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May 10, 2003 Day 215, 1562.5 hours Remember the pile of wires on the floor? Here they are, rising up like a nest of infuriated cobras! They have to be sorted out and brought into some kind of order. If you are wiring an airplane, be sure to diligently mark each end of every wire you install. Do not assume you will remember where something comes from. A professional wire marking tool is a good investment. |
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May 13, 2003 Day 218, 1582 hours The wires have been sorted out, routed, bundled and secured. A cable tray was made from fiberglass and installed across the gap between the canard bulkhead and the panel. This supports the wiring and helps to brace the panel. |
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May 14, 2003 Day 219, 1590.5 hours A number of small modules had to be designed and built as part of the panel. The one shown here is the landing gear operation switch/indicator module. Other modules included the annunciator panel, instrument illumination dimmer circuit, entertainment and audio panel, and the aircraft lighting switch panel. All of the lamps in the panel are high-intensity LED's to avoid the need for replacement light bulbs. |
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May 16, 2003 Day 221, 1609.5 hours After the wiring was finished, it was necessary to do some plumbing. The plastic tubes seen here are the vacuum, pitot and static lines that supply various air pressures for the flight instruments and sensors. |
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May 17, 2003 Day 222, 1619 hours The panel is tested on the bench prior to installation in the aircraft. Because the parts in the aircraft (sensors, antennas, etc.) were not connected, only minimal testing could be done here. The panel informed me that the doors were open, the engine was cold, there was no fuel, the vacuum was insufficient, and the airspeed was zero! Well, I guess that's right, more or less, at this stage. |