Hey Fred,

Still alive here.  Just got a bucking bar so I can start to install wing upgrade kit.  Might have to find a new place to assemble a/c come spring.  Moving an incomplete kit might be real fun.

I put a Facet pump in the space between nose ribs 2 and 3 in each wing. The pumps are supported by a bracket made from .025 6061-T6 which is attached to ribs 2 and 3 by two pieces of standard L-angle. I rivetted the L-angle to rib 3 from the tank side so that only the head was on that side of the rib (because of the tank sitting there). I used 3/32" solid flush rivets countersunk to hold AN3 nutplates to the .025 for the two AN3 bolts to attach the pump to the plate. The brackets sit as far forward as possible in the leading edge and the pump sits on the aft side of the bracket. I made the access under the LE larger to facillitate working in there later.

The pumps are low enough to get gravity feed from the top 3/4 of the tank. The last 1/4 of each tank requires a modest 2 inches of lift to suck fuel to the pump over an 8" run of fuel line from tank to pump. I use a light 12 VDC switch to select which pump gets power when the "AUX FUEL PUMP" switch on the power center is switched on.

As a result, I don't have a distant pump sucking fuel through several feet of fuel lineincluding a significant uphill run to the tank selector valve.

For the wingwalk I would suggest slipping .025 or .030 under the skin. I did mine as an afterthought and settled for laying it on top of the skin. I rivetted it over the existing skin rivets then covered the whole doubler plus another inch or so with a rubberized winglwalk material from Ray Allen Co. Expensive but much nicer than the "sandpaper type I have seen elsewhere.

Ed

Hey Fred,

Call me on my cell Wednesday anytime and I can give you Corvair engine info! Lost your home phone #.

Hey Fred,

Whoa! R U saying a DAR may not sign off our a/c even with the kit from Zenith?
That is scarey! Will try and call to talk further.

Fred:

Certainly your situation is about the worst. You have an incomplete airframe and you really don't know what you need to do to make it airworthy. However, this problem is endemic, not specific, as the FAA tries to get more control over the E-AB world. Were I in your shoes, I would wait as long as possible, doing as many other things to the airframe as I could, before attacking the wing situation. Although the FAA rarely backtracks, this is a particularly weird case. I know that waiting is not a great option, but you certainly ought to at least see what the final version of the changes looks like, see if a couple of other guys are successful in convincing the DAR's to sign off, what the insurance situation looks like, etc.

FWIW,
Andy

Hi Fred,
Making a new work table for my wing similar to yours. At least I will be able to incorporate the new kit into the wing as I build it. Not often dragging your feet actually works out. I received the same info online from the FAA. Did u?
Are u considering purchasing the kit to beef up the wings? Let me know. Dave

Hi Fred,
OK....
Got my tailwheel signjoff last weekend. It was a great learning experience. The instr. was right...it made me a better pilot!
My weekend is socked in...family stuff. Really want to see your wing tho.....Possibly during the week in the evening? Let me know. 717-542-7547
Thanks, Dave Long

Hi Fred,
Computer went down-back up again. Will call soon. Can't wait to see a wing being built. My wing kit box is my work table.
Getting my tail wheel sign off at Bermudian Valley Airpark in an Aeronca Champ. Got kinda busy.
Blue Skies, Dave long

HI Fred: Thank you for your very kind comments regarding my 601. You get a chance, send my your e-mail address and I can send you what I did. It was all done after the wing was mounted. i canbe reached at: adnasap@bellsouth.net.

Hi Fred,
I got the idea of using this paint from Randy Stout's website, so you should check that out. I went a different direction with the metal prep and priming. I washed the metal with soap & water using a scotch-brite pad. Then I rolled on a white primer called "Stix" that I got at my local Benjamin Moore paint store. After the primer, I rolled on the paint ( thinned per the instructions) using a foam roller, followed by smoothing out the bubbles with a brush. The white paint has taken two or three coats and the yellow needs three. Because the paint is thinned, it seems to go pretty far, but as I haven't finished yet, I don't know how much it is going to take. I looks like it might be three quarts of white and two of yellow. The finish looks good, but not great. As I get better at sanding, the finish looks better, I'm happy with it, however. I figured if I didn't paint it before flying, it would never get painted.

Hi Frederick,
Thanks for your interest in my project. Would like to see the beginnings of a wing. Sounds like our flying and building experience is comparable. Will be in touch soon.This site is a great place to network! Dave Long