the canard lift-spar, stand-in, another 1/2" plywood sheet. Both drag and lift spars stand-ins have exact bolt holes matching the fuselage bulkheads.

2011/12/18 - Fuselage Dolly

Cut the stud to make two long pieces and mounted under the drag spar stand-in. Then mounted the wheels on the 4x6x1 plates and used deck screws to attach the plates to the long pieces, close to the drag spar stand-in. I need to add one more deck screw on the drag-spare fitting for the long pieces. I need to raise the fuselage ~18-24" to remount the drag spar stand-in. Then I can lower it so the long pieces share the load and then add the metal fittings to hold them in place. At this point, the fuselage can be rolled around. 
date,model,empty wt.,engine
1981/12/29,1,590,1600
1981/12/29,1,605,1835

2011/12/16 - Lasik Eye Surgery

Both eyes were corrected to provide distance vision. This means I now have to use reading glasses for anything within 6-8 ft. However, soon as the eyes heal and the 'foggy halo' and reflections go away, I'll have perfect distance vision for driving and flying.

2011/12/13 - Fuselage Dolly

Bought a 2x4 stud to use for the fuselage dolly that mounts where the canard fits. Already cut and mounted a 0.5" thick, plywood, drag and lift spar stand-in for the dolly. I now need two short, 2x4 sections to hold the wheel mounting board and castering wheels.

Moved the 'to be cut' canard template to the hanger / workshop / storage shed. I'll use this to cut two webs to prevent the stand-in, plywood, lift and drag, stand-in spars from collapsing onto the wheel mount sections and wheels. This keeps the dolly lift and drag spars in just compression relative to the fuselage bulkheads to avoid application of torque.