Rebuild – Parts are ready –

Yesterday, Friday 6th of September, I got a call from Paul at the factory … your first parts set are ready !

September the 6th is a special day in my Ranger terms … being the day (in 2016) that I first opened the throttle on all these assembled parts and (after 3 test hops) took her into the air for the first time.

In one of the TV interviews Immediatly after the flight I said I had a few months of tweaking and adjusting post test but, in reality, she flew almost perfectly from that first second.

Wind forward to today, and I now have a few boxes of goodies to check through. The pick regime at TLAC is ultra professional of course, and every little nut, bolt, rivet, washer, bracket is uniquely labelled and bagged .. so I cross check and get it all loaded into the car.

This pack should see almost all the major parts I am changing, upgrading in place including the new engine mount.

The 2 new tanks are a work of art, thanks to Chris at TLAC for such a professional job👍

Planning a sequence will help maintain levels of access as I progress the engine swap. So plan sequence is :

• Start to fit new top tank … this will almost double the range
• This work will not impeded anything relating to the engine
• The top tank comes with the necessary plumbing to fit the valve, tubing and fittings for the dump tank operation – turn a key and gravity moves fuel from top to lower tank
• The next piece is to cut a section out of the starboard trailing edge elevator
• This will allow a hinged trim tab to be made up and fitted and will involve a new sub rib being made
• As the tail is all covered I’m hoping to put a new termination section on the existing Oratex which should save a full top and bottom recover
• The operating cable for this is a Throttle style lever but mounted on the starboard side of the cockpit (throttle being port side) and a piano wire stiff cable run .. so we won’t get bends
• I’m leaving the new main tank out as this provides full access to the rear of the firewall which will defiantly be handy as the new engine gets plumbed in !

As I left the factory it was good to have a proper chat with James (Milne) my ever helpful inspector. I walked through the steps above and he reminded me to keep the LAA worksheet going ..as it’s easy to forget the myriad of things you are doing. I’ve already got this underway so will very much be a multi sheet document by the time we are finished.

I also asked if I can do all this work back at Priory which is so much easier as all my tools and hoists are there .. James said he will pop down a couple of times as things progress and will, in good time, approve for test flying when things are looking good.

Exciting times …

Rotax 912 ULS order going in imminently