Silger Sonex

Build Log for Sonex 0849B

Build Log

  • Started by prepping small parts, ailerons, and flaps for paint by treating all metal surfaces with maroon scotchbrite and fiberglass surfaces with 120 grit then 240 grit sandpaper. Blew dust off of all parts then cleaned everything with acetone. Inserted…

  • Removed wing tips from wing after letting SuperFil cure. While not the most elegant (or clean) epoxy job, it did take up the gap pretty well. Removed packing tape from edge of wing and lightly reshaped the edge of the…

  • Began prepping wingtips and tip light fairings for paint and final finishing. Located tip lights onto wing tip light fairings and drilled wire pass through hole and mounting screw holes; tip lights will attach to fairing with Dynon panel screws…

  • Built paint hangar stands for hanging control surfaces during painting out of scrap 2×4, 4×4, and 3/4″ EMT. Hours Worked: 1.27

  • Finished prep of the fuselage for paint by masking off the ELT tray and straps, covering the baggage area with plastic, and masking off the seating area and firewall. Fuselage now completely masked and ready for paint. Hours Worked: 0.95

  • Began prepping fuselage for paint by removing tail components and setting off to the side. Removed inspection covers, pitot plumbing fittings, wing connectors, and vents from fuselage as well. Taped off edges of windshield with nice striping tape, then finished…

  • Finished fuselage conversion steps by applying jb weld to holes from original side skin left over from conversion process. Hours Worked: 0.14

  • Started process of final shaping of the tail tip fairings by mounting fairings back onto the tail and contouring leading edge with 80 grit sandpaper. Luckily put enough SuperFil into each cavity that there was enough material to work with.…

  • Continued to work on tail fairing panels by annealing panels via sharpie method; scribbled sharpie on the panels then heated them via torch until sharpie marks began to disappear. After annealing, worked panels over a couple scrap pieces of pipe…

  • Began final canopy installation by drilling the rest of the hinge rivet holes in the upper longeron and installing rivets. Quick painted the rivets by hand with a brush along with other minor touchups of black paint. Updrilled canopy hinge…

  • Began prepping fiberglass tail fairings for final fit by marking front overhang on each fairing to note how much filler will be needed to recontour the leading edge. Removed fairings from the tail and used SuperFil to build up inside…

  • Began working on the tail fairing panels by cutting out template from plans on poster paper and mocking it up on the fuselage. Because the tail skin was installed upside down and needed extra trimming, will need to modify plans…