dons...what are you working on???

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 1:56 pm

What's the status on your 7A emp kit Don? We need an update!

You're on here all the time, lots of posts...no status updates...

Whatchya doin'?

dons · Post by **dons** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 1:05 pm

I'm still at it, slowly, but I try to do something every day. Since I have to leave every rivet visible from both sides for inspection, I can't really say I'm finished anything. I took a couple of pictures before coming into work today that show the current status of things in the emp.

Horizontal Stabilizer (ready for inspection)

Vertical Stabilizer (ready for inspection)

Rudder (ready for inspection)

Right Elevator (ready for inspection)

Left Elevator (under construction)

Post by **Spike** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 9:36 am

Good stuff!!

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 9:42 am

Great to see some pics Don! Nice work!

Who has to inspect the rivets before closing it up? DAR? Tech Counselor?

dons · Post by **dons** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 10:37 am

cjensen wrote:Who has to inspect the rivets before closing it up? DAR? Tech Counselor?

Inspections are done by a group called the MD-RA. They are volunteers that have been trained and delegated by our Department of Transport to ensure standards are being met by all builders.

From their website MD-RA:
"MD-RA is a Transport Canada external delegation of authority program. MD-RA is responsible for amateur built aircraft only. MD-RA inspectors perform inspections on aircraft under construction and, upon completion, issue the initial Special Certificate of Airworthiness and a restricted flight authority. Once the aircraft is complete and flying, the files are transferred to the Department of Transport."

In a nutshell it is a method to ensure at least one officially trained pair of eyes goes over everything. It isn't enough for the builder to say it is safe and built to standards. A bit more government imposed regulation and inspection than you have in the amateur built area, but not nearly as much as some places around the world.

A number of builders have seen samples of my work, but it's kinda nice to have someone that has met some level of experience do the once over. Likely not a whole lot different than what most builders in the US do anyway, but we do have this requirement of not hiding any side of any rivet from the inspection process, so it makes for a lot of 95% completed sub-assemblies. Other than the trailing edge on the rudder, the rest of the emp rivets can easily be done in a few hours of elapsed time after the inspection, but in the mean time, clecos hold a few thing together.