Turning Base

So I feel this build is drawing to a close. I'm not ready to say turning final yet, but certainly further down the track than downwind. There is really not that much left to do. Painting is all but complete apart from the front section as mentioned before on the fuselage, but that will happen this week. I have run out of paint again and need to buy my last 500 ml, I hope. I don't need that much for the floor but I need also to paint my old plane's cowling and wheel spats so the extra will be required there.
I have painted the red wing tips this week and the Ailerons.

The red paint really sprays on so well. It seems to cover so much better than the white that I am sure if I painted the whole plane red, it would weigh a heck of a lot less compared to white. To cover all the primer with white, seemed to require around 1/4 more paint, I think, as an estimate.  If I was to paint again, I would research the paints in more depth,rather than relying on the local paint shop guy for advice, who, I think, doesn't give two hoots. Maybe the paint I used was the best who knows. Either way, it's done now. It looks ok so lets see what the scales say when I weigh it in.

I balanced the Ailerons tonight as a last, end of light job, before the sun went down. The stand they were sitting on looks, and was, crude I guess.  But it was perfectly adjusted by height and at the end measured up the same. I temporarily fitted the control surfaces to see if I 'measured twice' and painted once I worked it out in regard to mating up the red stripes. They came out well, so I was stoked. I will leave the wing tips off now for my next, and hopefully last, pre finalization inspection. I will see what the inspector says I guess then go from there.

I have lost quite a few days building lately as I needed to go to Perth to carry out my MPC for the ongoing maintenance, once completed. The course was good and opened my eyes to the administration side of maintaining through the SAAA. I just need to sit the exam now so will do that in the next few days. I am very quickly running out of time before I have to go back to work.  I lost a day today, and probably the next 3 to come as well doing maintenance on my old plane. I have been fixing a niggling oil leak today and replacing some fuel level indicator fuel lines. I need to do some cowling fibreglass work tomorrow and paint the spats then I really must put it up for sale. The plane flew again so well on Sunday it really breaks my heart to sell it. I had a quick flight around the block doing 5 circuits and a trip over my house and the river.Landings included 3 x wheelers and 2 x three pointers. There was a nice 10 knot crosswind to make life interesting. A low level circuit and a PFL for the last landing. All in all close to 1 hour in the air. The Aerovee seems to just run nicely now it has run in. Around 50 hours on the rebuilt engine. I have heard people mention it before, but I am experiencing it for myself now.  I think the new engine in the Sonex will be just as nice, and if not nicer, due to the turbo, and the cooling should be ok from the first flight.

I guess the next move for the Sonex will be to take it out to the airport for the final wing install and the weighing and final adjustments. I am very confident that it will be a straightforward affair.

BTW...I have a UPS shipping notice about a Sensenich Prop in the mail. Due to arrive in the next day or so...excited ? ...Oh yes.