Haught Wings Cafe

Updates - I know they are late in coming but I've been traveling alot on business

2010-09-04T14:50:00.000-07:00

I've been working on the plane off and on while traveling for work. I've gotten alot done and I'm almost ready to start putting skin on the fuselage frame work. I got the alodining done and also primed all the pieces. I started riveting all the pieces together and found a few problems but resolved those and now I'm at the point I'm almost ready to start putting the skin on. Big day coming soon. I made some changes on the tail wheel set at the rear bulkhead and discovered I was right the first time. So, I've ordered new parts for the F-611 and F-612 and will rebuild the rear landing gear attachment. The parts should be in next week, I'll get those built, alodined and primed ready to reinstall. Once complete I will be reviewing the plans to ensure I'm ready for skin installtion. Here are a few more pictures of the work I've done.

Ready to Alodine

2010-03-15T08:51:00.000-07:00

Over the past month I've been getting parts fitted into the skeleton of the Fuselage and I'm now ready to begin my first attempt with the Alodine Process. This weekend I removed all the non-primed parts and I'm in the process of de-burring and dimpling as required. The parts will then be ready for the Alodine process. I have my Metal Prep 33 (an Acid Etching Liquid) and powdered Alodine. I hope to have my first batch of parts complete this weekend assuming I get all the prep work complete.

He's Back and Motivated

2010-01-28T15:12:00.000-08:00

Herb started a new job this time last year. He travels a lot now, so the plane project got put aside while he got comfortable in his new role.

However, he told me this morning that he is ready to start posting again. He's spent the last week or so cleaning and re-organizing the garage. So check back soon.

Wings Overhead

2009-01-27T05:46:00.000-08:00

Herb spent Saturday getting his wings unloaded and building some racks to store them. They are now tucked neatly away overhead.

Winging His Way Home

2009-01-23T05:16:00.000-08:00

Herb returns home today from Florida, towing his wings behind him. His drawings and parts arrived by FedEx while he was gone.

In the Drawing Room

2009-01-15T04:25:00.000-08:00

Herb is still waiting for his new plans and the taildragger kit to arrive. He is shopping for a band saw and a drill press.

Herb's mom and dad are visiting, so he has gotten to show them what he's been doing. He and Pop spent a considerable amount of time studying drawings yesterday. Pop showed Herb how he had fabricated some of the pieces. He showed him how to use the pneumatic squeezers and their dies. He showed him some drilling, riveting, and rivet removal techniques.

Late in the afternoon, UPS showed up with the new rivet squeezer that Herb had ordered. He and Pop are really proud of it.

Lying Awake at Night

2009-01-09T14:50:00.000-08:00

By Herb Haught

I woke up at 2:30 this morning thinking about how to execute the modifications on the fuel tanks so that I can fly inverted.

This afternoon I called Van's and talked to them about a new set of plans and parts for converting to a taildragger. I practiced riveting and countersinking and bought a new, flexible air hose and installed it on the air compressor. I also bought a drill bit sharpener.

The parts and the plans will be here in a week.

On Innovation and the Icon A-5

2009-01-09T01:00:00.000-08:00

C-16 pilot and blogger Cameron Schaefer reports.

So You Want My Job: Air Force Pilot

2009-01-08T04:35:00.000-08:00

Read the fabulous interview with an impressive young Air Force pilot, Cameron Schaefer.

PT-40 Model Time

2009-01-06T19:44:00.000-08:00

By Wendy Haught

Herb has decided not to do any more work on the RV-6 until he gets a set of the latest plans. The ones he is using are from the early '90s. He doesn't want to keep working and then find that there are design updates that he needs to incorporate. So last night he and Nathaniel worked on Nathaniel's PT-40 trainer.

The wings are just set on in the picture below, but it reminded me of the Space Shuttle being piggybacked. Emma asked the other day whether Nathaniel could fly his model plane from inside the RV-6 when the RV-6 is flying. Herb thought that he could. It's an interesting idea.

Three Down, One to Go

2009-01-05T03:15:00.000-08:00

By Wendy Haught

Herb and Nathaniel built this worktable yesterday afternoon. They had just finished when my dad came to visit and see what was going on with the plane. Dad's dog, Cherokee, is standing on the table. Dad never goes anywhere without him.

Herb practiced his drilling-out rivets technique until late in the evening.

Nathaniel couldn't stand that bare expanse of table, so he got his plane building project out of the guest room closet and resumed work on it after a hiatus of several years. He got the aileron bellcranks complete and installed. He also finished the wingtip trailing edges.

Meeting the EAA Group

2009-01-04T03:50:00.000-08:00

By Wendy Haught

Saturday morning Herb, Nathaniel, Emma, and I paid our first visit to the local chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA). We met a friendly group of airplane folks, signed up for a family membership, learned several new jokes, and got to see a completed RV-6A. The "A" designation indicates a tricycle gear. Herb's will be a tail dragger.

The RV-6A was down for a fuel tank leak, so Herb got to be involved in its repair. He recognized right away that it had been modified because he has spent a lot of time studying the fuel tank plans to see what he will need to do to the tanks to be able to fly upside down, something that is critical to his happiness. He got to see Pro-seal, a sealer with a wicked reputation for being messy, being applied.

Pro-seal comes in a tube like a caulk gun. Since Pro-seal can not be saved for later use once it's been catalyzed, Henry, the owner of the hangar, suggested cutting off the applicator nozzle when finished and saving it. After 24 hours, the nozzle contents can be checked to see if the sealer set up properly.

