Time to get serious about finishing the fiberglass windshield retainer. The first photo shows the first rough cut along the top and bottom edges with the Dremel metal cutter wheel, which goes through the fiberglass very fast. Too fast. (At this point all work on the retainer is nerve wracking -- because it would be very difficult to build another one at all, much less to fit the existing rivet hole pattern already drilled in the top of the fuselage.) All the retainer's rivet holes have been cleared out by back drilling through the filler from the backside using special plexiglass/plastic drill bits. The edge lines need to be cut and sanded down quite a bit more -- the whole thing will be narrower when done -- but the second photo shows an interim test fit back on the plane, and it's starting to look very nice indeed.

Due to a ridiculous wiring error many, many months ago, I had to take the right wing tip off again. I had planned to put off installing the AFS angle of attack (AOA) system's pressure ports until after the plane is flying, but... it was such a PITA to take the tip off (45 screws, remember) that I decided to go ahead and install the AOA pressure ports now. The rather artsy photo shows the top and bottom Delrin pressure port fittings installed. They are each attached by two stainless, countersunk, 4-40 machine screws, and the surfaces mating with the wing skin are sealed with Permatex. The top wing port's 1/8" O.D. blue polyurethane tube is attached. The green tube will go to the bottom port and of course, the tubes will be further secured so they won't flop around. The top port assembly also serves as an air/water separator, to dispel any small amounts of water that may get into the top port. Thus the top port, which is 3" further inboard than the bottom port, will have a drain out the bottom of the wing. The ports themselves are teeny holes through the wing skin made with a #60 drill bit -- so small they're hard to see, a very fine pinhole. So long as we avoid pressure washing the wing in that location, very little water will ever get in. Even so, draining the AOA water separator will be on the checklist for every preflight inspection.

Thanks to assistance from neighbor Mike, the top nose bowl stiffener is done. It was laid up with S-glass using West epoxy resin. The layup schedule started with an "L" piece on each side of the foam board mold, then two layers over the top and down, then another "L" layer on each side. The first photo shows the layup still in the frame. The second shows it removed from the frame and holding its shape quite nicely, resulting in a roughly 1" higher center line.