Jun 25 2010

Painting the exterior

It is hot, Hot, HOT in Charleston, SC today.  The heat index should be about 110 F around noon today so painting on the the plane started at 6:30 am since the shop doors need to be open for ventilation.

The ADS-B antenna installed on the bottom of the plane.  I like the way it looks between the gear legs.  A hanging male appendage.  Not as big as the one on my plane (the engine air intake), but for this plane its approprate and will get the job done.

You can see the cooper foil in the hell hole I used immediately above the antenna.  The book requires a minimum of four square feet (the copper is only about 1.5 ft sq).   A ground wire was installed to connect the copper to the copper paint on the bottom the plane.  Ppod should have the equivalent ground plane of a standard aluminum plane (at least 14 ft sq in this case). 

It took me at least a full day to take all the parts out of the plane and tape it off for painting.  I’ll weigh EVERYTHING that goes back into the plane for my records.  Should be interseting to see how much the “extras” add to the base weight of the plane.

I am not overly worried about over spray on the plane since it will be stripped completely and repainted immediately after arrival in CA.

I like the change of look of the plane in epoxy gray. 

Finished in white sandable primer….

I really like the look of NO access door.  

It is now 10:40 and time to cool off in the pool.  Next up is painting the interior, the real challenge.  It will have to wait until Monday when the temps are a bit cooler.  I am wasted….

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