The RV-6A owner, Steve, said that it only takes him about seven minutes longer to get to the annual Oskhosh airshow in the RV than it did in his Cessna 210. His RV has a 150 horsepower engine. Herb will be installing a 180 horsepower engine, so he is expecting to fly even faster.

After a couple of hours I suggested to Herb that Emma and I take the car and go home. He could call me for a ride when he and Nathaniel got ready. At that point I feared it might be sundown. Reluctantly, he decided to go then, but he let me know that the next time Emma and I would have to stay home if we couldn't stay until he was done having fun. My solution: Emma and I will will ride our bicycles.

Cutting and Shimming the Jig

2009-01-01T17:29:00.000-08:00

By Herb Haught

Enlarge the picture to see the laser beam on top of each of the fuselage supports

I decided to go ahead and start from scratch on the leveling of the jig. So I removed the fuselage and then cut the legs and shimmed to get level both directions. I also went ahead and glued the jig to the floor with epoxy.

After the epoxy exercise I went back and checked for level again, used three different levels and all agreed. So I went ahead and started positioning the fuselage back on the jig. At this point I have everything back on but only the firewall bulkhead and the instrument panel bulkhead in their final positions.

On the Level

2008-12-31T18:10:00.000-08:00

by Herb Haught

From left to right the floor rises two inches. Photo by Nathaniel Haught

I used a laser this evening to see what it will take to level the fuselage jig prior to beginning work. I discovered our garage floor has a slope of 2-inches from the driveway entrance to the back. I verified the laser with the transit; both agree. I also began my list of parts I need to order from Van's. I'm still occupied with plans review to see where Dad left off. It's a pretty daunting task to see what's complete and what's not. Trips back and forth from plans to jig to video and back to verfiy on the jig. Lots of fun.

I'm considering taking the fuselage frame off the jig so that I can modify it and get it level.

Important Poll: Top Gun

2008-12-31T04:38:00.000-08:00

I have often teased Herb about how many times he has watched the movie Top Gun. I think it's something like, well, too many times to count. He never grows tired of the flying scenes. Anyway, I thought it would be fun to see how many visitors here have watched it multiple times. Herb got a kick out of the poll when he saw it and voted promptly.

More Furnishings for the Garage

2008-12-31T04:21:00.000-08:00

Last night Herb scurried back and forth between the plans that are spread out on the pool table, the RV-6 instructional video, and the garage. I think he had a ruler in his hand. By the end of the evening he announced that he would be moving our old TV from the bedroom out to the garage. No more scurrying. We never watch that TV anyway, and it takes up some valuable square footage in Herb's armoire, so I'm happy. Now if he moves a recliner or a cot out there, I WILL NOT BE HAPPY. And you know what they say: If Mama ain't happy. . .

Studying to Convert

2008-12-29T18:56:00.000-08:00

Tonight Herb studied his plans to see what he'll have to do to convert the plane from a tricycle gear to a taildragger. Some of the rear bulkheads will have to be changed out to accept a tailwheel.

Another Day, Another Table

2008-12-28T18:25:00.000-08:00

This one is 8 feet long.

The first one is 5 feet. Two steps closer to being able to actually begin working on the plane.

The EAA Table

2008-12-27T15:55:00.000-08:00

Herb and Nathaniel got the plans for the ideal worktable from Van's Air Force website. They are going to build four; today they got one done.

Herb spent a lot of time making sure Nathaniel learned proper technique. He could tell that Nathaniel began to enjoy himself as the project progressed.

Herb's Plane Happy

2008-12-21T19:38:00.000-08:00

Originally published on In Haught Pursuit

Herb returned home Saturday night towing a mighty project, an RV-6 kit plane. His dad started it in the early 90s and decided that it was time to pass the torch, so to speak. Herb will have to make one more trip back to Florida to bring back the wings.

We have a 2100 foot grass runway along the west side of our property, so Herb is eager to complete this project and fly. He has already joined a users' group called Van's Air Force. It offers lots of technical support. Additionally, there are good pictures of completed planes on Van's website.

Herb will also join the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA). Our local chapter meets at a hangar about a mile and a half from us. We only have to make one left turn off our street to get there. We have to drive long distances to do just about everything, so this being so close is simply amazing to me.

From what Herb tells me, a whole social life comes with the plane. The RV airplane owners get together a lot, fly to lunch, make day trips, etc. He's also expecting all of his parents' airplane buddies to fly over to our house and check up on him--I mean visit. I'm dusting off all of my "feed a crowd" recipes in anticipation.

We're hoping that Herb's folks will come stay for a month or two in their motorhome. Herb Sr. and my dad would have so much fun bossing, I mean supervising, Herb and Nathaniel. Herb's dad got a lot of experience working on planes in the Air Force, and he and my mother-in-law got their private pilot's licenses after he retired. They flew a Piper Cherokee for many years. My dad re-built an Aeronca Chief as a young man and learned to fly out of his parent's pasture. Later he bought a Piper Pacer, which he sold when I was little. After I married, Dad bought a Beechcraft Bonanza.

Herb and I started taking flying lessons in the early 80s. I soloed but lost confidence afterward. I stopped flying before finishing the requirements for my license. Herb got his pilot's license and enjoyed flying the Cherokee and the Bonanza.

Now Nathaniel and Emma want to learn to fly. I guess it's in their genes.

Here are the pictures of the uncrating: