Ricardo weight and balance "right on the money" No added weight needed! But she did come out heavier than expected! Bert thank you! Got to admit it sure is cute! Came out better than expected!  Thank you to everybody who gave me so much support over the last 3 1/2 years. I am not that far away from first flights! Here is how I filled in the unsightly wing to fuselage gaps! First I put wax paper on fuselage then heavy card stock next to wing. I filled the gap with LOW expanding foam. When it dried I cut to shape. Covered exposed ends in light fiberglass and painted. Once dried I glued into place to fuselage with silicone glue. Not to bad if I say so myself!

Here she is with cowl painted and attached! Remember I decided to use front starter ring as "front of cowl" and flare back from there. The factory cowl is designed for the hand start motor and there are no provisions for these. I also cut around starter. Kind of utilitarian. But I like the industrial look that I came up with. I really have a couple more tests. Power  tests at different take off angles. Perhaps a statistic thrust test ( good idea Recardo.) and a couple odds and ends. Got radio to satisfactory level. Still some background noise when transmitting. But much better. Within acceptable limits! Here fully dressed I would like to present the second "lady in my life" my wife who tolerates me will always hold the position of first and cutest! But have to admit this sure is a close second!

Couple more!

One more

Such a beauty, congratulations!

Wonderful little ship.  I really admire your accomplishment.

Tom

What no white wall tires?lol You have done a great job on your airplane and that was a me trying to bring a little humor. I hope your first flight goes fantastic. Your build has been well documented here and I have enjoyed very much. Thank you for sharing so much.

Just Gorgeous! Congratulations on your creation Brian.
I would also like to see a picture of your plane with the enclosed cabin.

That is beautiful, great work on it. I hope to see a picture of it flying soon and of your face with a great big grin from flying it.

Well done that man!  Your plane looks superb, Brian - many congrats on an excellent job.

I am very much looking forward to hearing your accounts of learning to fly the Max next.
You will get such a huuuge buzz the first time you fly - makes all those hours of careful work so worthwhile.

If you can find the time to post how you sorted your radio, I would appreciate any tips. Mine is only just useable with (I think) ignition noise. So any help would be much appreciated.

Good luck with the great adventure of flying your own creation. Very few people get to experience this unique achievement.

Bruce

Great job Brian from the build to the documentation of it. the journey is almost over. the first flight will be exciting.

monte

Brian, she looks beautiful and wants to show the sky to you. Don't let her wait too long...  
Seriously great work, well done on every level!
Cheers
Reto

Thanks guys! I am in contact with a potential test pilot. Also due to the plane being over weight, but within acceptable limits I am forcing myself on a major additional 30 pounds additional weight loss! I reached my goal weight but the Minimax refused to go on the same diet! Not a problem! I always approached this with the attitude I would shrink to fit into it! Not build it to fit me! But not to worry soon it will fly...and shortly after that I will fly her!


Bruce here is what helped me reduce radio noise. Now before these changes I could receive fine, but when I tried to transmit all the tower heard was a loud "squeal"  now there is some background noise when transmitting, but the tower states although there is background noise. They can hear my transmission clearly!

First I shielded spark plug wires with this braiding from aircraft spruce. I then grounded the braid at the coil end  by soldering wires to braid. I also replaced spark plug caps with NGK 1K resistor caps. Finally I added ground strap from antenna ground plane to ground system.  I think it can be a bit better. But it is a functional system right now. Hope this gives you a direction to go in Bruce!

B-😀

Looking great!
In the last airplane pic above the gas cap looks like any eye and the aileron cable a smile.
So even the airplane is happy with the results.

To get your radio more prefect try looping the radio power/ground, and the ground for the ground plane around ferrite cores.

Quoted from ulbuilder

Looking great!
In the last airplane pic above the gas cap looks like any eye and the aileron cable a smile.
So even the airplane is happy with the results.

