Vortex Generators Installed

"Stolspeed" brand of Vortex Generators
These vg's are made of very thin clear plastic with rounded edges that are safe to the touch. They are installed using a very thin layer of 3M pressure sensitive glue that comes in a easy to install sheet. The installation of the vortex generators is complete.  They are installed on the canard which is the GU wing version.  The vg's are installed as per the install instructions from the Quickie Corporation original documents with angles and spacing as were recommended.  I was given advice from other Q2 owners to install as per the original design instead of using the aluminium vg's that some are using. The aluminum vg's did not offer as dense a coverage as the original design.  My installation uses more vg's and therefore has a bit more drag but offers better lift when the front canard is contaminated with rain or bugs.  You will notice these are installed at the 50% chord (for improved laminar flow) of the wing and not at a forward position as vg's are often installed for better stall characteristics.

Left Elevator Construction

November 19 2015

The centre control stick has been installed with the 2 push pull tubes to the elevator torque tube control arms.  I have made an adjuster on the left elevator control rod to use as a minor trim adjustment.  This will be useful when flying solo or adjusted when flying with two on board (second photo).   the elevator trim wheel has been hooked up and set in the neutral position.  This is where it will stay since the plane has a t-tail trim which will be used for all trim requirements.All nuts. bolts and safety wires have been installed on any control surface connections.  Getting head and shoulders under the panel is tricky at the best of times.  The removable panel has been fastened down.

The placement of the VG's are marked on the canard and will be the next and final item to complete.  Some more run ups and taxi tests are still required and will be completed when weather is better.  Flight circuits will probably be postponed to the spring until warmer air and no snow is present.

November 18 2015

Elevator has been custom fitted to the left elevator pivot points on the canard shear web.

November 14 2015

Elevator is now complete, filled an primed. 

November 6 2015
New outboard pivot fixture installed. Outboard elevator end gap filler streamline fillet installed, faired, glassed and filled.

October 30 2015
Glass covered, ends filled 3/8" with micro, pivot points installed.

September 19 2015
The wings and the control surfaces are all a solid foam core cut out with a "Hotwire tool" and then are surface filled with micro epoxy to surface fill the pores of the foam.  At the same time the surface is then covered with fiberglass cloth of the type and number of layers as documented in the plans.  In the case of the elevators, ailerons and rudder this is 2 layers of uni cloth at 45 degrees to the span. All control surfaces have a torque tube running the full length of the forward end, a foam nose cap is installed back onto the leading edge in the case of the elevators. I have used blue billet foam which is the same density weight as the original foam used.  The blue billet foam is stiffer and denser than the original foam documented in the plans.
Below are the templates cut out of 3/16" MDF board after tracing out from the plans.  The nose section was cut completely off at the very end of the hotwire cutting process.

Below are the elevators cut out with a hotwire cutting tool, they are made in two sections and then bonded together end to end with micro.  The torque tube bonded in and the nose cone bonded on last. Minimal excess micro is used so there is not much squeeze out as it is hard to sand down.   The foam cut out with the hotwire tool has the dimensions in almost perfect shape with very light long board sanding required.

Engine cowling refabricated and primed.

The engine cowling has been stripped and re-finished.  Some modification to it was required to make it fit properly and new camlock fasteners were installed to hold it in place.  I wet sanded the entire aircraft, washed it off and found a few more surface imperfectioins that needed filling.  The only component remaining to be built is the left elevator.  Then the VG's can go onto the canard and it is ready to fly again.  Meanwhile I enjoy a bit of taxi testing around the airport.

Prop on,Canopy on, Fuel added and engine started.

A big day today and an excuse to celebrate the progress made thus far.  Propeller was installed and the new canopy installed making it look more like the "Quickie" it should be.  Fuel added and an extensive check for any leaks with none found.  I only put in 5 gallons into the main central tank and then used the fuel transfer pump to pump about 1.5 gallons into the header tank.  Again a check and no leaks found.  Tied down the tail and got into the drivers seat at last.  Master, mag's, mixture, throttle, and fuel on.  She started up after about five revolutions and settled into a nice purr.  I am very pleased with how this total rebuild has gone.  Now numerous days of taxi testing, checking out brakes, turning, steering and engine temperatures and pressures.

Panel is in the plane.

The rudder and brake pedals were installed under the panel.  Brake lines bled using the bottom upward technique.  All under panel nuts and bolts tightened up and then the install of the panel could proceed.  Two days of installation and one day of clearing up a few gremlins and it's all good to go.  Tested out the radio and engine monitor before engine start and all is good.  Radio sounds exceptionally good!

Airframe out in the sun

The airframe is now out in the sun so that I can identify a few more surface imperfections that need to be smoothed.  It seems every time I get the surface smoothed and then topcoat primer filler I find four or five more spots needing dressing.  When will it ever end?  As a friend told me, you just have to know when to say enough is enough.   I am very happy that I will be leaving the surface in primer for now.  It can get painted once I get it in the air again and all improvements completed.

Engine fitted and firewall forward all connected.

It sure takes more time than you expect to get these projects nearing completion.  I just finished getting the rebuilt Revmaster2100D engine mounted and all hooked up once again.  This all went quite quickly as I had done it before.  I like the compactness of this airframe and engine combination, however it makes for a few bruised knuckles at times!

Yesterday I had the valuable assistance of my son Bryant to rearrange the hangar and reposition the Quickie aircraft.  After repositioning the other aircraft into the corner I now have space to reassemble the Q2 with more room.  The left wing tip is complete after repairs and the only major thing left to complete is to build a new left elevator.  The entire fuselage has been sanded down and minor blemishes in the skin repaired.  Now the fuselage is painted in primer for the time being and the engine cowling and canopy edges will be dressed up and primer painted.  Then putting it all together begins.