Sling 4 for Matt Build Log

I'm trying something I've been meaning to try for some time now. Instead of blogging after I complete work, I'm blogging while I'm working. The fact is, I haven't kept up with blogging after I work, so perhaps I'll do better at both concurrently. After some thought about the order of things to do, I've decided to complete the center fuse to the point where the outer side skins and skin channels are complete. This includes the firewall and perhaps the forward inner skins. I found it very difficult to fit the inner skins with the outer skins in place. We will see what I end up doing. I need to finish soundproofing the forward floor void and under the torque tubes. I'm reusing the templates from the right side to cut the left soundproofing (I wish I installed the soundproofing before I reinstalled the torque tubes). Templates drawn out in fine point blue sharpie: After blowing the surface off with compressed air and running a tack cloth over...

I little while back, I visited a new friend nearby building a Sling TSi. He is working five days a week, 12 hours a day to complete it in an 8-month timeframe. I think he will. He gave me a piece of advice that I now realize is very prescient. He said, and I'm paraphrasing, "Jig out the assembly as far as you can in advance and figure out what your build order will be and what other actions you need to take before permanently riveting it together." Well, I applied that advice to the center fuse and figured out the myriad of things I needed to do, know, and have before continuing. This weekend, I took the side skins and channels back out in order to finish the soundproofing. I finished under the rear seats with the exception of the right seat channels because I need the ELT mounting brackets. My wife helped cut templates, soundproof material, and install. The view below is from the front of the CF, looking at the void between the bottom skin and the floor skin....

It's time to turn my focus towards the fuselage. I spent time this weekend installing the flight controls and re-installing some torque tubes. Previously, I needed to remove the bushings and tubes for the elevator and flap controls in order to install the aileron autopilot servo brackets. Below, I'm getting ready to position the control stick tubes: Checking the orientation of the control stops (center of tube) on the elevator torque tube. This doesn't need to be installed just yet and having it out makes it easier to attach the aileron rose joints. I installed soundproofing in the control box: Top bushing bracket installed. Originally, I had only one correct top bushing bracket and one incorrect top bushing bracket. It took four months to get a replacement. The rear and bottom bushing bracket for control stick torque tube: Riveting complete and start fitting the aileron cross control tube and rose joint. The bolt comes from the front bracket, thr...