RE: Vectorflight Edge 540 build
Here's the update and pics as I promised...
She is all done with the exception of final balancing with the rx/batt. and rechecking all the throws.
I cut and installed the cowl and canopy and installed the belly pan. I am waiting to install the tail fairing until after I balance her. That way if I have to add weight I can add it to the tail area under the fairing.
The cowl was kinda fun to do (NOT !!). The Saito is so large that it took about two hours to do the cowl. I had to keep refitting it and then trimming, etc., etc. As you can see, I have two fairly large holes on the plane's right side of the cowl. The upper hole is a for a recessed remote glow driver. The lower hole is for the Slimline remote fuel filler. I really like the Slimline unit. It has no valves to go bad, just 3 o-rings that need replacing if any problems develop. Very simple and robust. As I stated in an earlier post, the remote glow unit is actually designed for helicopters. In the original configuration that I had it, the remote glow would have been sticking out the cowl. I desoldered the leads and flipped the mounting bracket so that it would mount flush. Now it is a much cleaner install.
The canopy was a bit of a pain to do as well. After several trail fits and trimmings, I finally got it where I wanted it. I started at first to mount it with the screws, but I wanted a cleaner appearance. So I used some canopy glue and some of the excess red and white to trim the canopy. The end result appears that the canopy is just sitting on the plane. Very clean.
I have 8 more pics, so here are the first four.
Thanks again for everyone's help and follow up on this thread as I will be doing an indepth flight report.