Chapters:
The aircraft (N915P) (1)
www.visionaircraft.com Composite, 2-place, plans-built...just what I was looking for. I ordered plans number 252 and began at the beginning. Ok, that's not entirely true. I did a lot of research and decided I wanted to build the Vision. My wife then ordered the plans for an anniversary gift. I know, she's the best. That's why I reserved the N number 915P. Her birthday and first initial make a fitting homage I think.
It looks like a seat, but... (3)
You always have to tell your friends it's way more than a seat. Why else would it have taken you so long to finish? I guess it is a little structural, but mostly it is a class on composite sandwich construction 101. It gives a newby (that'd be me) the practice and confidence to move onto more critical and intimidating parts. Completed and test-sat on 8/2/03.
A tiny wing! (2)
With the seat out of the way, and giddy from my victory over fear, epoxy fumes, and those insidious bubbles, I skipped the fuse chapter and began working on my horizontal stabilizer. This is due to my very limited space. Hoping for a shop upgrade someday, but we all have to make due with what we have. Completed 12/14/03.
And now, onto the fuselage!
(7)
After a few trips to Iraq, I moved to a new place with more space. Now I have room to build the important parts of my Vision. A house with two garages? My wife truly is the best. This framework is the 'old-fashioned' way of building the Vision fuselage. The newer Fold-A-Plane technique, while intriguing, wasn't the best fit for my circumstances and situation, so I set about building the frame. 8/25/05 the frame is finally done! Last-a-foam is great stuff, but it is hard to bend. The only thing harder than bending it without a crackin' it is stitching it to this d!@# frame at the same time. Then I have to fill the gaps with micro, sand to blend the edges, and cover with a couple layers of glass. More hair is falling out!
Bulkheads and stuff. (2)
A fuselage is a fuselage, but this thing resembles a poorly designed canoe. I'll bet a firewall, seat (finally installed?) and some bulkheads will help. I guess I'd better get working on them.
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Formers and stringer(s)
View 2
The completed framework
My ingenious space-saving glass table
Many lay-ups later...
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