Today I begun installing the nose wheel fairing. First the fuselage has to be set level in all dimensions and the nosewheel tire must not be flattened.
I was rather surprised by how much I had to lift the rear of the fuselage.



Then there is a lot of finagling as the cutouts for the tyre are much too small. The picture shows the second cut, and the first one was as big as this one.



After the two parts are cut to size, they are in position. Next step is to drill the holes through the fairings and the brackets (in blue).



All the holes are now drilled. I also drilled the bigger holes for the tow-bar.



There is still some work to do : install all the nutplates, trim the fairing around the tyre, trim the fairing around the leg without speaking of the painting.

As my parents are visiting, I took the opportunity to move the engine from my neighbour's garage to the workshop. The picture shows the engine on two dollies, on the left the pallet on which the engine was delivered and in the back the thick cardboard box.



The garden encounter of the engine and of the fuselage.



And the engine in the workshop, with the hoist we used to remove the dollies. The engine will get of the supports only before engine hanging.



Here a rear view of the engine with clockwise from the top : the white oil filter, the vacuum pump or standby alternator pad in black, the Pmag electronic ignition, the propeller governor pad with the gold cover, the fuel pump (conical) and the standard mag with the ignition wires.



Here a view from the front with the starter ring gear. The plug is in place at the center as the engine is built for a constant speed propeller but I will you a use fixed-pitch.

After more than one month without being able to go to the workshop, one hour only today to make some claenup and get the fuselage out for the first time. In preparation fo the engine hanging, I turned the fuselage around in the workshop to make it easier working on the engine.
Here the roll-out, only parts of an inch on each side, I might have to use some tricks once the engine in hanging.



And the fuselage outside, before the 180°.

The holidays and a cold I can't get rid of brought the building to a standstill. But reading and planning is still allowed.
Here are some links to interesting websites :
- on the EAA website, some videos about technical skills needed
- the december issue of Vans newsletter is avalaibale HERE
- Yann Faure continues building his RV-38 : F-PACY
- Kevin Horton, Bombardier test pilot and b]RV-8[/b] builder has a website full of excellent technical informations about test flying and all kinds of testing. Read what happended to him on the October, 19th and see how sturdy a Lycoming engine and a Hartzell propeller are, even if you have to change them afterwards.

And to finish the new website and address of the Vans Club de France : www.vansclubdefrance.fr.