Aeronca Champ N82258 | toddheffley.com

Weslyn

Aeronca N82258 in various states of disrepair, during the term of a 8 Year restoration:

2006_02_08ChampPaintGoneBad

This is what happens when the paint process goes horrably wrong. This is the result of not sanding the primer after the last cote of primer. An .AVI shows the paint peeling right off. We followed the STC exactly, and applied the first color coat over the last primer coat with no sanding. This is not wise, as we now know. Airtech markets its product as process that requires little sanding. While it is true that you are not required to sand as as much as Stitts, it still requires the coats to be “scuffed”.

2006_01_05ChampPaint
The Ailerons, and Elevators/Stabilizers, (not the rudder) installed on a spit for painting.

2005_12_29_ChampPaintBooth
We built a paint booth (Larger) from discarded metal studs and plastic sheeting. The intake is a 24″x24″x1″ AC filter with a box fan. (lowerLeft corner of the picture). The outlet is a filter connected to 1/4 of a LARGE cooling fan. This evacuates the booth, as well creates a draft in the hangar that cause overspray to go west out the doors. Interestingly, the outlet fan filter FILLS up every time we paint. No overspray anywhere in the hangar though……

These are the cable fairleads

that will provide a cosmetic closeout for the rudder cables as they exit the Fusalage under the stabilizers.

2005_11_27ChampWingSpit
This is the wing installed on the completed spit (larger). Copied from a comercial design, The rollers (larger) are metal lawn mower wheels with the tires cut off. The hoop is 1/2 inch electrical conduit bent with a conduit bender.
The wing spit is a complete success, allowing the wing to be coated fully on both sides without a 1 day wait for paint to dry. If we had to do it all over, 1″ conduit would have been stronger. Also, the rollers could have been lower, allowing the wing to be 3 inches lower to the ground.

2005_10_15ChampGear
Here is a Sectioned (larger) gear oleo and strut. We used this for a reminder of how all the parts came apart!
The Gear Case Frames almost ready to paint. We included the tabs for the snare cables, even though the AD is complied with……