To get your radio more prefect try looping the radio power/ground, and the ground for the ground plane around ferrite cores.

lol I see the smile! Almost as big as mine. Ricardo I will definitely get some pics of full canopy over next week!
    Well I finally discovered the source of the last bit of interfearance in the radio! It's feedback from the headset noise canceling Mike! It was the tower that suggested it. I am fabricating a cover for the mike similar to the one "Dick Rake" had posted in another thread on this subject! Other than that I consider the radio problem solved. The tower states I am perfectly "readable" !!!
B-

Good you got your radio sorted, Brian. Thanks for your suggestions - I'll try these on my setup.  My radio is useable -
I needed it when flying this morning to sort landing order with another aircraft using the tarmac runway that crosses with 'my' grass strip.
But it could do better.

Good luck with taxi trials - that time must be getting close!

Bruce

Hi All,

Yes, just did the homework (reading threads  lol). Would like to congratulate Brian besides of his accomplished as Licensed Pilot.
Now with much appreciated personally build  full-sized aircraft.
Brian, you have gone too far..
After years passed, looked like you are now in the threshold with open blue skies..An aviator's lifetime achievement.
May I sincerely congratulate you for job well done!
Best Regards,

Phil

Thank you all for your support.  We have a completed aircraft! Ready to fly! I am awaiting airworthiness inspection as we speak. In the meantime I completed all my PPL trading and scheduling a checkride over the next couple weeks! Ricardo I have t forgo. On you! Soon I will change canopies and get a couple pics! Hopefully my next update will be flying photos!
Best to all
B-

Wow congrats Brian.. I know I'm a bit late.  The plane looks great!

Helloooo Brix.....chirp,chirp,chirp(sound of crickets)

Brix,
Brother, sweet plane. I had dropped off the Squak because the woman was wanting a new house, well we are in and I am wanting to come back and looking to buy a project plane and I am considering two right now. It is the cash thing!

Ed~

Just want to say thanks for posting the picture of the wing stand back on page 16. I need a rack now and I remembered that you had posted that.

Beautiful Max, and great job on your weight loss.

Thanks again for thinking of us other folks.

If you were close enough, I'd give you one of my wing racks....  I don't use them right now.  Both my birds are stuffed into a trailer.

My apologies for not posting in a bit. I have been busy! The last 6 weeks have been spent trying to convince the FAA that it is part if their job to perform the airworthiness inspection. They simply reply that the boss doesn't want them doing it. It appears they will win. Meanwhile weight loss continues and my weight goal is within reach! All this time has not been wasted. I successfully upgraded from sport pilot to private pilot. And have been building hours on my Cherokee. Wife and I are off on our annual two week motorcycle trip this week and upon my return I will be hiring a DAR to perform the Airworthiness inspection (600 dollars!) Followed by high speed taxi tests then I expect to have to  flight reports to you all before September ends! Thank you all for your kind be words and support! What a journey this has been!
Updates soon
Brian 😃👍

Hi Brian

Great to hear from you again.  What a nightmare!  I had all sorts of hoops to jump through over here, too. The aviation authorities seem to work
on the assumption that everybody would be much safer if they just didn't fly. So they do their best to make it as hard as possible to satisfy all their rules.  
Grrrr!  But well done on not wasting the waiting time, & upgrading to PPL. Great achievement.

Have a good bike trip. We're all looking forward to your flight stories - & videos -  when you get back

Bruce

Yep, went DAR myself.

Congratulations on the private pilot license Brian. Keep the greasy side down and have a great trip.

Congrats Brian, well done!

Reto

Probably the DAR knows more about this type of aircraft than a lot of people you might get from the FAA.

Tom

You might find that a DAR is more helpful anyway.

The builder of THE FLAG got signed off for a 250 mile radius for the first 40 hours. That made it easy for me when I purchased the plane with only 10 hours on it. I hauled it home, put the wings on, inspected and adjusted things, ran the engine on the ground and began flying. I didn't have to do any extra paperwork or drive the 42 miles back to the builder's home airport.

The DAR had sense enough to know that the only guy that would fly an Air-Bike 250 miles lived up in Kansas.   ( Sorry Paul, I just couldn't help myself. )