And finally for now. First attempt to get in and out of Vmax with wings on! Success! At last years weight I would have NEVER tried this!  I find the cockpit much  roomier then expected! 34 pounds to be at safe Vmax flying weight! Whoop hooo

Actual pics of entry and egress as it happened! Not pretty😱 not my best side☺️But success!

Good progress!
I recommend you to secure those teleflex nuts at both ends with safety wire or locktite.
In my plane, after a few hours of operation, one of those nuts became loose at flight and one of the ailerons stopped working.
It was a very scary situation.  
The nuts  under the seat are located in a difficult place to inspect, just make sure they stay in place for ever. (image 144

Quoted from Ricardo

Good progress!
I recommend you to secure those teleflex nuts at both ends with safety wire or locktite.
In my plane, after a few hours of operation, one of those nuts became loose at flight and one of the ailerons stopped working.
It was a very scary situation.  
The nuts  under the seat are located in a difficult place to inspect, just make sure they stay in place for ever. (image 144

Thank you for that great advise! I will safety wire them! Anybody have any images or instructions on best way to do this?

With a smile like that you are a lucky man. The rest of the pictures are excellent also. Thanks for posting.

Quoted from bigbrixx1

Thank you for that great advise! I will safety wire them! Anybody have any images or instructions on best way to do this?

This is the way I did it

This is how to wrap the wire. I hope you get the idea.

Quoted from Ricardo

This is how to wrap the wire. I hope you get the idea.

Exactly what I needed! Thank you! And yes aeronut I am a lucky man!

Way to go. Congratulations for you and your plane.  It is really a great and an unusual obsession that is actually good for you.  Keep up the good work.
  

May I suggest that when you get your plane done and flying you use these posts as an outline for a book which both describes the technical building process in detail and combines it will a personal narrative.  Your story is too inspiring to just be read here.

Tom

TTT: I saw it on this thread, page #17, 5th picture starting from the bottom up.

Great pics Brian.  Sooo good to be actually sitting in your plane, too.  I wish I had a hangar like that, with all those interesting aircraft in, to assemble my Max in.

I'm really looking forward to hearing how you get on with covering. I've never done it either, so I'm hoping you're going to suss it all out for me!

Congrats on getting down to Max size (?)

Bruce

Thank you all for the support! It's been a heck of a journey so far! I never considered a book Tom... Let's face it. Half my pictures are upside down (once agian sorry to those viewing on a PC) my wife is an aspiring writer... Who knows! Maybe! Bruce I will be covering wings very soon. I hope it's like my R/c airplanes! But bigger. Details to follow! I also saw a few planes at Airventure this year painted in latex paint! I am sold on that concept! I am on the fence as far as rib stitching.... Back to the build! Thanks agian everyone for the support!

I am a fan of rib stiching myself.-  it is not that hard really and it adds a great deal of strength.   Congratulations on the awesome progress! - I hope you get a chance to get down to Sun N Fun here in Florida, Fuel and lunch on me if you do! -

Quoted from Seaplane Pirate

I am a fan of rib stiching myself.-  it is not that hard really and it adds a great deal of strength.   Congratulations on the awesome progress! - I hope you get a chance to get down to Sun N Fun here in Florida, Fuel and lunch on me if you do! -

Unless I am convinced it is a waste of time I plan on stitching. You never know about sun and fun. If I get there I will take you up on that generous offer!

Update... Both wings mounted. Empennage mounted! Aileron cables attached. No safety kits due to fact it all comes apart to be covered and painted. When I took the wing supports out the wings  drooped a bit. Looks like I ended up with 2 1/2 degrees dihedral each wing. The plans called for 3 degrees. I suspect that's enough. I sent Dave an email. Weight loss has stalled a couple week! But still plugging away!

Some pics

Couple more.

Control yoke....

Fitting tail fiberglass piece. How are you guys attaching it to the airplane?

Two screws on each side.

Thanks Ricardo! Just what I was looking for!

Whoo hooo it's been a heck of a summer. Just a quick update here. The wings have come off and are heading back to the basement (where it is warm) for covering and painting. Soon to be followed by the empennage. I will be at the hanger toughing out the cold weather this winter. I will be in there installing the firewall forward, remainder of controls instruments ect. I hope by spring to be ready to cover and paint he fuselage and then put it together!
    I will be using stewards system glue to adhere covering. I plan on rib stitching and paint will be latex house paint. Updates to follow!
   On another note I had my first solo flight Friday! I couldn't believe it when my instructor told me to drop her off it was time to Solo! What a feeling ! To top the day I then went and had my scheduled written FAA exam following the solo flight and passed that! I still cannot believe I solo'd what a feeling! My wife is calling this "The summer of Brian" she even had balloons for me when I got home.... Blue and white to simulate the sky! Great gal!!!! No cake still have weight to loose!!!

Add 2.4 pounds to the weight loss side! Everything is on track! I hope to be flying the max by next summer!

Brian.....Great news! Congratulations on your solo!

Lynn

Congratulations Brian . You are doing GREAT! Hope that all goes well for you this winter.

Congrats on your first solo Brian! A flight you'll never forget.  Great encouragement to keep up the build programme too (as if you need it).

Bruce

Now while your knowledge test is still fresh, finish everything up ASAP and get your license.

Congrats! It is just few month ago I did my very first solo too, enjoy this moment. It is a great achievement! Good luck with Max construction and weight loss program!

Quoted from bigbrixx1

Whoo hooo it's been a heck of a summer. ... My wife is calling this "The summer of Brian" she even had balloons for me when I got home.... Blue and white to simulate the sky! Great gal!!!! No cake still have weight to loose!!!

Add 2.4 pounds to the weight loss side! Everything is on track! I hope to be flying the max by next summer!

That phase of flight training just before solo always seems like the longest and hardest with some days you just are not sure you can do this.  And when the solo comes it is rather a surprise and then you do it and it feels like a very large weight has been lifted.  It has been 15 years and your update brings it all back.  Congratulations on your solo.

Loved the 'No cake...' comment.  You are very inspiring.  

Congratulations!